Newborns: tips to protect them in summer

Being born in the summer is a real chance: the baby can grow stronger before facing winter, his parents are more available, on maternity leave and combined vacation, their morale is better in good weather. But heat, sun, mosquitoes form a cocktail that imposes some precautions for the first three months.

Baby in summer: outings, not essential

Ideally, a newborn does not come out when it is over 26-27 ° C. He is at home, quiet, get to know your environment and parents. Before several weeks, there is no need for him to be outside. “I advise to stay cool with the baby at home during the hottest hours, that is to say between 11 a.m. and 18 p.m.. The newborn should be placed in the coolest room. In addition, when leaving the maternity ward, we ensure the reception conditions at home, I am thinking in particular of caravan accommodation. It is preferable to find another means of temporary accommodation, ”says Dr Christine Michel. Advice shared by Sophie Guénant, nurse in the maternity ward of the Oréliance clinic, in Saran (Loiret).

On the other hand, exits may be necessary for you. In this case, it is necessary organize the outlets as best as possible.

Baby in summer: looking for shade

In a pram or stroller, drive with the hood closed to protect it from the sun, but check the indoor temperature often, because it can quickly become a real furnace. Favor the position in front of you to be in eye contact and constantly monitor his condition. You will also see if it has the sun directly on it. Consider riding on the sidewalk in the shade. In a baby carrier, protect it from the sun (head, arms, legs, eyes) and know that skin-to-skin can make it very hot. To know : avoid carrying your baby in a sling during hot weather. An “alert point” reported by emergency physicians and recalled by the former Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn, in 2018. Indeed, coiled against their parent, babies would be more frequently subject to heatstroke, linked overheating due to lack of circulating air. The ex-minister advised to “rather put them in strollers to ventilate them”.

Watch out for air conditioning for your baby

In the car, check again that the sun is not beating directly on its shell seat and that it is not receiving air from the air conditioning on it.

Moreover, beware of temperature variations. The newborn fears large and sudden changes in temperature, sources of cold or heat, its body having difficulty adapting quickly to the new climate. So be especially careful when you take it out of the air-conditioned car to go into the overheated street.

“We advise mothers touse air conditioning in small doses since a newborn baby tends to be cold, so in the very first days, the room is cooled moderately, ”advises Dr Christine Michel, pediatrician at the Pôle Santé Léonard de Vinci maternity unit, near Tours , with France Bleu Touraine. Same story on the side of the Montluçon hospital: “The big temperature variations can make him get sick. If you want to turn on the air conditioning, make sure it is not too strong, no more than 10 ° difference from the outside temperature », Suggest Émilie and Marie, midwives. A temperature between 20 and 25 ° C would therefore be ideal. Two accessories can be very useful to protect baby from heat and to cool him down.

Do not cover the stroller with a cloth

If covering the stroller with a cloth is not a good idea, because it creates a greenhouse effect and increases the temperature inside, the parasol is a good option, even if the natural and permanent shade, in the shelter of a tree for example, is more effective. Furthermore, the fogger can be very useful out for a walk, with some precautions however: “Be careful that it is not cold, but rather at room temperature, and we only spray on the limbs of his baby, not on the face, otherwise there is the aspect of surprise which is not comfortable for him, ”explains Sophie Guénant.

To prevent baby from getting too hot when sleeping, it is important to dress him appropriately: above 25 ° C, a single coat may suffice. Between 22 and 25 ° C, a body with short sleeves and a sleeping bag light are enough.

And vice versa. Always have a small plaid in the changing bag. Ideally, a newborn baby is not exposed to direct sunlight and does not go to the beach!

But, in “real life”, sometimes you want to enjoy the holidays if you have other children of sandcastle building age. In this case, we allow ourselves this moment very little time and only at the hours when the sun is not at the zenith. You must install it under an anti-UV tentbaby special with hat, glasses and covering body. And above all, do not think that it is sheltered from the rays under a parasol, you get sunburned there like in the open!

Baby and summer: light clothes and mosquito repellents

If the weather is very hot, you may be tempted to leave your baby only in a diaper in his bed. In fact, the feeling of nudity often makes infants feel insecure and if they sweat a lot while being shirtless, they risk catching a cold in the process. Rather prefer to dress it with a light body of light color or a shirt with long sleeves, in cotton or, better, bamboo, naturally antibacterial and very absorbent.

The most effective solution is to install a mosquito net on his bed or his cradle. There are ready-made models on the market. You can also buy a large film that you adapt on the stroller, the playpen or the bed, according to the times of the day. But the baby cannot continually see through a wire mesh! So also plan a body with sleeves and long legs, and put two drops of lemongrass, repellent, nearby, and not on his skin or his clothes. On the other hand, mosquito repellent creams to be applied to the skin are too strong for the moment, because most of them formulated for children from 6 months, very rarely from 3 months, and often after a year, or even 3 years. Likewise, pschitts and diffusers plugged into electrical outlets, which may contain chemicals that are harmful or irritating to the respiratory tract, are not recommended.

