Summer is coming!!! Wahoo! I say wahoo but it is also so very fresh in my memory how much I used to fret that it was too warm for my baby and was not sure of the best ways to cool him and make sure he was comfortable.
If you are wondering how to go about keeping your baby cool or even yourself in the heat then take a look at my tips on keeping cool and happy.
Daytime:
The safest time to be outside is in the morning before noon at late evening after 6pm. Sun’s rays are strongest when it is the highest in the sky between 11am – 1pm and it is the hottest outside between 3pm-5 pm as the sun’s rays have heated up the atmosphere. Staying inside is optimum for safety during these times but if you are outside during these times, (which of course most will be, especially if you are on holiday), make sure your little one wears a high factor sun cream, sun hat, sunglasses and is in the shade.
As well as shade, hydration is key! The same as us, babies and children need plenty of fluids especially when the weather warms up to stop them from becoming dehydrated. Breastfed babies will need/want more breast milk and bottle fed babies (post 6 months) can have cooled boiled water on top of their usual milk feeds. You can also give cooled boiled water during the night too when they have had their milk feeds.
For babies that are on solids (from 6 months) you can offer sips of water from a beaker to top up their hydration levels and for children post 12 months you can offer frozen water lollies.
Nighttime:
We all know how difficult it can be to keep comfortable at nighttime as the weather heats up our homes.
Below are some tips to try keep safe and comfortable at night.
1. Temperature: making sure you know he temperature of your little ones room. It is essential to know how to deal with the heat. NHS guidelines suggest a nursery thermometer to ensure their room is the right temperature. Make sure you take your babies temperature properly, in the night by checking their neck, back or chest.
2. Clothing: dress your little one accordingly. If you feel hot in pyjamas and a sheet/duvet, then chances are they will also feel hot wearing pyjamas. You have to remember though that whilst putting your baby down with just a nappy on, the temperature may drop in the night and so a low tog sleeping bag may be useful too.
3. Cool Room: keeping the blackout blind down in the day blocks out the sun rays and stops the room from heating up too much. You can open the window to allow any breeze to circulate the room a little. You can also use a quiet fan with a bottle of ice in front of it so the air blown is cold. Please be mindful of water and electricity though and keep it away from your little one! You can also try cold/frozen wet muslin clothes or sheets hanging from chairs. Again, safety first and ensure your little one can’t reach them.
4. Routine: during the bedtime routine try a cooler bath to cool their body temperature a little.
Extra points
Transport: be extra careful with little ones in car seats and pushchairs. The trend of putting blankets over car seats and pushchairs to keep out the sun can mean temperatures under that blanket soar! Use something like a Snoozeshade which is air permeable and blocks out UVA and UVB rays.
If your little one does not sleep well even without the heat please just get in touch! My sleep plans include a bedtime routine but a good bedtime routine won’t resolve sleep problems if your little one has not learned to sleep so book a free, no obligation, chat to talk about working together.
