Mummy’s Miracle How-To Guide: Keeping Your Baby Cool During Summer

Summer is the time to have fun and be carefree. It is the time to bask under the sun and enjoy getting that tan. However, when you become parents summer may not be as carefree as it used to be for you because your priorities and concerns shift to your little bundle of joy. You worry about your baby’s wellness and safety rather than thinking about having fun. 

Why is it important to keep your baby cool during summer? 

To you summer can be the season of fun and more outdoor activities, but to your little one it can be a peril. 

Yes, summer can be a risk, specially to baby’s under 6 months since they are more prone to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), a fatal sleeping disorder. Baby’s tend to sleep deeply when they’re hot, making them difficult to arouse, this increases the risk of SIDS. Also, babies still can’t talk, they can’t tell you when they’re hot. So it’s up to you to notice the signs--or just prevent them from getting hot. 

Prevention is better than cure. 

We’ve already discussed the common diseases babies get during the heat season, but here are the top two:

Dehydration

Heatstroke

If you haven’t read our blog post about the diseases babies usually get during summer, you can read it here. Summer 2021: Common Health Problems Of Kids During This Time

Guide and Tips on How To Keep Your Baby Cool During Summer: 

Babies in this age range have little melanin compared to others, so it is not safe for them to be exposed under the sun. 

It is safe to just stay indoors because babies under this age range are not great in regulating their core temperature for heat and cold. However, if you want to take them out for a walk, the sun is at its strongest from 11am to 3pm in the afternoon, so you can take them on a stroll in the morning. Make sure your stroller’s cover is up, shielding them from the sun even if it’s still early in the morning.

As adults, we don’t overdress or cover ourselves up during summer. The same principle applies to our babies--well, a little bit the same. 

Anyways, during this time, cotton fabric clothes are your best friend--or clothes made from natural fibers. Why? Cotton fabrics absorb perspiration better than synthetic fabrics. 

When you are indoors, dress your babies lightly, loose fitting, and lightweight. You can opt for a light onesie or just a top and ditch the pants. 

Always keep this in mind: Keep your babies hydrated whether it may be from a feeding bottle or breastfeeding. 

However, keeping your baby hydrated doesn’t always mean liquid intake, it also means taking notes how many times you changed your baby’s wet diapers to know how many times you should feed your baby.

Remember to stay hydrated as well, you need to take care of your health, too, for yourself and for your baby. 

It is recommended and advisable to stay indoors as much as possible, but if you like to go outside, apply sunscreen on your baby’s skin that’s a bit exposed to sunlight. Newborns are fresh, their skin easily burns. 

Pro tip: Wet a towel and dab it on your baby’s forehead. This will help drop your baby’s temperature or cool them when they feel hot. However, don’t use very cold water because you don’t want to drop your newborn’s temperature right away. 

These days small fans are everywhere, fans you can carry while going outside or those you can hang around your neck. These kinds of fans can really become handy all year round, but mostly during the summer. 

Also, when you are just staying inside your home, you can turn on your fans to keep the room temperature cold or cool. 

Keeping your blinds and curtains closed will really help with the overall temperature of your room, it will help make it cooler. 

Signs To Know When Your Baby Feels Hot

Babies don’t perspire effectively, so it’s hard to know when they feel hot if you don’t know the signs. Here are the signs that your baby feels hot:

• They feel warm to the touch
• Your baby’s skin is red
• They have a rapid heartbeat
• They have a fever but aren’t sweating
• Your baby is lethargic or unresponsive
• Your baby is vomiting
• Your baby seems dizzy or confused

You can also check out this amazing article by nhs.uk about Keeping Your Baby Safe In The Sun. 

Love + miracles,