Mind Body & Birth

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Babies in hot weather

Hot wather can be quite difficult to manage with a young baby. It can change feeding and sleep patterns. Babies often wake more when its hot (adults do too!) and often like to feed more frequently Here are some tips!

Keep the bedroom cool by keeping the curtains drawn. Windows close on the hottest part of the day open when cooler. Try to get a through draft between rooms.
(For those of you outside the UK, yes its true, we don't often have air conditioning here as its hot for about 2 weeks a year!)

If baby has a bath, keep the water cool.

Keep clothing and bedding light and cotton is best. Layers are good so you can add something in the early hours of the morning if the temperature cools a little.

Use a fan to keep the air circulating, but don't point it directly at the baby.

Avoid direct sunlight, keep babies in the shade as much as you can.

Remember babies will probably need to feed more often in the hot weather to keep themselves hydrated. Or sometimes they just sleep and make up for it later!

Breastfed babies don't need any extra water if they're under 6 months. They will feed little and often and the milk will be more watery to keep them hydrated.

Formula fed babies may need a little water but can also have more milk.

For combination fed babies, try to have set times for formula feeds and then breastfeed responsively in between so baby can stay hydrated, there's no need for water.

All babies over 6 mths can have a little water with solids.

It can get very hot and sticky when feeding and cuddling babies in hot weather. Putting a muslin square between your skin and baby's will help. But believe it or not, skin to skin will actually cool baby down.

Don't cover the buggy, it makes the temperature much hotter

When baby wearing have baby in one thin cotton layer or just a nappy. A layer of fabric between you and baby will stop you getting too sticky

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Have you heard of "Christmastitis"?

Mastitis can sneak up on you during the times of change, disruption or celebration - like Christmas! That's why it's more common to see around December.

Here are some reasons:
💜Change in routine leading to longer times between feeds
💜Busy! There might be a lot going on and you lose track
💜Visitors! You pass the baby around and everyone wants a cuddle meaning longer between feeds
💜 Outfit that is difficult to feed in or, where you wear a bra that presses on your breast tissue
💜Travel where your baby is asleep in their car seat and misses feeds or there’s a tight seat belt over your breast
💜Maybe you don’t want to feed around visitors so you wait until they leave
💜 Unhelpful comments making you doubt yourself or reduce feed time/frequency

So what can help?
💚Try to take it easy. Maybe say no to some visits or spread them out over a longer period
💚Feel free to move to a quieter space regularly to feed quietly (and have a break!)
💚Schedule in a few stops on journeys so you can feed.
💚It’s OK to prioritise you and your baby.
💚Make sure your supporters know what you and your little one need so they can remind you and help make it happen
💚Keep feeding responsively - you may find babies want to feed EVEN MORE because new lights/people/noise can be a bit unsettling
💚 Come to a group and get support with navigating changes to routine, or positioning and attachment

Want to read more about mastitis? Check out this leaflet:
https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/breastfeeding-information/mastitis-breastfeeding/

[ID: a photo of a woman wrapped in a blanket snuggling a newborn, lots of Christmas lights are hung all around]