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Spending Time With Your Baby in Hot Climate?
The first time I was going on vacation with a baby in hot climate, I was quite nervous. Babies can get dehydrated and overheated fast. It went really well, though. Below you'll find tips on how to make your baby comfortable and safe in hot weather.
Tips for Caring for a Baby in Hot Climate
Baby skin is very thin and can't handle the sun very well. Babies younger than 12 months really should not be exposed to sun at all. Keep your baby in the shadow and protect him with thin clothes and hats. Sunscreen cream is really a last resort solution, as it can contain harmful substances. If you really need to use sun screen, use on especially made for babies and with really high sun protection factor. If you haven't yet bought a mosquito net for your baby's stroller, consider buying one that contains sunscreen for some extra protection for your child.
Babies can't really say that their thirsty and can get dehydrated fast. If you breastfeed, consider feeding your baby more often than usual if it is very hot. Also remember to drink a lot of water yourself, to stimulate milk production. If your baby has started to eat solid food, offer water also between meals. Signs of dehydration:
If you suspect that your baby is becoming dehydrated, offer a lot of extra fluid. Contact a doctor if you are worried and your baby refuses to drink. If your baby lies or sits in a car seat or stroller, check often how warm he is. Both strollers and car seats can become very hot. Putting a thermometer in the stroller beside your baby can be quite useful. Babies younger than 4 months, are at the highest risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and being overheated is one possible cause. In addition to the risk of SIDS, your child can get heat stroke. Signs of heat stroke are:
If your baby appears to suffer from heat stroke, he might need hospital treatment. Call for urgent help! In the meantime, bring him to a cool (not cold) place, try make your baby drink fluid (if conscious) and cool him off by using cool damp cloths.
For a baby in hot climate, a bath can be a great way to prevent heat stroke. Many babies get crazy with happiness when splashing the water. Just remember to let your baby decide if he wants to just dip his toes or have a real bath. If the water is colder than 90 F (32 C), your baby should not swim only splash; it is simply too cold for his little body. If you’re going to swim in a pool, consider smearing your baby with baby oil before bathing. The chlorine in the water can really make both your and your baby's skin dry. But remember, your baby will become very slippery, so be careful! Also remember that the combination of sun and water is even more dangerous for your baby's skin that just the sun. Bathe your baby in the shadow or put on some good sun protection clothes. Some are not only good they are also really cool! Moist diapers and hot weather is a really bad combination for your baby's skin. Therefore, let your baby spend time without his diapers as often as possible. This way you will prevent diaper rash or prickly heat from developing. Let your baby lie on a towel in the grass (in the shadow). With warm weather comes bacteria growth. If your baby has started to eat solid foods, make sure that you serve your baby fresh foods. Throw away anything that seems suspicious and don't store food for more that a day or so.
Caring for your baby in hot climate is entirely possible, just take some extra care!
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