Back in days of disco, Donna Summer sang the inspired lyric: “Gonna have some hot stuff, baby!” She most decidedly was not singing about babies, dehydration, oppressive humidity, and SPF. But we were able to check in with Isis expert Nancy Holtzman, RN BSN IBCLC, who gave us some disco-free tips on all things baby, summer, and sun. Because if you can’t make it to the glorious air conditioned relief of Isis’s Drop In Playgroups — a cool alternative to walks and playgrounds on broiling hot days — you might enjoy some advice on beating the heat.
Sun
Keep young babies out of direct sunlight by using shaded areas, stroller covers, SPF protective clothing and, yes, infant sunscreen if needed, even if your baby is younger than six months.
- At the beach or pool use a big sun umbrella, cabana, or sit on the shady side.
- Use a stick style infant sunscreen for your baby’s face – it’s hard to keep liquid sunscreen away from your baby’s eyes. Sunscreen wipes make quick application easier on squirmy children.
- Note that infant sunscreens are not waterproof and will need to be reapplied every two hours and after swimming.
- If it’s so bright and sunny that you’d like sunglasses, so might your baby. Not just adorable and ultra-cool, the baby shades we like are UV protective and have a soft and comfortable neoprene band that adjusts to fit infants and toddlers. Babies get used to them quickly and seem to like them when going for walks facing out in their front-pack or stroller.
Visit Isis Maternity to pick up sunscreen wipes from Shady Day and Mustela for mess-free protection with no artificial ingredients or synthetic fragrances. And get mobil with the Kidco Peapod tent, a safe and comfortable portable bed with UV protection, windscreens, and an easy-to-fold design.
Water
Babies over four months or so can enjoy short splashes in the ocean or well-maintained pool as long as the water is not too cold.
- Always hold babies so that their shoulders and chin are well away from the water, as babies often try to lap up the water and ocean or pool water. Don’t panic if they do put their wet hands in their mouth or lick up some splashes, but do your best to prevent pool or ocean water drinking.
- Before going into the pool or ocean, baby needs to be changed into a special swim diaper which allows urine to flow out (in other words, they will leak so these are just for swimming), but prevent bowel movements from escaping. They are essentially “poop catchers,” as urine is sterile but stool may carry unhealthy bacteria. A regular disposable diaper will swell up with a huge amount of water, and ultimately burst, so is not a good item for swimming.
- Remember that the sun reflects off the water (and onto your baby), so keep your baby well covered when playing in the water. Again, lightweight clothing and a big, floppy sun hat, plus infant sunscreen on all exposed skin and especially the face, is your best bet when the baby is not in a shaded area.
Stop by Isis Maternity for iPlay’s UV protective hats and two-piece sun suits, and the SPF 30+ coveralls and bodysuits in Coolmax fabric from Halo TCS. And skip the disposable swim diapers while keeping poop where it belongs with the Swimmi diaper, from Bummis.
Temperature
Babies don’t sweat easily and therefore may get overheated, especially when in their infant car seats.
- Take your baby out when possible to let air circulate around your baby’s head, neck and back, and dab a little water on exposed skin to help him cool off.
- Metal clips and buckles on car seats can get very hot – check these parts with your hand prior to buckling your baby into his or her seat if it’s been in a hot car. Drape a white towel over the car seat when the car is parked to reflect heat away from the seat.
- Learn more about safety in extreme heat.
Hydration
On especially hot days, caretakers often wonder if infants need extra water.
- Breastfed babies under six months generally do not need additional water or liquids, even during hot days. They may ask to nurse more often, but for short periods of time, because they are thirsty but not necessarily hungry. Let your baby nurse when he or she wants, but don’t be surprised if the session turns out to be very short. As long as your baby has a juicy mouth and is wetting his or her diapers (6 heavy wet diapers a day is a good guideline), baby is well-hydrated.
- Formula-fed babies over three months may receive an ounce or two of water if they seem hot, cranky and have stronger and darker urine than usual – but check with your pediatrician and do not give more than 1-2 ounces.
- Babies who have started solid foods (typically over five months) may enjoy practicing sips of water from a sippy cup or a parent’s open cup, but they don’t need any extra water, really – it’s just for fun. One or two ounces of water on a hot day will not create electrolyte imbalance for a healthy baby over five to six months, but ask your pediatrician for specific recommendations for your baby.
Insects
As disease carriers, mosquitoes and ticks are no longer simply annoying; they’re dangerous. To protect against bugs:
- Avoid areas known to have heavy mosquito populations like ponds and woods especially when they are most active: during dawn and dusk.
- Bright colored or floral clothing, scented lotions and shampoos also might attract bees or mosquitoes.
- Use insect netting for babies in strollers when possible.
- In high risk areas, insect repellent with DEET is the primary protective agent against mosquitoes and, per the American Academy of Pediatrics, can be used if needed on infants over two months of age. Look for low DEET concentrations (7 – 15%), and apply sparingly to exposed skin, except for hands and around eyes and mouth.
- DEET is not water soluble and unlike sunscreen, should not be reapplied more than once a day and should be washed off when you return indoors.
- Make a game out of the tick check every night before tub. Make it playful by naming body parts, checking and tickling neck, ears, knees, toes, or soothing by gently combing through baby’s hair with your fingers as you search.
Stop by Isis Maternity to pick up a package of Teeny Towels, an all-natural, DEET-free insect repellent mini wipe that parents love and kids can abide.
Enjoy the summer, snap lots of pictures, and stay cool, hot stuff!
Use Your Words
Summer Lovin’? Hot Child in the City? Heat Wave? The Heat is On? Hot Blooded? (Okay, you can tell I graduated from high school in 1987…) What’s the all time greatest summer heat song?
Travel with a baby can be a wild card. On the plus side, there are the relatives to help entertain, please, and spoil the little ones. There is the fun in the sun, the memories to be made and shared, the magic of summer surf, fireworks, and fireflies. But there is the deathtrap of the unbabyproofed cottage. And lest you forget, the mosquitoes! The ticks! The bugspray with DEET! The sun! The water! The not-organic milk! The variations in The Schedule!