Peak summer weather is fleeting in Canada, but depending on where you live, those few months of the year can get really hot and humid, which is something you need to consider especially with a baby. Sometimes, the weather can get downright uncomfortable with the heat and humidity. It’s natural as a parent to worry about your little one in the extreme heat. This includes not only when you’re out and about but even in your own home. There are things you can do, however, to help keep your baby comfortable all summer.
Invest in air conditioning
If you’re not ready to invest in central air conditioning just yet, you don’t have to deal with keeping your baby’s nursery room window open all hours of the day and night to keep them cool. You don’t even have to rely on just fans in every room, though these might work just fine for some rooms of the home. Consider a window air conditioner or portable air conditioner to cool the house down to a more comfortable level. We used a portable air conditioner in my son’s room the first summer we moved into our new home (which ended up being an unusually hot summer) and it worked wonderfully.
For a larger room of the home, you can also consider a mini split AC, which provides both cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. These include a unit that mounts on the ceiling or wall and a larger unit at the side of the house, both connected by conduit run through the wall. It’s a nice alternative to central AC that doesn’t require any duct work. Check out our air conditioner buying guide to learn more about each type.
Use a smart video baby monitor
One of my most useful tools when my son was a baby was the video baby monitor. I could walk around the house with the monitor portion and see him in his crib when he was down for a nap. I’d know exactly when he woke up as well. When we turned in for the night, I could spring up from bed and light up the screen to check on him if I heard him stirring (or was just worried about him, as moms do sometimes) to confirm that he was OK.
What does this have to do with keeping baby comfortable? There’s one feature that many of these units have: they will display the temperature of the room in the corner of the screen. Some will also alert, or turn text red, if it’s too hot. You can then take action and turn on central AC, put a fan in the room, open the window, or do whatever necessary to ensure that your baby is cool and comfortable.
Get light and breathable clothing, linens
Thicker materials like fleece are great for keeping a baby warm during the frigid winter months. But come summer, you will want to change everything from their clothing to their crib linens to something cooler, like cotton. For my son’s stroller, we even had a thicker, fleece material for the winter and a lighter one for the summer. You can find light and breathable clothing and linens made of materials like cotton muslin that wick away moisture and won’t irritate their sensitive skin either.
Invest in a portable fan
There were plenty of jokes among friends and family who saw the adorable clip-on, battery operated mini fan I had attached to my son’s stroller when he was a baby. He rode around like a little prince! But when we attended my niece’s summer school concert in the non-air-conditioned gym full of people, he was the last one laughing.
A mini fan can clip to the side of the stroller to blow air around the baby (make sure not to position it directed right at their face) cooling them down while you go for a walk on a hot summer day, or if you end up inside somewhere (like I did) without AC. Just make sure that you choose one specifically designed for babies with tighter gaps between slats so their tiny fingers can’t get stuck inside.
Get a stroller with an adjustable canopy
Speaking of a stroller, even if you don’t have a mini fan, make sure the stroller has a canopy to cover baby’s head so it isn’t exposed to the sun. Most stroller tops can expand canopy style, useful for nap times as well. Make sure it offers ample coverage: some extend further than others. This, and a rain cover, are both accessories you’ll use more than you think.
Some strollers also offer different materials for the seat and canopy, including heavier and warmer fleece for winter and cooler material for summer. Consider looking into this option so your baby is kept cool not only from the canopy, but isn’t sweating from hot material at their back and under their legs.
Get outdoor toys for cooling off
When I was a kid, running through the sprinkler with our bathing suits on was a summer favourite. Nowadays, kids have much more elaborate outdoor toys. For babies, a blow-up mini pool is a great way for them to cool off. Fill it with water from the hose an hour or so before they go in so it isn’t ice cold, put them in a swimsuit (or let them roam free naked!), and let them frolic in the water while you relax in the sun. (Make sure they wear a hat and sunscreen if the pool isn’t in a shaded area, and that you never leave them unattended). All they’ll need are a few bath toys and they’ll be busy, cool, and getting important Vitamin D.
The great thing about inflatable mini pools is that many of them can also be used indoors during the winter. Fill them with plastic balls and you have a super-fun ball pit in the playroom. Fun tip: when your baby gets older, fill the mini pool with water balloons for an epic water balloon fight in the backyard.
Get patio umbrellas
Another idea if the pool isn’t in a shaded area is to invest in an offset patio umbrella and position it over the pool. These and other patio umbrellas can provide shade anywhere in your back or front yard so your baby can safely enjoy the great outdoors without risking direct exposure to the sun. Keeping them covered by a patio umbrella will also keep them cooler and more comfortable, overall.
Enjoy the heat!
There might be some 30°C+ summer days in Canada this year, which means taking extra care of not only yourself, but also your baby. From their sleep time to playing in the house, enjoying outdoor time, and visiting others, you want to keep them cool and comfortable all day long. Babies cry, but you can make sure it isn’t because they’re too hot by taking note of these useful tips.
Check out plenty more items for baby at Best Buy Online.
