How to Keep Your Little One Comfortable in Summer
As lovely as summers are, trying to keep the little ones comfortable can be a real challenge. Today we look at a few tips on keeping your baby cool on the hottest of days, as well as through those long, muggy nights.
Babies are extremely sensitive to the sun and it’s recommended by the NHS that babies under six months old should be kept wholly out of direct sunlight. Older babies should also be kept out of the sun as much as possible. While this may sound difficult, in practice simply adding a parasol or sunshade to your baby’s pushchair should provide the needed shade. Babies need sunscreen even more than adults so be sure to apply this often, especially if they are going to be playing outdoors. Hats also make a huge difference.
To keep your baby comfortable and avoid a lot of those heat related issues, hydration is essential. On hot days, babies should be getting 50 percent more hydration than usual, and as infants under 6 months shouldn’t be drinking water, this will mean more feeds or formula.
Clothing is an important part of keeping your little one comfortable. Too many clothes and you will start noticing heat rashes appearing and your baby becoming more irritable. Perhaps the best material for clothing in summer is cotton. Light, cool and easy to dry, cotton clothes will offer the balance needed for sun protection and avoiding holding on to too much heat. On hotter days, a short-sleeve bodysuit can be all that is necessary, and here at Little Blooms Baby Gifts we have some great options.
Nights can be a particular challenge in summer, as bedroom temperatures tend to soar and bedrooms can retain the daytime heat for long periods of time. Bearing in mind that babies cannot regulate their body temperature as well as adults, it may be useful buying a thermometer to check the room temperature, so that you are able to adjust the ventilation accordingly. It’s really important that the room is kept cool enough, in the range of 16 to 20°C, to avoid the health dangers that may occur when the baby’s body overheats. Clothing choices are even more important at night than in the day, so it’s really good to be flexible and adjust to the weather. When the weather outside gets really hot, you may find just a nappy with a single well-secured sheet will suffice, but each child and environment is unique, so just try to be flexible and avoid layering up clothes in the hot weather.
As ever, these are just a few tips that we hope you find helpful, you as a parent will need to make decisions. But whatever the weather, a few small adjustments can ensure that your little one stays comfortable, which hopefully will allow you to enjoy the nicer things in summer: sun, sand, sea and of course, cocktails…
