Extra fluids?
Care in the sun
Many parents worry about their baby becoming 'too hot' and possibly dehydrating during very warm weather. Young babies have only a limited ability to regulate their own body temperature. Their little bodies do have active sweat glands, but they are only in their head, neck, hands and feet in the early months (covering about 25 to 30% of their total body size). This is a natural protective mechanism that helps them from becoming dehydrated just because they are in a warm environment, however it can make their body prone to becoming overheated. Current research suggests that the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is increased if the baby becomes too warm, or overheated (or even too cold). You can read more about this in
SIDS.
NOTE: It is important that you
NEVER leave your baby in a parked car. The temperature in cars can increase up to 60
o Celsius (or 140
o Fahrenheit) within 5 minutes. Babies have died from this, even though their parents thought they would 'not be long'.
To prevent your baby from becoming overheated, you need to make sure they are dressed appropriately for the type of weather you are experiencing, and that you adjust this for any changes, particularly when taking them in or out of an air conditioned environment. A good barometer for knowing how to dress your baby in hot weather is to consider how you are dressed yourself. Be aware that babies survive the tropics, live in deserts and can be brought up in very arid countries. Babies tend to cope fine, so long as they are not dressed for the Antarctic!
Some suggestions for caring for your baby during hot weather can include: