Keeping your sleeping baby cool in hot weather

Keeping your sleeping baby cool in hot weather

It’s important to make sure your baby doesn’t overheat when the weather is hot. As you yourself will know from experience it’s pretty uncomfortable to get too hot at night, and waking up with a dry mouth and a headache thanks to a badly ventilated room is an unpleasant experience.


On a more serious note, extremes of temperature have been linked to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome, also known as crib death).

 

In order to ensure your baby’s comfort, the room temperature where she’s sleeping should be set at around 65-68 degrees – keep a thermometer in your baby's room so you can monitor the temperature. Ensure there’s no possibility of her head becoming covered up by her covers by placing her in the feet-to-foot position, with her feet at the end of her crib. Alternately, dress her in a baby sleeping bag and do without covers altogether. If it’s particularly hot, your baby will only need to sleep in a diaper and onesie, covered with a cotton sheet.

 

Don’t position your baby’s crib near to a heat source (or a draughty window) as this could cause her to overheat rapidly. If the room is stuffy, some ventilation is advisable – obviously, this doesn’t mean an Arctic wind, but some fresh air is good as long as the room temperature can be maintained and your baby isn’t in a draught.

 

Hot tip Do make sure your baby doesn’t overheat if she falls asleep in a car seat or stroller. If she does fall asleep in these places, it’s best to remove her and put her somewhere more suitable.

 

Check out our video on keeping your baby cool in hot weather or have a look at our article, how to keep your baby cool.

 

Why not chat to other moms about this, or other topics, by leaving a message on our chat forum. Alternately, if you want to meet other moms in your area with similar age babies, visit our people section to find out what’s happening in your area. If you have any unanswered questions, use our questions page to gain wisdom from other moms or our resident experts for all those pregnancy or baby-related niggles. Have a look at our kit section where we list our favorite baby gear.

 

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

You'll need to be logged in to post new Comments and Answers or to Chat. Login or Regsiter

Related Articles

Sleep and breastfeeding

Sleep & Bedtime:

Sleep and breastfeeding

Depending on the way you approach sleep for your breastfed baby, there is really no reason why you should not get a good night-time routine going. But many experts recommend that you avoid breastfe . . .
Helping twins to sleep at the same time

Sleep & Bedtime:

Helping twins to sleep at the same time

Two of them to deal with! The thought of getting one baby down to sleep and in a routine is daunting enough, let alone two babies and at the same time. However, don’t panic: it is a perfectly achie . . .
Getting your premature baby into good

Sleep & Bedtime:

Getting your premature baby into good

If your baby is premature then you’ll need to be patient and expect your nights to be disturbed. Her stomach is very tiny and she’ll need to feed little and often in the early days. You can’t expec . . .

Related Video

Page 1-4

Changing a disposable nappy

How to change a disposable diaper.

Cleaning your baby's teeth

gurgle guide to cleaning your baby's teeth.

Bedtime Routines

Creating a relaxing environment and routine for your baby's bedtime.
Page 1-4