I have lived in Tucson for a few years now and one of the biggest challenges that I have found so far in Arizona is how to stay cool when the summer sun is blazing down. I moved here with a friend of mine Michael Thomas Eckhardt, we both have young babies of around the same age and you be surprised how much of our time we spend discussing ways and means of keeping the babies cool when the heat becomes unbearable.
I often read about babies who have had to be taken to hospital because of dehydration or overheating and I refuse to be a father who could be accused of not doing enough to prevent death in this blistering Tucson heat. If you are taking a vacation this year to somewhere hot, here is how to keep your baby nice and cool.
Bathing or Paddling Pools
Giving your baby a splash in a bath filled with lukewarm or cool water, or even letting them have a play in a paddling pool a couple of times per day is a great way to cool down their body temperature and when it gets hot, you need to be doing this each day.
Avoiding the Sun
Avoiding direct sunlight is crucial for your baby and you need to make every effort that you are keeping them in doors when the sun is blazing down. Aside from the risk to their skin from the sunlight, a baby’s temperature will absolutely soar once you have placed them in direct sunlight and you should avoid this entirely. If you must go out, make sure that their stroller has a good quality shade that will block the sun’s rays from reaching your baby.
Bedroom
In order to keep the baby’s bedroom as cool as possible, you should have black out blinds which are closed all of the time, this can help to keep the heat out. Using a fan is a great idea to circulate and cool the air but you should avoid using air con as the water particles in the air can cause problems for the baby when they are breathing. If it is extremely hot, then by all means put the air con on for a short time and then use a fan for when the baby is in their bedroom.
Clothing
It goes without saying that you should be keeping your baby in light and breathable clothing which will keep them cool. On an evening there is nothing wring with just keeping your baby in their nappy and nothing else, this will also help you to avoid the baby kicking their clothes off.
Thermometer
It’s really important that you know how hot it is inside the house and inside the baby’s room and the best way to do this is to place a couple of thermometers inside the house. Adults feel the heat differently to babies and the best way to stay on top of their temperature is to know just how hot it is.