With summer just around the corner, you may feel concerned about keeping your baby sufficiently cool when temperatures rise. Even if your home has central air conditioning, you’ll likely find yourself having to head outside at one point or another. Summer is the season of fun, no doubt, but hot, sticky weather is nobody’s friend, and it’s certainly not your baby’s. Because babies are not able to regulate their body temperatures the way adults can, this makes them more prone to overheating. Not only is overheating incredibly uncomfortable for your little one, it can also increase your baby’s risk for heat rash and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). That’s why it’s always important that you keep an eye on your baby to make sure that they’re at a comfortable temperature, especially when they’re sleeping, and that you look out for signs of overheating. A good rule of thumb? If your environment feels hot to you, it’s hot for your baby, too. You might not have air conditioning in your home, nor are you able to control the weather, but there are still steps you can take to keep your little one safe. Follow the tips below to keep your baby cool, happy, and comfortable this summer.
1. USE A 0.5 TOG SLEEP BAG
Depending on where you live, temperatures can fluctuate wildly from when the sun is up to after it sets. Although your baby may have been in nothing but a diaper all day, the night breeze can feel just cool enough to make you worry about leaving them uncovered. This is where it’s important to know the difference between TOG ratings for your baby’s sleepwear. To learn all about our different TOGs and what they mean, you can read our blog post here.
A 0.5 TOG is ideal for summer months, when it’s warm out but cool enough to warrant a light covering. As our lowest TOG rating, it should be used when your nursery temperature is between 74 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Rather than solely relying on the numbers set on your thermostat, feel out the nursery for yourself. If you would be too warm with a regular blanket, your baby should not be in a thicker sleep bag. Our 0.5 TOG sleep bags are soft and perfectly lightweight, so that your baby stays comfortable all night long.
2. WEAR BAMBOO CLOTHING
Although you might not think twice about the fabric your baby’s clothing is made from, it can actually play a key role in your baby’s comfort. Choosing a breathable, lightweight fabric that also absorbs moisture well is important because these properties allow heat to escape your baby’s body. Cotton is a popular fabric choice because of its breathability, but bamboo is our #1 choice. Bamboo is 3 degrees cooler than cotton, making it the clear winner in our books. Our signature bamboo rayon is soft, buttery, and extremely breathable, which also is exceedingly gentle on sensitive skin.
If your little one is prone to eczema and you live in a dry climate, you’re probably well-aware of the flare-ups that may accompany the summer months. Because dry heat dehydrates the skin, and sweating can also be an irritant, your baby’s eczema can worsen in the summer. Bamboo fabric makes an excellent sleepwear choice for eczema-sufferers, due to the soothing and cooling effect it has on the skin. Did you know that our bamboo rayon was actually created as a solution to this very problem? To learn about how and why Kyte BABY was born, read our story here. Trust us, we know how much bamboo can help!
3. SWITCH TO BAMBOO SHEETS
If you’ve never considered bamboo clothing to keep your baby cool, you may have also never considered the sheets they sleep on. Most crib sheets are made from cotton, but bamboo sheets have all the same benefits that bamboo clothing does. Cooler than cotton, bamboo is highly breathable, more absorbent, and naturally antibacterial. It wicks away moisture efficiently and effectively, allowing your baby to stay comfortably cool all night long. If your little one runs hot and you find that they sweat in their sleep, making the switch to bamboo crib sheets may be the key to better sleep for your baby and you.
4. KEEP THEM HYDRATED
In the warmer months, it’s important for your baby to get the extra hydration they need to stay cool. Because it isn’t advised to give water to babies under 6 months, you should offer them breastmilk or formula more often than you usually would. For babies older than 6 months of age, you can offer sips of water. If your baby is producing fewer wet diapers than usual, you should increase their fluid intake. Call your baby’s doctor if you notice any of these signs of dehydration:
- Fewer than 6 wet diapers within 24 hours, or diapers that stay dry for 3 hours.
- Urine that looks darker or smells stronger than usual
- Dry mucous membranes, such as dry lips
- Excessive sleepiness or fussiness
- Tearless crying
- Sunken fontanelle (your baby’s “soft spot”)
- Hands and feet that feel cold and look splotchy
5. USE A STROLLER FAN
We all know the misery of a hot day without any breeze. The air feels overly warm and stifling, and you feel like you’ll melt into a puddle at any given second. If it’s this uncomfortable for you, imagine how your little baby feels! A stroller fan is perfect for warm days, and a lifesaver for the ones with relentless heat. Get one like this, with a flexible tripod handle that allows you to fasten it at many angles. You can easily wrap it around a stroller bumper bar or car seat handle for a constant breeze that keeps your baby cool.
6. GIVE YOUR BABY SPONGE BATHS
