No more battling with several layers just to walk to the shops, no more fiddling around with the heating to get your baby’s bedroom ‘just right’ throughout the whole night. Just months of playing down the park, heading to the seaside and blowing up the paddling pool.
keeping babies cool in summer
And for the most part, summer with a little one is a huge amount of fun, not to mention easier to keep them entertained. What can come as a surprise however, is the havoc it can play with their skin.
Obviously, parents everywhere are most concerned that their baby’s skin is protected from UV rays, and so make sure they’re always stocked up and slathered in factor 50.
What we sometimes forget, though is to make sure they’re keeping cool, as well as protected from the sun.
preventing heat rash in the summer
My baby was born in December, so when we had one of those surprisingly hot days in April, I was caught off-guard. I drove to my friend’s house for a barbecue and when we got there his little cheek was red as he had got hot through the window. Then as we were sitting in the garden, one of my friends gently pointed out he probably didn’t need his thick socks on!” says mum, Emily. “It sound ridiculous saying it now but you just get so used to doing things on automaton. I did feel guilty but he was absolutely fine, and all it took was checking the weather before I dressed him in the morning and buying some shades for the window.”
what does heat rash look like?
Heat rash occurs when skin gets hot and sweat glands become blocked, which then results in red bumps and sometimes mild swelling. According to the NHS, babies often get it because they can’t regulate their body temperature like adults can.
Obviously horrible red bumps are the last things you want to see on your baby’s beautiful skin - but don’t panic. It can happen easily and you’re not a terrible parent.
how to treat heat rash
“When Aliyah got heat rash I really freaked out,” says mum, Izzy. “She had the most beautiful porcelain skin so to suddenly see these horrible red spots was really worrying. I actually wanted to go to A&E but my mum suggest I start with calling 111. As the symptoms matched up with heat rash I calmed down. We were told not to use any creams and just put cold flannels on her, which we did and it disappeared really quickly. I still felt guilty for not realising she was too hot but it wasn’t as if we’d let her burn or anything. From then on we just made sure that, if it was warm, her clothes were slightly more lightweight and cotton.”
keeping your baby’s skin cool
Light, cotton fabrics are a good idea, as is keeping their skin cool and sweat-free by cleaning them regularly with WaterWipes. Made using 99.9% water and a drop of fruit, they are the number one choice for baby skin.
So, with the right prep, you are totally fine to enjoy that summer sun. Now where did we bury that swimsuit?
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