7 Essential Tips For Baby Care During the Indian Summer

Children are born with an underdeveloped immune system which develops with their growing age and time.

This demands special attention towards their well-being, especially during the changing seasons which could be due to temperature or weather fluctuations.

For example, winter demands proper layered clothing to protect them from extreme cold weather. On the other hand, summer requires some hours of diaper-free time. This is to prevent the occurrence of heat rash or bacterial or fungal infection, owing to their sensitive skin.

India being a tropical country faces extreme temperatures. This makes guidelines for baby care tips for Indian summer, winter, and rainy seasons essential for the caregivers.

Importance Of Proactive Baby Care During Hot Months

Babies do not tend to sweat much due to the absence of fully developed sweat glands. This becomes very difficult to predict if they are overheated or just not well.

Also, they are still adjusting their bodily systems to their new environment and are very vulnerable to even small temperature changes.

According to a study, the maximum temperature to prevent SIDS in infants is 29 degrees Celsius, after which the increase in temperature is directly proportional to the infant mortality rate.

This makes baby care during summer necessary for their overall development and well-being. Let us now understand how to keep your baby cool and comfortable in Indian summer.

1. Maintaining Proper Hydration: The Liquid- Balance!

Hydration becomes very necessary for the proper functioning of the digestive, circulatory, excretory, and respiratory systems.

Despite not sweating, the children during summers might feel dehydrated due to excessive heat. This could lead to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke in worse-case scenarios.

Fact: Breastmilk or formula meets all the hydration requirements in the kids during their first six months.

However, the ones above six months demand external hydration in various forms to keep them motivated to self-hydrate!

Baby Hydration Tips for Summers

• Breastfeed your baby frequently by understanding their cues for dehydration.
• Infuse the water with chopped fruits and pour it into the sipper to keep them hydrated.
• Incorporate hydrating fruits like watermelon, cucumber, strawberries oranges, etc. in their diet.
• Encourage them to keep sipping every 10 minutes to prevent dehydration, especially during outdoor playtime.
• In case of teething, give them frozen fruits wrapped in a clean muslin cloth. This would provide them with both relief and hydration.
• Make fruit popsicles to keep the kids’ hydration journey interesting and fun!
  

Tip: Do not give water to kids below the age of six months as that could hamper their nutrient absorption.

Reason: Children’s growth spurts are the fastest during the initial six months. This requires meeting their nutritional requirements which is taken care of by the breastmilk.

Fact: Breastmilk is known as “liquid gold” due to its richness in almost 200 different nutrients and 88% of breastmilk is water.

Therefore, giving water to the babies during this time could slow down their development.

Also Read: Best Hydrating Food For Kids

2. Choosing Appropriate Clothing: The Airy-Dressing!

Summer demands wearing light-colored and breathable clothing for optimum sweat absorption.

Fine muslin cloth is the best fabric to be worn by the kids during these hot months. This is because of its breathability, moisture absorbency, lightweight, hypo-allergenicity, and softness. This further ensures that the baby’s sensitive skin remains intact while also comforting the baby.

How To Dress A Baby During Indian Summers?

1. Choose a Light-Colored Fabric

Reason: Dark colors trap more heat which could lead to overheating in the babies.

2. Opt for breathable and airy dresses

Reason: It helps to keep the baby’s body cool, preventing prickly heat or heat rashes.

3. Use sun protection like hats and goggles to secure the baby’s head, skin, and eyes.

Reason: It protects the kids from sunburn and overheating, protects the eyes, and helps them stay cool and comfortable.

4. Protect their exposed hands and legs with muslin-cloth mittens.

Reason: UV rays are very harmful to a baby’s sensitive skin.

5. Use Feather-Soft Diapers

Reason: They are lightweight, thin, and super-absorbent, preventing diaper rashes in babies.

Tip: When outside, dress your baby in thin layers to remove them in case of overheating.

3. Ensuring a Cool Sleeping Environment: Baby’s Cool Nest!

The core temperature of the body decreases during sleep to help promote overall relaxation of the body and mind.

When this is combined with a further drop in the temperature, it enhances the melatonin production which is responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle in the body. Therefore, a cool sleeping environment is essential to promote a peaceful and undisturbed sleep.

Tips to Promote a Positive Sleeping Environment

1. Keep the room temperature up to 22 Degrees Celsius, either with a fan or air-conditioner.

Reason: Prevents overheating and the risk of SIDS in the babies. It also helps in the body temperature regulation.

2. Wear breathable and loose-fitting clothing

Reason: It enables your baby’s skin to breathe, thus preventing various skin allergies, infections, and potential overheating.

3. Ensure to keep the light of the room minimum or dim.

Reason: A dark environment enhances the melatonin production in the kids which helps them sleep peacefully.

4. Play a white noise for soothing sleep

Reason: It mimics the womb environment, habituates them to sleep time, and also promotes a soothing sleep environment.

Also Read: Indian Sleep Training Methods to Get Your Baby Sleeping

4. Sun Protection Strategies: Mandatory UV Protection!

The temperature during summer can cross the tolerance level which also increases the risk of UV rays exposure in the babies. This makes it essential to carry sun-protective gear when stepping outdoors.

Tips To Limit Sun Exposure

1. Avoid letting your kid step outdoors during the peak hours from 10 pm to 4 pm during summer.
2. Ensure they always carry a small water bottle when they are playing outside.
3. Apply sunscreen to protect your child from harmful UV radiation. Ensure that it is fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, mineral-based, and has an SPF 30 at least.
4. Always ensure to carry a small umbrella, a stroller with a canopy, or a cap to protect your kids’ heads.
5. Seek shade whenever the sun's rays are very intense or in the absence of any sun-protective gears.
   

Tip: Habituate your children to drink water from a sipper at regular intervals at home. This would subconsciously encourage them to keep themselves self-hydrated.

5. Preventing And Managing Heat Rashes: Easing Prickly Heat!

Heat rash occurs when sweat glands become blocked which prevents the sweat from evaporating and promoting a cool sensation.

This could further cause irritation, itching, red bumps, blisters, ringworms, or even fungal infections of any kind in the kids due to their extra sensitive skin.

Causes Of Heat Rash During Summers

• Overheating due to blocked sweat pores and over-dressing.
• Humidity in the air enhances the blockage of the sweat glands due to the rising moisture in the environment.
• Limited body movement in enclosed spaces like strollers or cribs leads to sweat accumulation at the skin folds, neck, armpits, or diaper area.
  

Tips To Prevent Heat Rash

• Dress the baby in light-colored and light-weight clothes to improve moisture-wicking.
• Ensure to let the baby roam around diaper or bottom-free to enable their skin to breathe and cool down.
• Always regulate the room temperature to a moderate level to prevent sudden temperature fluctuation. This is because it can make the baby uncomfortable, besides their body’s inability to adjust to the temperature changes.
• Keep monitoring the temperature of the babies to keep track of their overheating. This can be done by checking the back of their neck at regular intervals.
• Apply a mild, fragrance-free moisturizer within the time the skin remains a little moist for its optimum absorption.
  

Tip 1: Avoid using heavy or oily moisturizers as they encourage sweat clogging and produce a heat rash.

Tip 2: Always opt for a talcum-free powder to prevent harmful ingestion by the babies.

6. Bathing Practices: The Soak Sessions!

Although the kids do not require daily baths like adults, they should be at least given baths once or twice a day during summer. This is to cleanse their body of any dirt and promote hygiene and good health.

Some of the best practices for bathing infants in hot weather include:

• Ensure to include lukewarm water to enhance the opening of the pores gently. This prevents itching and dryness.
• Apply a mild- fragrance-free moisturizer within the time the skin remains moist.
• Check for the overheating in the babies and give them a bath to cool down their bodies.
• In case of rashes, make a colloidal oatmeal bomb, mixed with a little breastmilk, and bathe your baby in it for soothing.
  

Tip: Avoid using excess hot or cold water as they both promote dryness and itching.

Also Read: Ultimate Baby Bath Time Safety Checklist

7. Monitoring for Signs of Overheating: Preventing Meltdowns! 

With the rising temperatures every year, the incidences of heatstroke have become common around us.

The children sometimes due to their underdeveloped regulatory system find it difficult to cope with the never-ending rising heat. According to a study, almost 37 children die each year due to overheating or heatstroke after being left in a hot vehicle.

Reasons for overheating in children

• Inability to self-regulate the rising temperature due to still developing thermoregulation system.
• Continuous physical activity without short breaks could cause dehydration and thus, overheating.
• Wearing non-breathable and non-moisture-wicking clothes that could hinder sweat evaporation. This could also lead to clogged sweat pores and thus, heat rash.
• Leaving the kids unattended in a hot car.
  

Signs Of Overheating In Babies And Remedies

Some of the symptoms of overheating are:

1. Excessive sweating, especially at the back of the sweat or from the head.
2. Red or flushed skin
3. Rapid heartbeat
4. Chapped Lips
5. Red or Pink Bumps on the neck, chest, back, or diaper area
6. Itchiness
7. Excessive crying or discomfort
8. Raised blisters
9. Tiny bumps all over the body or at certain portions of the body.
10. Redness or raised bumps at skin folds like arms, neck, and groin region.
11. Severe dehydration
12. Cold and damp skin
    

Some of the remedies to prevent overheating are

• Ensure to keep your child in a cool and comfortable environment.
• Always ensure enough hydration to balance the electrolyte level in the body.
• Dress your child in breathable and moisture-wicking clothing.
• Apply a small amount of chemical-free sunscreen for children above 6 months.
• Always visit your healthcare provider in case of an emergency or doubtful symptoms.
  

Also Read: How to Protect Your Baby from Seasonal Coughs and Colds?

Conclusion

Summer months can be very challenging for babies due to the constant rising temperatures. During these times it becomes essential as a caregiver to provide them with all the necessary support, love, and care by understanding their cues.

In addition, the summer months are one of the best for your children to play outdoors, explore their surroundings, and learn from them. This blog has covered the possible essential tips for baby care during the Indian summer.

R for Rabbit, being a caregiver ensures to provide all the necessary information to the parents, along with the essential gear to make it possible. In case you are looking for a sipper, stroller, diaper, and more, then you have come to the right place.

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