Summer babies: what you need to make life easier (and cooler)
What have Cheryl Cole, John Betjeman, Anna Friel, and Benedict Cumberbatch got in common? They were all born during a heatwave. Let’s spare a thought for their parents who had to cope with a newborn in tremendous heat. However hot it gets this year, there are some things you can do to make life easier and cooler with a summer baby. And you don’t need to get in touch with Mr and Mrs Cumberbatch for tips. Here is everything you need to know.
IS IT SAFE TO USE A SLING OR BABY CARRIER IN THE SUMMER HEAT?
Firstly, if there are extreme temperatures and Met Office warnings have been issued, stay at home if possible. But for a regular hot summer day, it is fine to use a sling or carrier if it’s done properly. In fact, close contact can even help newborn babies regulate their temperature. Some babies are much happier in a sling or carrier (and more portable) so there is no reason to avoid it in the summer months as long as it’s comfortable for you both. It’s just important that they don’t overheat. And that you don’t feel like you’re walking around in August with a hot water bottle strapped to your chest.
what should a baby wear in a sling or carrier?
As a general rule of thumb, a baby should wear one more layer than is comfortable for you. (This rule does not apply to nudists like the Naked Rambler.) When babywearing, the wearer counts as a layer and so does the sling or carrier. So if it’s very warm, put the baby in very light, loose-fitting, and breathable clothes that will cover their limbs and protect them from the sun. They should also wear a sun hat. If it’s very hot, you could just put them in a nappy and then tuck a muslin cloth into the carrier to give some shade. But remember that muslin is not UV resistant so avoid direct sunlight and be particularly vigilant between 11 am and 3 pm.
A good alternative is the Bundlebean UV resistant cotton cover. It gives UPF 50+ sun protection and has This has four snap fasteners so can be placed over the baby carrier or also used to cover a pushchair or car seat.
You could also use a parasol to give you both shade. Which is a great option as it’s probably the closest you’ll get to feeling like a Victorian lady. Unless you are a regular wearer of crinoline or user of smelling salts.
should you put sun cream on a baby?
The official advice is to keep babies out of direct sunlight at all times until they are six months old. This is because their skin is very delicate and contains too little melanin to cope with UV rays. Damage from the sun at this age could cause skin cancer later in life. Sunscreen on babies is not recommended when they are this young as their skin is so sensitive and much thinner and more permeable.
When they are six months old, choose a sunscreen that is formulated for babies and is at least SPF30. Most sunscreens aimed at babies are SPF50. You should also check the UVA protection. This is indicated by stars so look on the bottle for four stars or more.
what baby carriers are best to use in hot weather?
Choose a sling that is very lightweight and made from natural, breathable fabric. If you are getting a buckled carrier, look for ones with air mesh panels and roll-out hoods that will provide some shade.
The Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh carrier is very popular and can be used from when the baby is 7lbs. It has four ergonomic carrying positions, a detachable storage pouch, and a tuck-away hood. Lumbar support and padded shoulder straps make it comfortable for you to use.
There is also now a new Ergobaby Omni Breeze, which has all the same features but is even more breathable.
HOW TO KEEP A BABY COOL IN A PRAM
Once again, if it’s a heatwave, stay at home. But for a regular hot day, you and your baby may prefer to use a pram when going out. Many prams will have a good sunshade included or available to buy separately. Those that concertina out a long way are great and have mesh panels for good airflow. These can be better than a pram parasol as you often have to change the positioning of these to continue giving shade as you change direction. You would also need to check if the parasol was UV-resistant.
Best of all is the multi-award-winning Snoozeshade. It can be attached from the hood to the handlebars for shade in every direction or used to cover the pram completely creating a dark environment for naps. It’s very breathable and blocks 99% of UV rays.
Is it safe to put a muslin cloth over a pram?
There is a lot of scaremongering about using a muslin cloth on a pram for shade. This first started with an experiment by a Swedish newspaper in 2014, which claimed a pram covered in this way caused a baby to experience dangerous levels of heat. This experiment was not carried out under scientific conditions and parents have been using muslins on prams for many years with fortunately no reports of any deaths.
However, muslin cloth is not UV resistant so it will not fully protect your child from the sun. You should also ensure it is very loosely draped with plenty of ventilation at the sides and regularly check they are not overheating.
What are the signs that a baby is overheating?
Check your baby’s chest or the back of their neck to see if it feels hot, clammy, or sweaty. Other signs they are overheated are red skin, a rapid heartbeat, rapid, shallow breathing, vomiting, and if they have a fever but are not sweating.
If they are too hot try moving into a cooler area, removing a layer of clothing, opening a window, gently fanning them, or spraying them with a fine mist of cool water.
There are fans that attach to the pram to provide a cooling breeze for your baby in the summer months. This one by Dreambaby clips onto the pram and has blades of a soft, foam material, making it much safer to use around a baby. The neck is flexible so you can easily move it to the required direction. You could also clip it onto a crib or playpen. However for safety reasons, always make sure it’s out of reach and also because some reviews have mentioned babies tearing off the blades.