Give baby a drink often in summer

In hot weather, the infant’s appetite may be disturbed. Like us, he may be less hungry, but, as a precaution, watch his weight curve. If you are breastfeeding, breastfeed him often enough, without waiting for him to cry. Indeed, he must drink to be well hydrated and compensate for water loss due to perspiration. Bottle-fed, you can supplement feedings by offering a little water between meals.

In the maternity ward, many babies are used to bottle feeding at room temperature. The milk is supplied there sterilized and already fully prepared in the factory. But once you get home, the one you buy comes in powder form, and the milk particles dissolve better in hot water than in cold water. And is digested better as well, hence less reflux and colic. However, if it is very hot, and if the baby can bear it, it is better to provide a bottle at room temperature, because once heated, it will not keep for more than half an hour. And beyond that, there is a risk of microbial proliferation. Prepared at room temperature, you will keep it for one hour (a little less in the event of a heat wave). Finally, if the feed lasts more than 30 minutes, discard the remaining liquid and make a new bottle!

Baby’s sleep a little disturbed in summer

In muggy or very hot weather, a child’s sleep may be disturbed. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. If not install it in the coolest room for his naps during the day. You can also plug in a fan, as long as you do not point it directly at it. Small secondary benefit, the slight purring of the engine can help him fall asleep. It’s trying! Optionally, place a wet cloth in front of the blade to moisten the atmosphere. In his room, leave the windows and shutters closed during the day, and ventilate when it is finally cool.

Another point: the baby who is too hot moves more, gets agitated more and gets angry without falling asleep. Hence the interest of containing it in a hyper-light and breathable “swaddle”. which channels its movements. The fact of finding a little the feeling of being contained that he had in utero reassures him. And the more free he is in his movements, the more he can make jerky, spontaneous movements which can surprise and wake him up. Opt for a special summer muslin sleeping bag or a swaddling swaddle. Finally, try to respect your waking and sleeping phases as well as possible, favoring rest and quiet times. So avoid any form of excitement and overstimulation as much as possible.

Refreshing baths and special mountain reflexes

During its first weeks, the thermoregulation system of the newborn is not mature. Suddenly, his body heat varies according to the outside temperature. In the event of a heat wave, relieve it by giving it baths, even several times a day. Moisturize her skin afterwards if the water in the city is hard or hard. Be careful though: some babies take a month to a month and a half to appreciate contact with water. If this is the case, the water temperature must be 37 ° C, and not colder because it is hot!

Avoid immersing your baby in the paddling pool of the garden. Not only does the water macerate, microbes thrive in it and this attracts insects, but it is also much too cold and aggressive for a child under 6 months old. Like that of the swimming pool whose chlorine is not recommended for its skin as much as for its fragile bronchi. During the day, regularly use a water mist to refresh your face and limbs, provided it has a very gentle flow.

The necessary equipment for the mountain sun

In the mountains and even on an overcast day, the sun’s rays are strong at altitude, the luminosity and the reverberation being important. During his first outings, equip him with sunglasses quality (even in the shade) and do not exceed 1 to 000 m altitude. Of course, this precaution only affects small vacationers, natives necessarily being used to ambient atmospheric pressure from birth! Check her eardrums before you go and make him swallow by giving him drink in stages as you gain altitude. Note that the mountain air can have an effect on its behavior and disrupt the rhythm that is being set up. He may be very tired or very restless. It depends on the children.

Apply sunscreen to your baby’s skin

By the sea or in the mountains, remember to apply sunscreen on your baby’s skin. 90% of parents do not apply it at the right time, according to a 2018 study. According to this survey conducted by the pharmaceutical group Newpharma, the behavior of parents with their babies facing the sun would not be appropriate … Before going for a walk. baby, it is advisable to put on sunscreen 30 minutes before going out, then 30 minutes after the start of the exposure. Then repeat the operation every 2 hours or after each swim. And even if there are clouds, in the park or at the sea, sun protection is essential!

On the beach, prefer to sit baby on a towel rather than on the sand, which reflects the rays. Obviously, a hat, parasol sunglasses and regular hydration are essential!

Heatwave: precautions to take for your baby

• If baby is breastfed, we can offer the breast more often than usual.
• Between bottle-feeding hours, we regularly offers a small bottle mineral water suitable for infants to hydrate it.
• One can mist it starting with the feet, legs, arms and hands, before wetting his chest and face.
• We leave him in diapers in his bed or in his deckchair.
• We take it out in the morning, before 11 am, and above all, it is not locked under the hood of the stroller which keeps the heat and can lead to dehydration and hyperthermia.

If, despite these precautions, the infant becomes limp, hypotonic, or if his urine becomes scarce, we do not hesitate for a second, we go to the emergency room.