I love this warm weather. A chance to remove a few layers and feel the heat on my bones, for as long as it lasts.
Our little ones often don’t really cope well in the heat, particularly when they are tired and sleepy. And while we are able to strip off a layer or reposition ourselves overnight, many babies don’t have that ability. I have put together a quick guide for baby sleep when the temperatures go up
- Allow your little ones to sleep in an “air-y” space. They don’t need extra blankets/bedding. Remove bumpers and any extra items from their crib to let air flow freely around them.
- Open doors and windows to allow a breeze to flow through the rooms. My mum says she used to put us in our prams outside in the garden under the shade of a tree and we would sleep for hours! Outdoor sleeping is glorious! But, prams can get warm as it’s a small space so keep an eye on your little ones as they sleep. Oh, and don’t forget sunscreen, even in the shade. Also, never cover the pram itself with blankets.
- If baby is sleeping indoors, perhaps use a fan in their room before they go down to sleep to allow the room to cool down. You can leave it running while they sleep to put don’t point the air directly at them.
- Or indeed, keep the room cool by leaving curtains and blinds pulled during the day so sunlight doesn’t get in and heat up the room. Remember, an ideal room temperature is between 16-20 degrees Celsius – 18 degrees being optimum.
- Keep your baby or toddler hydrated by offering extra drinks of water during the day. You can keep them cool with a damp facecloth from time to time. Some little ones are naturally “sweaty babies” and this can be quite normal. But, if they are feeling hot “to the touch”, then do try and cool them down. Open the windows. Get some air.
- With my sleep teacher’s hat on, and because you don’t want to change too much in terms of bedtime and settling to sleep (be it in Ireland in warm weather or if we ever get to go away on holidays), I would always encourage the use of a sleep bag for little ones as they can be a great sleep association for them. Leave them out of pyjamas and place them in a light vest. In fact, there is no problem letting them sleep in their nappies! The sleep sacks have different ‘togs’ (just like duvets) so you can get really light ones for summer.
Let’s enjoy it while it lasts but stay safe!
Niamh