Wednesday 1 July 2015

8 Tips to Keep Babies Cool in Hot Weather

Woah it's a warm one! I've been a bit worried about my poor sweaty baby in this heat (it's going to hit 33 degrees here today!) I know that people who live in hot countries must laugh at us Brits when we get a sniff of warm weather and start to panic about our bundles of joy. Here are a few tips I've discovered to keep your baby nice and cool this summer. 

1) Strip off Baby
This might sound like a simple one but I was initially worried about leaving Jake in just his nappy because I thought he might catch a chill. Then it hit 30 degrees, I took the plunge and took off the vest. He's not been dressed in days and he seems more than happy.




2) Keep the Bedroom Cool
Keep the blinds and curtains closed in the room where baby sleeps. This will stop the sun coming in and keep the room a bit cooler. 

3) Take off the Waterproof Sheet on the Bed
Remember that awful sweltering bed you were in while in labour? The awful sticky mattress under the sheet? That's what baby is feeling now. Strip off the plasticy mattress protector, or flip to the soft side, or if you want to keep the waterproof element of the bed, cover it in a couple of lightweight sheets. Just make sure the sheets are tightly wrapped and secure. 

4) Take the Plunge
We haven't got round to getting a paddling pool yet for Jake so I just grabbed our old baby bath and took it outside in the shade and let Jake sit and splash around.

5) Keep Baby Hydrated
I am going to take this opportunity of Jake being naked to introduce him to his first free flowing sippy cup. I will give it to him filled with cooled boiled water and let him ply around with it in the garden. If baby is a bit smaller, maybe offer a couple oz of cooled boiled water in a bottle in between feeds. Be sure not to offer water straight after a feed because it will water down the feed.

6) Get a fan
A fan is a great way to cool a room, I recently got this one from Asda it was £19.96, very simple to assemble and it's really quiet. Although it doesn't cool down the air, the air circulating the room feels lovely. Don't forget, never point a fan directly at your baby.

7) Hang Wet Towels
Submerge towels in cold water and wring out just enough so they are not dripping, hang from the curtain rail so air coming in from the window is cooled. You could also hang wet towels in front of a fan on an airer or a chair.

8) Check Your Boiler
This sounds like a random one I know but bare with me! Our bedroom is above the boiler and definitely the hottest room in the house. I just checked our water temperature and it was set at 65 degrees C. Meaning that the water running through our pipes is that hot, so I turned it down to the lowest it will go. I will turn it up a little when I need to wash up but straight after I'll turn it down again. 

I hope you manage to enjoy this gorgeous weather and my tips were of some help to you. Please feel free to add any tips you might have in the comments below!