Handling the heat with baby
Summer is our favourite time of the year and exploring in the great outdoors is so important for babies' growth and development, but after a warm day battling the rays, a stuffy and uncomfortable bedtime awaits.
Here’s four quick tips to help you conquer the challenges of a summers night and ultimately get some well deserved rest for baby AND you…
1. Keep your curtains or blinds closed during the day to keep the sun out as much as possible and make for a cooler house when the evening rolls around. The summer evenings are lighter for longer too, so closing the blinds in advance is one less thing to do at bedtime as well as providing a dark, quiet environment can help encourage your baby to sleep.
2. Use a fan, but make sure it isn’t directly pointed at baby. A fan will help keep the room temperature regulated, helping to ensure a more comfortable room for your little ones’ night sleep. Another reason a fan is a good idea is it provides white noise, helping to muffle the noises outside the room ensuring your baby gets a peaceful, uninterrupted sleep. Lastly, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is primarily caused by lack of air ventilation and circulation so having a fan on offers an effective way to provide vital air circulation and ventilation for baby.
3. Use a room temperature monitor so you can have an accurate reading of the temperature in the room. Your baby's room should be kept between 16-20°C to ensure they have a comfortable nights sleep.
4. Don’t know what’s best? Go for a nappy and a vest! Here’s a guide to dressing baby at night, whatever the temperature:
24+C
Dress baby in a vest, and pop a cover on them them with a sheet tucked in at the sides of the cot.
20C - 24C
Dress baby in a sleep-suit (no vest), and cover with one blanket.
16C - 20C
This is an ideal temperature. Dress baby in a vest plus a sleep suit.
Below 16C
Dress baby in a vest plus a sleep suit. Add a blanket tucked over them.
5. Consider a cooler bath before bed! A short splash in the tub is perfect for cooling baby down.
“If you’re worried about your little one feeling uncomfortable and sticky, opt for a cool or lukewarm bath for baby just before bedtime,” says Steve Pickering, CEO of Sussex Beds.
Scientists found that a bath before bed helps to lower the body's core temperature, which in turn aids better sleep.
We hope we’ve helped you tackle this summer heat and don’t forget - you’re doing amazing.