8 essential tips to protect your baby from summer heat | TheHealthSite.com

With the mercury soaring high, you need to be extra cautious to keep your baby cool. Follow our tips to help her beat the heat.

It’s not easy to survive summer in India, especially in the northern and southern part of the country. This season becomes more tough on newborns and infants. Due to underdeveloped sweat glands they can’t sweat properly. This makes them vulnerable to overheating, heat rashes and even heat stroke, a potentially life-threatening condition. So, you need to keep your little bundle of joy cool and soothed during the scorching heat, in order to protect her from these conditions. Here is how you can do just that. Also Read - 5 natural remedies to relieve your baby’s constipation

Pay attention to how you dress your infant

For indoors, loose-fitting lightweight clothes made of cotton are ideal. Unlike synthetic fabric, they absorb perspiration better, allowing your baby’s skin to breathe. Stick to sleeveless and shorts if the area you live in doesn’t have mosquitoes. However, when going out, stick to full sleeve tops and bottoms made of cotton. Make sure you don’t dress him in more layers than you are wearing. For the winter, however, the rule of thumb is to dress up your baby with one more layer than you. Also Read - Beat the summer heat with the right foods

Protect her from summer illnesses

Your baby’s immune system is underdeveloped, making her more prone to infections. However, if you are a nursing mom, then the antibodies from your breastmilk can protect your little one from various ailments. Despite this protection, your little bundle of joy may fall prey to certain seasonal conditions like heat exhaustion, prickly heat rash, dehydration, heat stoke and more. Heat exhaustion can make your baby irritable, cranky, and flushed. Check for these signs when you are out with her. If any if these signs are visible, touch your infant to see if her body temperature is higher than usual. All these necessitate medical intervention. Also, babies are more prone to heat rashes than adults due to underdeveloped sweat glands. So, make sure you don’t overdress your child. She may get dehydrated quite easily if you are out. So, keep checking for thirst signals even when at home. Rapid breathing, restlessness and flushed face are the common symptoms of dehydration. Nurse more if you find her feeling thirsty frequently. A baby should have 50 per cent more fluids in summer than other times of the year. The other condition that can hit little ones badly during the summer is heat stroke. So, it is essential to keep her lightly dressed and well-hydrated with water and fluids. Also Read - Hygiene rules that every mom must follow for her baby in the times of COVID-19

Take special care while bathing your baby 

Yes, your little one may sweat a lot during the summer. So, you can bathe him more than once, making sure that the bath time doesn’t exceed 10 minutes. However, don’t do it. Also, the bathwater shouldn’t be cold. Ideally, it should measure be 38 degree Celsius which is close to our body temperature. Just make sure that it feels warm to your skin, not hot. Wash your baby’s neck, underarms, and skin folds particularly well as the sweat gets trapped there. Also, pat her dry well after the bath

Choose light massage oils

While using a massage oil can be good and soothing for your baby, pick up one that is light. Thick oils can clog the sweat pores making it tough for the skin to breathe. This can lead to prickly heat rashes. Make sure you have washed it well after the bathing session. However, if your baby has dry skin or eczema, talk to your paediatrician before deciding to give her oil massage. He may recommend a moisturising cream or lotion over oil.

Schedule walks judiciously

Taking your little one out for a walk isn’t part of your daily routine now, thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown. However, after it eases and you decide to take him out for a walk in the nearby park, schedule it slightly late in the evening. Make sure that the sun rays are not harsh while you take him out.

Look for a baby carrier suitable for summer

The confined space of a carrier coupled with your infant’s body heat can make life a tad too tough for him. So, pick up a lightweight carrier made with nylon instead of a heavy, denim one. Also, carry a wet cloth while taking your baby out on a carrier. Keep wiping her hands, feet and face quite often. This will keep her cool.

Ensure good ventilation

This is a must. Make sure that the air flow is alright in your infant’s room. Also, don’t leave him alone in a parked car alone even for minutes. This could raise his body temperature and lead to life-threatening consequences.

Maintain comfortable temperature in baby’s room

Overheating can be the consequence of a room with high temperature reading. The recommended room temperature for summer is between 20 degree Celsius to 22 degree Celsius. However, not everybody feels comfortable in the same temperature. To figure out if your baby is fine with the temperature, check how cold or hot her hands and feet are.  Remember, you should never switch on the air conditioner immediately after bathing the baby. Her damp head shouldn’t be exposed to AC.