The first summer with your baby is something truly special: lying together on a blanket under a tree, enjoying the warm temperatures, and feeling tiny feet touch the grass in the garden for the first time. When the sun is shining and temperatures rise, there are a few things to keep in mind. We’ll show you what matters most so your little explorer stays comfortable during the hot season.
1. Drink enough
Just like you, your baby gets thirstier when it’s warm. They’ll usually show you this by asking for the breast or the bottle more often. So, always let them drink whenever they want. If you’re breastfeeding, your little explorer will not only drink more often, but also drink for shorter periods . This is because breast milk is more thirst-quenching at the beginning of a feeding and becomes more nourishing later. Did you know that breast milk consists of 88 percent water? If you exclusively breastfeed your baby or give them a bottle, you do not need to provide additional fluids in the form of water – their milk satisfies
your baby’s thirst adequately. However, especially in hot weather, you should make sure your baby drinks enough, as children dehydrate faster than adults. Observe their fontanel or gently feel it.
Be careful: if you notice a dent, your baby may be lacking fluids, and you should offer the breast or the bottle.
When your child is already eating solid foods and no longer mainly consuming milk, you can offer water, unsweetened tea, or juice spritzers with every meal and, especially in summer, also between meals. As your child eats more and more solid foods, their sense of thirst will naturally develop over time, and they will learn to drink regularly and sufficiently. For a little variety during the hot season, frozen melon or the first homemade water ice made from juice spritzers can be a treat. Your little explorer can happily suck on it and cool down.
2. Summer clothing
One advantage of summer is that you don’t have to bundle your baby up in thick layers every time you leave the house. However, clothing still provides important protection for newborns, as they cannot regulate their body temperature on their own yet. To quickly and easily adjust your baby’s clothing to temperature fluctuations, it is therefore recommended—even in summer—to dress them in the Onion look . In warm temperatures, this can consist of a sleeveless bodysuit, a lightweight T-shirt, and cotton pants or a thin romper, and, if necessary, a cotton jacket. The best choice for summer clothing is light, airy, and breathable natural materials like cotton or linen. More tips are also provided by LILLYDOO midwife Sissi in the video "<|endoftext|>" Baby clothing for the summer ".
Outdoors, your child should always wear a Sun hat with neck protection to protect their head from the sun and overheating. Aside from that, you can also let your little explorer crawl around completely naked and diaper-free on a blanket—it’s fun and good for their skin. They can also crawl and walk barefoot on the meadow or in the sand. However, a little caution is advised; if in doubt, socks or crawling shoes offer protection from insects and sharp stones.
3. The right sleeping place
You can also adapt your child’s sleeping environment in summer to rising temperatures. A special summer sleeping bag and a short cotton bodysuit help ensure your baby does not get too warm. Drafts from fans, air conditioning, or open windows should be avoided. Instead, ventilate the bedroom in the morning while it is still cool, and then darken it to keep out the sun and heat.
4. Provide cooling
Since babies, as mentioned, cannot regulate their body temperature on their own yet and
overheat faster in the heat , you should pay particular attention to their body temperature in summer and
respect your child’s needs. To best determine whether your baby is too cold or too hot, feel their neck: the skin there should feel warm but not sweaty. If your baby feels very warm or sweaty, you can gently wipe their skin with a damp washcloth to lower their body temperature. Too much sun and heat can, in the worst case, lead to sunstroke or heat exhaustion.
5. UV protection
Delicate children’s skin is even more sensitive than that of adults, burns more quickly, and therefore requires special sun protection. During the first year of life, your baby should never be exposed to direct sunlight. Additionally, avoid until this age Sunscreen for your little explorer, to avoid unnecessarily stressing their skin, and instead protect them with light clothing from the sun’s rays. From one year old—or if it cannot be avoided in exceptional cases—you can use a special Children's Sun Cream with at least SPF 30 and mineral filters. Unlike conventional sunscreens with chemical filters, which allow UV rays to penetrate into the outermost layer of the skin, a mineral filter forms a
protective layer on the skin that reflects UV rays. Additionally, your little explorer should wear special UV protection clothing and a Head and neck covering . Even if this isn’t always possible with an active baby, you should stay in the shade as much as possible—especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest. Make sure that play areas like the sandbox or paddling pool are located in the shade, or protect them with a sun sail from the intense sun.
6. Traveling in summer
There are a few things to keep in mind during the hot season when you’re on the go. You can skip a warm blanket in the stroller during summer. Instead, you should equip the stroller with Sun Protection . A special sunshade or sun sail not only protects against the sun but also against UV radiation, and it is also designed to allow air to circulate within the stroller.
At high temperatures, you should only travel with your baby by car on routes that are absolutely necessary. Never leave them alone in the car during excursions or errands, not even for a few minutes. The reason is that the interior of cars becomes heated very quickly . In direct sunlight, the temperature rises by one degree per minute—if it’s already very warm outside, temperatures inside the car can quickly exceed 45 degrees Celsius, which can become critical for children.
As you can see, babies are much more sensitive to warm temperatures than adults. However, if you know what to watch out for, nothing stands in the way of enjoying the season, and you can enjoy the summer together. We wish you lots of fun!
