This is how your baby can sleep better during hot summer nights
During these hot days when outside temperatures rise over 30 degrees, our homes are likely to heat-up dramatically and there is no real cooling down in the evenings.
In their first weeks after being born, newborns have difficulties regulating their thermal balance. Therefore it is crucial that the little ones are being protected against heat and overheating and also the older babies and toddlers who are struggling during hot nights and need some help.
1.) How to test if your baby is sweating
Newborns are not able to regulate their thermal balance such as older kids or adults. In fact they almost never sweat, which reduces their bodies’ ability to cool down. The best way to check if your baby is overheating is to feel its neck: the skin should be warm but never sweaty or wet.
The hands or feet of a newborn baby are not a good reference to decide whether a baby feels hot or cold as they don’t start to regulate their thermal balance until a bit later. This usually happens between their 3rd and 12th month of life. This is when they start being able to adapt better to temperature change. Older children might not sweat when they lie in bed at night but they are able to let you know that they are feeling too hot and you can also feel that their skin might be warmer than normal.
2.) The right sleepwear for babies & toddlers
Besides the diaper babies may wear, light bodysuits made of natural materials or a thin foot-less pyjama can help keep a baby cool. You can also add a light and breathable summer sleeping bag, better if it has a zipper which you can open so your baby’s feet get some air. Older kids can wear short pyjamas and in case they normally use blankets, you can give them a sheet or a thin duvet cover to sleep with.
It is important to cover children or add some more clothing during the night because the body usually lowers its temperature in the second half of the night and the air tends to cool off a bit more in the morning hours. Once the hot months are over: Make sure your children wear some warmer pyjamas again and use thicker sleeping bags and blankets, if not they might freeze easily or catch a cold.
3.) This is how you keep your bedroom cool
The ideal sleeping temperature is between 16 and 18 degrees. During summer there should be a maximum of 22 degrees in the bedroom. This is why it is compulsory to close the windows during the day and if possible also close the blinds. You should only open the windows very early in the morning and just before going to bed. For some extra cooling off you can also use damp towels, which you can be placed on the windows so the air together with the condensed water help to cool down the room.
4.) A damp cloth can do miracles
Older babies and small children can be rubbed carefully on their legs and head with a damp lukewarm cloth. The surrounding air then helps to cool off the skin and this can help provide a better sleep. For older kids you can also place damp cloths or blankets in the fridge for a short moment and then use them, this has a fantastic cooling effect. After that make sure to dry their skin again.
5.) Hydrate!
When it is hot children need more liquids than usual during the day. If you breastfeed, try to do so more often if possible, in that case no extra water is needed (only for the mommies!) 🙂 Also older children and bottle-fed children should drink sufficient water during the day.
6.) Avoid to let babies and toddlers sleep in the pram or in the car
If your child falls asleep in the pram, observe it carefully. Prams can get very hot and stuffy. Never let them sleep in the pram unobserved. The same is true for the car seat. Even if the windows are open, the temperature can rise dangerously high in a parked car so it is better to avoid these places for their naps.
I hope you and your family will have a wonderful summer despite the ongoing heat!
All the best,
Julia Beroleit from Cosy Eleven
Julia Beroleit lives in Berlin with her husband and 8-year old son. She offers sleep coaching and sleep consultancy for parents with babies and toddlers. She is also a certified Massage therapist for pregnant women and for women in the early puerperal period and she offers baby massage-courses too. Her sleep coaching sessions and courses can be offered via Skype or phone.
If you would like to know more about Julia and what she does, please find more information in the following:
COSY ELEVEN
WEBSITE: www.cosy-eleven.de
E-MAIL: julia@cosy-eleven.de
MOBIL: +49 01577 3753971
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/cosyeleven
INSTA: julia_cosyeleven