27/06/2024
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Babies in hot weather
Hot wather can be quite difficult to manage with a young baby. It can change feeding and sleep patterns. Babies often wake more when its hot (adults do too!) and often like to feed more frequently Here are some tips!
Keep the bedroom cool by keeping the curtains drawn. Windows close on the hottest part of the day open when cooler. Try to get a through draft between rooms.
(For those of you outside the UK, yes its true, we don't often have air conditioning here as its hot for about 2 weeks a year!)
If baby has a bath, keep the water cool.
Keep clothing and bedding light and cotton is best. Layers are good so you can add something in the early hours of the morning if the temperature cools a little.
Use a fan to keep the air circulating, but don't point it directly at the baby.
Avoid direct sunlight, keep babies in the shade as much as you can.
Remember babies will probably need to feed more often in the hot weather to keep themselves hydrated. Or sometimes they just sleep and make up for it later!
Breastfed babies don't need any extra water if they're under 6 months. They will feed little and often and the milk will be more watery to keep them hydrated.
Formula fed babies may need a little water but can also have more milk.
For combination fed babies, try to have set times for formula feeds and then breastfeed responsively in between so baby can stay hydrated, there's no need for water.
All babies over 6 mths can have a little water with solids.
It can get very hot and sticky when feeding and cuddling babies in hot weather. Putting a muslin square between your skin and baby's will help. But believe it or not, skin to skin will actually cool baby down.
Don't cover the buggy, it makes the temperature much hotter
When baby wearing have baby in one thin cotton layer or just a nappy. A layer of fabric between you and baby will stop you getting too sticky
