Every parent knows how important it is to keep your baby cool in summer, so let’s go over some top tips so that you and your baby can safely enjoy the glorious weather!
Dress Them In Organic Cotton
In hotter months, breathable fabric is an absolute must, as synthetic materials do not allow airflow, leading to overheating. Clothes made with natural fibres, such as organic cotton, are the most breathable, comfortable and safe for your baby — especially during warmer months.
Check out our organic cotton range, ready for summer, here.
Less Sleepwear
Organic cotton can come in extra handy during the night as breathable sleepwear. Babies cannot regulate their temperature, so it’s important to ensure a light and breathable layer allows airflow during sleep. An organic cotton bodysuit and nappy in hot weather might be enough coverage.
Keep Curtains Pulled In The Day
A comfortable temperature for your baby’s room is between 16°C and 20°C (getting a nursery thermometer can be helpful to check this). To keep the room cool, keep any curtains or blinds drawn throughout the day so that the sun can’t heat the space as much.
Find Shade
As babies are yet to develop melanin in their skin, they need extra help protecting themselves from the harmful rays, but staying out of the direct sunlight while playing outdoors is also a great way to keep cool. Another way to do this is to try and avoid the hottest part of the day when possible. This is a great time to get in some extra naps that you might need due to the heat.
Get Paddlin’!
As well as finding your ideal shaded spot for playing, your baby might enjoy splashing around in a paddling pool to cool down. Normal pool temperatures should be fine for babies six months or older. This can be enjoyed for up to ten minutes at a time, but be sure to keep checking their temperature to ensure they don’t become uncomfortably chilly. When planning a paddling pool day, make sure you grab plenty of towels to be ready to wrap up and dry your baby off as soon as they are out. Parents might also consider drawing a cool/lukewarm bath for their baby before bed.
Tuck Into Cool Treats
Once your baby is on solids, a few cooling treats can help during the sweltering summer days. For example, parents can make frozen lollies using very weak fruit juice or even make small portions of frozen fruits. For mothers who have not stopped breastfeeding, you may need to up your breastfeeding to keep them hydrated — which means you should also make sure you drink enough yourself!
Cold Muslin Cloth
On very hot days, you might want to give your baby a wet cloth or mini makeshift ice pack — you can easily do this with the help of an organic cotton muslin cloth. Using a muslin cloth to wrap around some ice or dipping the soft material in cold water, you can gently dab their face, legs and arms, or even leave it on their neck for a short while when the baby is supervised.
Use Muslin to Cover Potentially Hot Surfaces
As well as keeping cool with muslin cloths, you might also want to consider using them to protect against potentially hot surfaces or plastic surfaces that irritate or make them sweat excessively. Using muslin cloth as a barrier between your baby and hot or plastic surfaces on sunny days is a great way to ensure they don’t become uncomfortable or (extra) irritated. This fabric is made of natural fibres and so will also help soak up your baby’s sweat.
Organic cotton muslins are great for absorbing sweat and creating a soft barrier from hot surfaces, or when making a DIY baby-friendly ice pack. You should never use any fabric to cover a pram or car seat. Although this technically creates shade, the temperature inside will spike and may cause overheating. Parasols are by far the safest option here.
Looking for an eco-friendly organic cotton muslin cloth? Check out Little Seeds’ muslin cloth for baby here.
