We all love the sunshine, but how do you keep your baby cool during the summer? Babies and small children don’t regulate their own temperature as well as adults so here are some practical tips to help your little one beat the heat.
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1. Close Your Curtains During The Day To Keep Rooms Dark And Cool
Keep your rooms, including the nursery/your child’s bedroom, as cool as you can. Open the windows at night to let in cooler air and use blackout curtains or blinds during the day to keep out the heat. Shut the windows during the day if the air temperature is hotter outside than inside.
2. Cool Rooms With Any Fans You Have
Use a fan to move around air within a room and help make it feel fresher. In really hot weather, you can keep rooms extra cool by placing bottles of iced water directly in front of the fans to help circulate cooler air.
Just make sure your baby or baby’s sleeping area isn’t directly in front of a fan, as this can make them shiver or become dehydrated.
3. Keep Your Baby In The Shade And Out Of Direct Sunlight
It’s not recommended for babies under 6 months to wear sunscreen so keep your baby in the shade wherever possible. This is particularly important between the hours of 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its highest. Seek parks with tree cover, shaded areas in the garden or baby classes which are indoors or in the shade.
Once your baby is old enough to wear sunscreen, go for as high an SPF as possible, 50 minimum. Make sure the sunscreen offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays and go for a baby-specific sunscreen for sensitive skin.
Even when wearing sunscreen, still keep your older baby or toddler out of the direct sun between 11am and 3pm and as much as possible at other times during summer.
Read more about sun safety from the NHS.
4. Make Sure Your Baby Drinks Lots – Keep Cool
Keep your baby hydrated. If your baby is breastfeeding, feed on demand during the day (they will be extra thirsty) and keep yourself well-hydrated. If your baby is taking formula, be prepared to offer extra feeds too. You can offer bottle-fed babies a little cooled boiled water as well. Over 6 months old-babies and toddlers can sip on extra cool water from a cup.
Once your baby is 12 months old, the NHS says you could offer them frozen water ice lollies or very diluted fruit juice lollies at mealtimes (better for their teeth to have it at the same time as other food).
5. Dress You And Your Baby For The Weather
Always pop a sunhat on your baby, preferably with a wide brim or flap at the back to protect their neck. Wear light-weight and light-coloured clothes which cover your baby or toddler’s shoulders and reflect the sun. Of course, if they’re in the shade, babies can wear just a nappy.
“Bring your baby to classes with clothes which are easy to remove. This way in case the room is hot, your little one won’t feel uncomfortable.”
Thanks to MonkeyMusicTowerBridge for this suggestion.
6. Use Lightweight Clothes and Bedding For Sleeping In
Unless you have air conditioning, it’s virtually impossible to keep the room your baby is sleeping in at the recommended 16-20 degrees. Instead, look at what your baby is wearing or sleeping in, particularly during humid nights or when they’re napping during the day
Use a light-weight sleeping bag (if your baby is big enough to use one), light sheet or no sleeping bag or sheets at all. Dress your baby in just a vest and nappy – or on really hot nights and days, a nappy may be enough.
7. Get A Good Sunshade For Your Pram
Look for adjustable umbrellas or baby sunshades for your baby’s pram or pushchair. We love SnoozeShade, which has high SPF protection and acts pretty much as a black-out but is still ventilated. Check your baby regularly for signs of overheating and take them out of the pram if needed.
Never cover your baby’s pram/pushchair with a blanket or muslin as it can lead to overheating (blankets trap hot air and the temperature can rise very quickly). A special sun shade or ventilated pram shade is best.
8. Stock Up On Juicy Foods
Consider the water content of your foods. If your baby is on solids, try watermelon, mango, kiwi, cucumber, tomatoes, cut-up grapes and yoghurt – anything with that bit of extra juice.
9. Get Out The Paddling Pool Or Baby Bath
In hot weather, even dipping your feet in water can help. Put a few centimetres of water in either the paddling pool, a washing-up bowl or a baby bath and let your baby splash around. Use lukewarm or warm water rather than freezing cold water from the tap as it will still cool your baby down without making them shiver. Or during the day you can go to a splash park if there’s one locally. You can buy swimwear which has an SPF rating, so go for the highest you can.
Just remember to never leave your baby unattended in or near water even in just a few cms. Keep the pool in the shade and make sure an adult is there to supervise.
10. Go Shopping!
With so many shops and supermarkets having air conditioning these days, popping to the shops can be a good place to cool off. Just 20 minutes or so can give you and your baby a refreshing blast of cooler air.
11. Use Air Conditioning Or Open Doors And Windows On Your Car – Keep Baby Cool
Try and cool your car down before placing your baby inside a car seat – cars can get surprisingly hot and babies get easily overheated. If you’re driving, use the air conditioning or open windows. If you’re stopped for any length of time or waiting for someone, either take your baby out of the car seat and into the shade if it’s safe to do so, or open doors and windows as fully as possible and check that they’re not too hot. You can check your baby’s core temperature by placing your hand on the back of their neck.
Use stick-on sunshades on the back windows if you can.
Never leave your baby alone or with doors and windows shut in a parked car.
12. Give Your Baby A Cool Bath Before Bed
A cool or lukewarm bath can work wonders before bed and help your baby cool calm down before a restful night’s sleep. Be careful not to make the water too cold as you don’t want your baby shivering. Here at Happity we’ve also been known to bath our babies in the garden on really warm summer evenings!
Just remember to never leave your baby unattended in or near water even in just a few centimetres. Keep the bath in the shade and make sure an adult is there to supervise your baby.
See the NHS for more hot weather advice.
What Should I Dress Baby In At Night?
If it’s really hot, a vest and nappy or even just a nappy should be fine. You can always add a layer or lightweight sheet/sleeping bag (0.5 or 1 tog) if your baby or toddler gets chilly. Avoid overheating your baby by dressing them for the conditions, particularly if their sleeping area is over 20 degrees. Check regularly that your baby isn’t too hot and seek medical advice if you’re worried about them or you think they’re suffering from dehydration, heat stroke or sunburn.
Disclaimer: we’re not medical experts and have gathered together as much practical advice as we can from various sources, including the NHS. Always consult a medical practitioner if you have any concerns about your baby or toddler in the heat.
What Other Top Tips Do Happy Parents And Providers Have For Cooling Down In Hot Weather?
- “Grab a muslin and run it under cold water. Ring it out and wrap around your neck whilst holding or wearing your baby. It will help cool you both down. Also great to grab when teething.” dancelikeamother
- “Baby milk ice lollies (yes, even breastmilk ice lollies).” babycollegeuk
- “The bottles of water in front of the fans trick is a life saver.” Happity Follower
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