Articles

Key takeaways

• Recognise signs of overheating like heat rash or a hot tummy.
• Dress your baby in lightweight layers for heat, and extra layers for cold.
• Keep the room at a safe temperature of 16 to 20°C for sleep.
• Protect your baby from direct sun and keep them hydrated.

Keeping your baby comfortable in the heat

It's important to help your baby stay cool and comfortable in hot weather, as they are more sensitive to the heat. This will help prevent them from getting unwell with conditions like dehydration or heat exhaustion.

Signs of overheating

You can check your baby's temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. Do not worry if their hands or feet feel cool, as this is normal. If your baby is sweating or their tummy feels hot to the touch, remove some clothing or bedding.

Heat rash consists of small, raised spots that can feel itchy or prickly. It may also cause mild swelling.

The rash looks red on white skin. On brown and black skin, it may be harder to see or appear grey or white. Heat rash can appear anywhere on the body and spread.

Lightweight clothing

Avoid dressing your baby in too many layers. Choose lightweight clothing, such as a single layer of cotton. Cotton is breathable and ideal for hot weather.

For the warmest nights, a vest or just a nappy is fine for nightwear and bedclothes. If you use sheets or blankets, choose lightweight cellular blankets. Avoid thick, fleecy, or padded blankets.

Your baby needs light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag. If it is very warm, your baby may only need a sheet.

Remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you come indoors. Also remove them when you get into a car, bus, or train. This applies even if it means waking your baby.

Keeping your home cool

Keep your baby's bedroom cool during the day by closing blinds or curtains. You can use a fan to help move the air around the room.

Do not aim the fan directly at your baby. Instead, use it to help the air circulate and cool the room.

Keep the door of your baby's room open. Open their bedroom window if it is safe to do so.

A nursery thermometer will help you monitor the temperature. Aim for 16°C to 20°C for comfortable sleep.

You can run your baby a cool bath before bedtime.

Hydration

Like adults, babies and young children need to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Hydration for babies 0-6 months

Fully breastfed babies do not need water until they start solid foods. They may want to breastfeed more than usual in hot weather.

If you are bottle-feeding, you can give your baby a little cooled boiled water in addition to their usual milk feeds. If your baby wakes at night, they will probably want milk. If they have had their usual milk feeds, try cooled boiled water as well.

Hydration for babies 6-12 months

Once you introduce solid foods, offer your baby sips of water from a cup or beaker with meals. Breastmilk or infant formula should be their main drinks during the first year. In hot weather, you may need to offer some additional water outside of mealtimes.

Hydration for babies from 12 months

Water, breast milk, or whole cow's milk should be your baby's main drinks. In hot weather, you can give them frozen lollies made from plain water or very diluted fruit juice.

Lollies made from diluted fruit juice should only be given at mealtimes. This is because they can cause tooth decay.

Sun safety

Keep your baby cool and protect them from the sun. Babies under 6 months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Older babies should also be kept out of the sun as much as possible, especially in summer between 11 am and 3 pm when the sun is strongest.

If you go out when it is hot, attach a parasol or sunshade to your baby's pushchair. This will keep them out of direct sunlight. Never cover the pram with a muslin or blanket, as your baby can overheat.

Applying sunscreen

If your baby is 6 months or over, apply a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to their skin. Sunscreen is not recommended for babies under 6 months. Choose a product that offers 'broad spectrum' protection against UVA and UVB rays.

Many brands make sunscreen specifically for babies and young children, which are less likely to irritate the skin.

Use plenty of sunscreen. Apply it regularly every 2 hours. Re-apply it immediately after swimming or sweating.

Make sure your child wears loose-fitting clothing, sunglasses, and a sunhat. The hat should have a wide brim or a long flap at the back. This will protect their head, ears, and neck from the sun.

Protecting your baby from the cold

Small babies are not very good at controlling their own body temperature.

Signs of being too cold

Check your baby's temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck. Do not worry if your baby's hands or feet feel cool. This is normal.

Layering clothing

Several light layers of clothing are best for keeping your baby warm. A good rule of thumb is to give your baby one extra layer of clothing than what you are wearing. For example, if you are in a t-shirt and jumper, dress them in a vest and a sleepsuit.

You could also add a cardigan or jumper. If you feel chilly, your baby probably does too.

If you are using a sleeping bag and feel your baby is cold, add an extra layer of clothing. Do not add extra blankets. Always remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you are indoors. Also remove them when you get into a warm car, bus, or train. This applies even if it means waking your baby.

Pram safety

When your baby is in their pram, they need one or two layers of lightweight blankets on top in cold weather. They also need a waterproof rain cover and a sheet underneath. Place a blanket underneath your baby if you use a fabric pushchair or one low to the ground. Add more layers if they are in a lightweight pushchair or if it is very cold.

Car seat safety

Make sure to take off your baby's bulky outdoor clothes, like winter coats, before strapping them into their car seat. Thick clothing can stop the harness from fitting snugly against your baby's body, which is unsafe in a crash. You can place a blanket over your baby once they are securely strapped in to keep them warm.

Safe sleep and room temperature

It is important to make sure that babies do not get too hot or too cold while sleeping. Babies can overheat due to too much bedding or clothing, or if the room is too hot.

Keeping the room at a safe temperature helps your baby sleep comfortably. It also reduces the risk of overheating.

Ideal room temperature

A room temperature of 16 to 20°C is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies. You can check the temperature using a room thermometer. Keep your baby's bedroom cool during the day by closing blinds or curtains. You can also keep the door of your baby's room open and open their bedroom window if it is safe to do so.

Appropriate sleepwear

Your baby just needs light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag. If it is very warm, your baby may not need any bedclothes other than a sheet. Even in winter, most babies who are unwell or feverish do not need extra clothes.

Baby sleeping bags come with different tog ratings:

• 2.5 tog – for use all year and for standard room temperatures of 16 to 20°C.
• 1.0 tog – for use in warmer weather and in warmer rooms of 20 to 24°C.
• 0.5 tog – for use in hot weather and warm room temperatures of 24 to 27°C.

Using blankets safely

If you use baby blankets instead of a sleeping bag, lie your baby on their back. Their feet should be nearest the foot of the cot or Moses basket. This prevents any loose bedding from covering their face if they wriggle around.

A cellular cotton blanket is best. These allow your baby to keep warm but also allow airflow. The blanket should be tucked in firmly, no higher than the shoulders. It should not be doubled over, as this can cause overheating.

Keep nightwear and bedclothes to a minimum. A vest or just a nappy is fine on the warmest nights. If your baby kicks or pushes off the covers during the night, leave their nappy on. You can use a single, well-secured sheet. Make sure the sheet is secure enough so it cannot cover their face or get tangled up in it.

What to avoid

Babies should never sleep with a hot water bottle or electric blanket. They should also never sleep next to a radiator, heater, or fire. Never let them sleep in direct sunshine.

The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a separate cot or Moses basket. This should be free from toys, blankets, and pillows. This helps create a safer sleeping space for your baby and reduces the risk of sudden infant death.