HOW DO YOU KEEP A BABY COOL IN THE CAR?
Air conditioning or some open windows can cool down the car but if you will be using it a lot in the summer with a newborn, a car window sunshade is essential.
This will shade your baby from the heat of the sun and also protect them from harmful UV rays. UVB rays cannot pass through glass but damaging UVA rays can and the side car windows are often not treated to prevent this.
Sunshades generally attach to the window with static, with suction cups or they are a stretchy fabric that is placed over the whole window. The stretchy ones are good for older babies as they can’t be pulled off.
If you are alone with your baby in the car, you also might want to get a child view car mirror. These attach to the back seat headrest and are positioned so you can use your rearview mirror to keep an eye on your baby.
If you are having a summer baby, you may also want to buy a car seat in a light-coloured fabric as tests have shown that darker-coloured car seats absorb a lot more heat. Just also check that the cover is removable and machine washable as otherwise, it may not still be a light colour by next spring.
HOW DO YOU KEEP A BABY COOL AT NIGHT?
Safe sleeping experts the Lullaby Trust recommend opening the bedroom window if it’s safe to do so. They also suggest keeping the door open to allow some air to circulate, using light cotton bedding, and on very hot nights letting them sleep in just their nappy.
If you want to use a fan, make sure it’s not pointed directly at the baby. To try and cool the air, place a bowl of ice or a frozen bottle of water in front of the fan.
Keeping the curtains or blinds closed during the day can also lower the temperature for nighttime. Ideally, the bedroom should be 16 - 20°C but this will be more difficult to achieve at the height of summer. Adjusting their bedding and clothing will compensate for this. Try an extra-large muslin as a light summer blanket or a sleeping bag that has a tog of one or lower.
A room thermometer can be great in helping you decide what’s best and many double up as a handy night light. If you have a video baby monitor, many of these have a temperature display included.
can you swaddle a baby in the summer heat?
It may look like a straitjacket but many babies enjoy being swaddled as it makes them feel secure and prevents them from being disturbed by their arm flailing Moro reflex. So basically it just wouldn’t be fair if you couldn’t do it with a summer baby. It’s not recommended during a heatwave but during a normal summer, it’s safe as long as you do it carefully. Try using a large muslin as these are very light and breathable. If it’s very hot the baby could just wear a nappy underneath. Make sure you don’t wrap too tightly and you could consider a wrapping technique that leaves the chest exposed.
If you don’t feel up to any origami-like wrapping, the popular, award-winning Love to Dream swaddle comes in a 0.2 tog, which is great for the summer and can be used in a room as hot as 24-27°C. It comes with instructions on what to wear underneath in different temperatures. You just need to make sure your baby meets the minimum weight requirement of 3.5kg/7.7lbs.
WHAT CLOTHES SHOULD YOU GET FOR A SUMMER BABY?
I imagine Mr and Mrs Cumberbatch got very little use out of their newborn baby clothes when Benedict arrived in a heatwave. In extremely hot weather, a baby will be fine in just their nappy. But for a more average British summer, the usual babygrows and bodysuits (vests) and will be required. Just makes sure you go for short-sleeved or sleeveless bodysuits.
If you will be using a baby sling or carrier, some very lightweight and roomy long-sleeved tops and trousers will protect your baby from the sun, as mentioned earlier. And a sun hat is a must-have. Look for ones with a wide brim to provide adequate shade and/or fabric at the back to cover the neck. Some have under-chin ties to stop babies from pulling hats off. As pulling hats off is a baby’s number one hobby. Those made from material treated to give SPF protection will give you extra peace of mind.
If you are making a trip to the beach, don’t forget that babies under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight so take a UV-resistant beach tent.
Does a baby need to wear sunglasses?
Babies under six months old don’t need sunglasses as the sun should not be directly on their faces. But they are important for older babies wearing sunscreen as they protect the baby’s sensitive eyes from damaging UV rays. Plus babies look amazing in sunglasses. Just make sure they give 100% UVA and UVB protection. This is often indicated with the label saying UV400 lenses. Tragically babies are often quite keen on pulling off the amazing-looking glasses so try getting ones with an adjustable strap to keep them in place.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO COOL A BABY DOWN?
A breastfed baby will probably want to feed more often but won’t need any water if they’re under six months. After that, they can have some cooled boiled water. Formula-fed babies might need some sips of cooled boiled water but don’t give this right before a feed.
If it’s very hot and you have a baby of weaning age you could try making breast milk ice lollies for them to suck on. The Nuby Garden Fresh Fruitsicles are good for this.
They can be used from six months and the handles have a drip catcher.
Now that you have all this information, let’s hope you are able to use it and it doesn’t just pour down all summer. Do you have any tips for keeping a baby cool in hot weather? Leave them in the comments below.
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