With a heatwave in full swing, what can you do to help your baby in the heat?
If your baby is breastfed, you do not need to give them any additional water.
Giving additional water could fill your baby up meaning they miss breastfeeds and all the goodness they receive from breastmilk. Your breastmilk is approximately 90% water and adapts to your baby’s needs in the heat.
Remember, trust your body, trust your breasts and trust your baby!
It is quite usual for your baby to have regular short feeds in the heat as they will need to quench their thirst, in the same way you do.
Older babies (over 6 months) can be offered water at mealtimes as usual.
What else can you do to help them cool in the heat?
- Wet up a muslin, wring it out and lay it over them to play with. Extra hack: put it in the fridge to cool them down even more.
- Keep the bedrooms dark in the day to keep them cool at night.
- Use a fan to circulate the air in the room.
- Set up some water play and let them have a splash about!
- Consider just dressing them in a nappy – you can always get some fancy pants to go over the top, or use cloth nappies which have some funky designs!
- Keep little ones in the shade.
- Make some breastmilk ice lollies!
Join our online community in the No Milk Like Mama’s private Facebook group and share your tips on how you’ve kept your baby cool in the heat.
I hope you all have lots of fun in the sun this week and enjoy the good weather.
Sian x