Walks pleasantly punctuate daily life with a baby, but during a heat wave, it is advisable to adapt their little routine in order to protect them from the heat, to which they are particularly sensitive. Our advice for safe outings.

In case of strong heat, it is recommended toavoid going out at the hottest hours of the day (between 11 am and 16 pm). Better to keep the baby at home, in the coolest room. To prevent the heat from entering, keep the shutters and curtains closed during the day, and only open them when the outside temperature drops in order to bring in a little freshness and renew the air with drafts. 

Although cool thanks to the air conditioning, stores and supermarkets are not ideal places for baby outings. There are a lot of germs circulating there and the baby risks catching a cold, especially since he is not yet able to regulate his temperature properly. However, if you have to go there with an infant, be sure to take a cotton vest and a small blanket to cover it and avoid thermal shock when leaving. The same precautions are necessary for the car or any other means of air-conditioned transport. In the car, also consider installing a sun visor on the rear windows to prevent baby from sunburning through the window.

During a heat wave, air pollution peaks in large cities, so this is not the ideal place for a walk with your baby. Especially since in his stroller, he is right at the height of the exhaust pipes. Favor walks in the countryside if possible. 

It is tempting for parents to want to enjoy their first vacation with their baby by tasting the joys of the beach. However, it is not a place very suitable for infants, especially during a heat wave. If applicable, favor the cooler hours of the day in the morning or in the evening. 

On the sand, the anti-sun kit is essential, even under the parasol (which does not fully protect against UV rays): clear hat with wide brims, good quality sunglasses (CE marking, protection index 3 or 4), SPF 50 or 50+ sunscreen special for babies based on mineral screens and anti-UV t-shirt. Be careful, however: these protections do not mean that you can expose your baby to the sun. As for the anti-UV tent, if it protects well from the sun’s rays, be careful with the furnace effect underneath: the temperature can quickly rise and the air can become stifling.

As for refreshing the baby by offering him a little swim, bathing in the sea but also in the pool are strongly discouraged in infants under 6 months. Its thermoregulation system is not functional and its skin surface is very large, it quickly risks catching cold. Its immune system is not mature either, it is very fragile in the face of germs, bacteria and other microbes potentially present in the water. 

As far as the mountain is concerned, beware of the altitude. Before a year, prefer stations that do not exceed 1200 meters. Beyond that, the baby risks having a restless sleep. Even if it is a little cooler in summer at altitude, the sun is no less strong there, on the contrary. Therefore, the same anti-sun panoply as at the beach is essential. Likewise, avoid the hottest hours of the day for walks.

On the clothing side, a single layer is sufficient in case of strong heat. Favor natural materials (linen, cotton, bamboo), loose cuts (bloomer type, romper) of light color to absorb the least heat. Hat, glasses and sunscreen are also essential on all outings. 

In the changing bag, do not forget to hydrate your baby. From 6 months, in case of hot weather, it is recommended to offer in addition to the bottle small amounts of water (source suitable for infants) at least every hour. Breastfeeding mothers will make sure to offer the breast very often, even before the baby asks for it. The water contained in breast milk (88%) is thus sufficient to meet the baby’s water needs, he does not need additional water.

In case of dehydration, always also provide a rehydration solution (ORS).

Then the question arises of the mode of transport of the baby. If the portage in a sling or physiological baby carrier is usually beneficial to the baby, when the thermometer climbs, it should be avoided. Under the thick fabric of the sling or the baby carrier, tight against the body of its wearer, the baby may be too hot, and even sometimes, difficult to breathe. 

For stroller, cozy or carrycot rides, it is of course recommended to unfold the hood to protect the baby from the sun. On the other hand, covering the remaining opening is strongly discouraged, this creates a “furnace” effect: The temperature rises rapidly and the air no longer circulates, which is very dangerous for the baby. Prefer the use of an umbrella (ideally anti-UV) or a sun visor.