FAQs & Tips to Keep Your Baby Safe in the Summer Months
As if being a parent doesn’t come with enough anxiety, making sure your baby doesn’t overheat this summer can feel like a full time job. We’re here to give you some tips and tricks to keep cool, as well as some signs of overheating to watch out for. As long as your family heads into summer well prepared, it really can be all poolside and popsicles.
How does hot weather affect babies?
Many people don’t realize this, but babies do not have the ability to effectively regulate their own temperatures until they are at least 9 months old. Even then, that ability to self-regulate their own core temperature will constantly improve throughout their childhood. Additionally, babies do not sweat nearly as much as adults as their sweat glands are still maturing. This makes it difficult for them to cool down once they do start overheating.
All of this means that hot weather can affect babies much more than it affects us as adults.
How can I keep my baby cool all summer?
Since your baby is especially vulnerable to the “dog days of summer” type heat, you’ll have to find ways to help keep them cool.
Here are a few of our top tips to help keep your baby as cool as a cucumber:
- Portable fans: There are so many different types of portable fans these days, it can be difficult to know what to look for. We recommend investing in a clip on fan that puts out a good amount of wind, has a long-lasting rechargeable battery, and has gaps narrow enough that your baby can’t slip their fingers inside toward the fan blades. These are perfect for clipping to your baby’s stroller, carseat, or for setting up anywhere that your baby needs a cool breeze. You can find fans with a misting function too, for those extra hot days.
- Stay inside during heat advisories: Unless absolutely necessary, stay inside where it’s cooler until any extreme temperatures have come and gone.
- Keep your baby in the shade: A stroller with an attached umbrella, a pop up canopy, or any other cover from the sun should go anywhere your baby does during those hot months. Not only are babies susceptible to overheating, but they’re also very sensitive to sun exposure.
- Water play: As long as your baby is well supervised in the water, the beach, pool, splash pad, or any other water play can be a great way to keep your baby entertained while staying cool.
Do babies overheat easily?
As we mentioned above, babies can overheat easily. As their biological cooling functions are still developing, babies will need help staying cool. Keeping your baby well-hydrated will go a long way in preventing heat exhaustion. Whether your baby is formula-fed, or consumes breast milk, ensuring your little one is getting enough fluids on those extra hot days can help keep them safe from experiencing symptoms of overheating.
What are the signs of a baby overheating?
- Rapid breathing: Watch for quick rises and falls of your baby’s chest, panting, or breathing with their tongue partially sticking out. All of these can be signs of an increased respiratory rate.
- Lethargy: Difficult to wake, seemingly weak, or unresponsive.
- Excessive sweating: Although babies typically do not sweat as much as adults, you should still watch for excessive sweating as it can signify that your baby is too hot.
- Heat rash: You may have heard of this referred to as “prickly heat”, it is generally a pimple-like rash caused by overheating.
- Flushed skin: Pale, clammy, or hot skin can be a sign of overheating.
- Irritability: We all get a little cranky when it’s hot. If you have checked all the normal boxes: diaper, well-fed, no gas, etc. and your baby is still fussy, they could be too hot.
- Vomiting/diarrhea: These may be symptoms of extreme heat exhaustion.
All of these symptoms could be present during heat exhaustion or as a sign of heat stroke, and some may require immediate medical attention. If you are unsure of when to get medical attention if your baby is overheating, contact medical professionals.
Can overheating cause SIDS?
Being overheated isn’t just uncomfortable for your baby, it can also lead to SIDS related incidents during sleep. Overheating causes what’s called thermal stress, which could lead to a disruption in your baby’s respiratory drive, laryngeal closure reflex, and can also affect their arousal mechanisms. Although direct causes of SIDS are widely unknown, thermal stress is thought to be one of the largest contributors.
What room temp is too hot for a baby?
The most well-known source for all things health and baby, the AAP, does not have any exact temperature guidelines for ambient temperatures for your infant’s environment. However, most reputable sources say that you should aim to keep temperatures at or below 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
What temp should AC be for a newborn?
If you have central air conditioning, you can set your thermostat anywhere between 68-72 degrees Farenheit to keep your newborn cool and comfortable.
Where should a fan be placed in a baby's room?
If you do not have central air, you can use a fan in your baby’s room to help keep a cool environment. To keep your baby safe, ensure that any fans and their cords are completely out of your little one’s reach. Window fans are great for pushing cool air in, or warm air out of a room - just be sure the window is far enough away from their sleep space.
How do I keep my baby cool when they are sleeping?
To keep your baby cool while they sleep, dress your baby in light, breathable fabrics. Some of the best fabrics for hot Summer nights include lightweight cotton and bamboo. Dreamland’s Baby Bamboo Pajamas with Dreamcuffs are perfectly light, buttery, moisture wicking, and breathable so your baby can stay cool and dry while they sleep.
