Holi marks the end of Spring across India. As summer comes March-ing in, it calls for long walks by the beach in shorts and tees. But the downside to summer is the scorching heat, humidity, tanned skin, heat stroke and fatigue. This change in weather from cool to hot can also have an adverse effect on your baby’s health. Babies tend to fall ill more often when the weather changes as their little bodies haven’t mastered the art of regulating their temperature and need some time to get used to changes in temperature.
But hey, don’t sweat! We’ve put together a few tips to keep your little one comfortable and bask happily in the summer sun.
Run in when the sun’s out
If your baby is less than 6 months old, do not expose her to the direct rays of the sun. Babies at that age tend to have less Melanin content in their skin. Melanin is a pigment which protects against the sun. So don’t take your baby out in the afternoons if possible and ensure that the windows in your baby’s nursery have curtains that can block out the sun’s harsh rays.
Keep indoors comfy
Most experts say that the ideal room temperature for your baby should be about 25 degrees C. A slight breeze in the room is also preferable; it makes sure that things don’t get too stuffy.
The 10-minute rule
To help your baby to adjust to the outside temperature it is advisable to switch off the AC or cooler 10 minutes before you leave with the baby.
Use two magic words – Breastfeeding and immunisation.
Breastfeeding and time-to-time immunisation play a pivotal role in building your baby’s immune system. So, make sure you exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first six months, as well as get her vaccinated on time. If you’re a working mum, use a Morisons Baby Dreams breast pump to express and store milk – so that your parents, in-laws or even a caretaker can feed your baby the best tonic she needs: her mother’s milk!
Don’t dress to kill. Dress to chill.
Dress your baby keeping in mind the high temperatures expected. Tip: Make her wear cool colours and fabrics that are gentle on the skin. Overdressing can cause a heat rash as her body will sweat more to keep her cool.
Stay hydrated, stay fresh
It is very important to keep your baby hydrated because as the baby sweats, she tends to lose a lot of fluids from her body. If your baby is above 6 months and has started consuming solid food you can give her water at regular intervals. An easy way to monitor if your baby is hydrated is by keeping a check on your baby’s urine output.
Have a safe baby’s day out
And finally when taking your tot on a trot outdoors make sure to dab baby-safe sunscreen on his body and cover his head with a hat.
Hat’s it, sorry, that’s it from us this week. With these simple tips, keeping illnesses at bay will be child’s play. And if you have some of your own summer tips to share, do let us know in the comments below.
