Summer is here - and we hope plenty of good weather is coming too! But warm weather can make babies and toddlers uncomfortable so it’s important to keep them as cool as possible and protect them from the suns harmful rays, even on overcast days.
Baby skin is very thin and delicate and can’t handle the sun very well, and babies younger than 12 months really should not be exposed to the sun at all.
Baby should be kept in the shadow and protected from the sun’s harmful rays, ideally with a thin layer of light clothing and hats (though keeping a hat on a baby or toddler presents its own problems!!)
Suncream is so important too, but make sure it is specifically made for baby’s often sensitive skin and check that it is paraben free. Parabens are chemicals that are used to extend the shelf life of sun creams by preventing the growth of bacteria and mould.
Get the highest possible UV protection (50+ is ideal) and remember to reapply throughout the day.
If you are out and about with a buggy, it would be a good idea to invest in a sunshade - either in the form of a parasol that attaches to the handle of the buggy, or a specifically produced sun screen that attaches over the front of the buggy. The parasol can be handy but it often takes a bit of adjusting to make sure the shade is over baby correctly and sometimes I have found it difficult to attach securely. The sunshade is excellent as it has UV protection, while at the same time the mesh allows air to circulate in and around baby. The Outlook brand have a number of wonderful products (Outlook Sleep-pod, Outlook Sleep Shade Universal and the Outlook Shade-a-Babe 2in1) that you can see on our website www.bestforbabyroscommon.ie .Under no circumstances should you ever be tempted to put a blanket or towel over the front of the buggy….. this can trap the heat of the sun inside the buggy, resulting in overheating the baby, which can be extremely dangerous.
It’s important to remember that on overcast, heavy days, as well as hot humid days, babies and toddlers can become dehydrated quite quickly. Always ensure you have water ready in bottles to give to your baby or toddler throughout the day. Food with a high water content are excellent ways of introducing fluids to toddlers, and fruits such as watermelon can be used. If your baby isn’t urinating as much as usual or if their fontanel is sunken, then it’s a good sign that they are dehydrated and you should see the dr. (The fontanel is an area to the front of the skull, above the forehead).
Travelling with baby can be exhausting itself, but travelling with baby in hot weather requires even more preparation. Ensure you have plenty of water with you and it’s a good idea to take baby out of the car seat every hour or so, to help them cool off. Babies bodies can get very hot in the car seat so it’s good to get them out for even a few minutes. A sunshade on the car window near baby can prevent the full heat of the sun coming in as well as ensuring that baby is protected from the full glare of the sun. Again, the Outlook Auto Shades are a really good option for full window protection.
If baby is very warm, an excellent way of cooling them down is to give them a bath… with lukewarm water ideally. Let them splash around for a while, but remember to never leave baby unattended, as babies can drown even in a tiny amount of water.
And, of course, night-time poses a problem too in hot weather. Baby can overheat readily at night during the summer months. Ensure you have light clothing on baby and the lightest tog sleep suit (tog 1 is ideal, check out the Clevamama Nite Nite romper, suitable from 0-9 months) or a very thin blanket will suffice. You can check the temperature of the room with a room thermometer like the Tommee Tippee Gro Egg, which changes colour depending on the room temperature, so you can add or take away bedding layers accordingly.
And be sure to make the most of any warm weather we get….. God knows we don’t get good weather too often!!!
