Best Bug Spray For Babies
You're not the only one who loves your baby's sweet skin. Head outdoors on a warm summer day, and it might quickly be apparent that mosquitoes or other biting insects are fans too. Fortunately, the right bug spray for babies can keep the tiny predators at bay. Parents may wonder, however, if bug sprays are safe for babies.
Luckily, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says you can use bug spray on babies 2 months old and older as long as they contain no more than 30 percent DEET. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you should avoid products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) for children under 3 years old.
Continue reading to learn more about the best bug sprays for babies, written by Joyce Slaton.
June 30, 2025
Joyce Slaton
About Joyce Slaton
Joyce Slaton is the commerce editor at BabyCenter, the world's number one digital parenting resource. She is a certified child passenger safety technician who loves to write, sew, and cook. Slaton lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter.
Experience
Slaton is an expert in child car seat safety. She is certified to install and check child passenger restraints, as well as educate parents on installing and using car seats. Slaton has been a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) since 2016, and in that time has installed and learned about hundreds of car seats. Slaton has also been writing professionally about parenting, children's products, and women's health for BabyCenter since 2005.
Education
Slaton has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Florida.
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