Sarah answers mum’s question in July issue of Mother & Baby.
Q: What are your top tips for looking after a newborn in hot weather? I don’t want to stay inside all the time but I worry about keeping her safe in the sun.
Protecting your baby from the effects of the sun is all about prevention. Babies under 6 months should be kept out of the heat of the day, especially between 10am to 4pm when the sun is at its hottest. In many hot countries most people avoid the middle of the day and have a siesta, it seems a very good idea to adopt this for hot summer months in the UK.
In very hot and sunny weather being indoors, with the doors and windows open to let in the breeze is a compromise that may work. If you need to be outdoors then 20 minutes is the recommended amount of time to be in direct sunlight and it’s best to stay in the shade whenever you can.
Protect your baby’s head, ears, cheeks and chin with a floppy sun hat. There are conflicting medical opinions about using sunscreen in babies under a year old. Now some paediatricians say if a baby needs to be out in the sun using a very little amount of SPF 30-50 as a sunblock for babies on exposed areas is better than risking exposure and possible damage. Use your own judgement based on the conditions that day and ask your GP or Health Visitors for further advice.
The most important thing in hot weather is never to cover the hood of your Little One’s buggy or pram with a sheet, blanket or muslin. Doing this creates a stifling hot airless vacuum that is dangerous and can quickly make your baby overheated and affect their breathing. Instead you can use a parasol for the buggy or a canopy for a pram that won’t enclose your baby and will provide shade.
Young babies may not show any signs of distress when overheated and can’t control their body temperature so checking that your baby is not hot to the touch throughout the day is a good habit.
Tips
- Look for signs of dehydration, if your baby’s lips look dry with little vertical lines then this indicates dehydration so a feed is needed straight away
- Stay in the shade. If you need to be outdoors try and stick to early morning and late afternoons
- Cover baby’s skin using lightweight cottons that have a closely woven cloth when outdoors and a sun hat to protect the tops of ears, nose and cheeks and neck
Enjoying the summer months. Keeping your baby safe takes a bit of planning to prevent exposing them to the sun and heat.
Sarah Beeson’s MBE is a former health visitor and author of parenting guide Happy Baby, Happy Family and health visiting memoir Our Country Nurse published by HarperCollins available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.