It’s a great idea to bring your baby outside with you for a stroll in the spring and summer. The fresh air is good for your little ones, and it’s nice to give them a change of scenery in the hot weather. However, it’s important that babies don’t overheat or get a sunburn on their sensitive skin. Luckily, there are ways to keep your baby cool in their stroller while you both enjoy a walk in the sun.
Keep reading to learn how to keep your baby from overheating in their stroller and how to keep them comfortable while you enjoy an outdoor stroll.
Mistakes to Avoid
Before learning about what to do to keep your baby cool in their stroller, you should learn about what not to do. Here are some common mistakes that may prevent your baby from keeping cool in their stroller.
Don’t throw a blanket over the stroller to cover your baby: Although using a thin muslin blanket or cooling towel may seem like a smart way to shade your baby and keep them cool, it may actually have the opposite effect. Covering the opening of your stroller restricts airflow, causing the temperature underneath the covering to heat up quickly. Under these circumstances, your baby can quickly overheat.
Avoid walking mid-day: Lunchtime may seem like the perfect time to go out for a stroll, but going out when the sun is the hottest is not ideal for your baby. If you are afraid of your baby overheating, try to avoid going for walks between 10am-4pm. Instead, take your baby out for an early morning stroll, or in the evening for some fresh air before bed. If you do go for a walk during peak sun hours, try to walk somewhere with lots of shade, avoid direct sunlight, make stops in air-conditioned buildings, or keep the walk short so that your baby does not overheat in their stroller.
Tips on Keeping Your Baby Cool in the Baby Stroller
There are a number of methods you can go about using to keep your baby cool in the stroller. It’s best to properly prepare your stroller and your baby before you leave for your walk, and to stay mindful of the state of your baby throughout the walk.
Here are 5 tips to help you keep your baby cool in the stroller.
1. Invest in a stroller with a large canopy.
A generous canopy is the best way to shield your baby from the sun and make sure they stay cool throughout the walk. Your baby won’t overheat and will be protected from sunburns in the hot weather. It’s a plus if the canopy is made from a breathable fabric of at least SPF50.
Stay away from strollers that have canopies made from thick material – this might make it hard for air to circulate and create the opposite than intended effect on your stroller.
2. Weather-appropriate clothing
Babies can’t regulate their body temperatures as well as older children and don’t sweat as much, so they tend to conserve more heat. This may cause your baby to overheat or cause heat exhaustion. Overdressing your baby can make this much worse.
Not only can overdressing lead to overheating, but it can also lead to heat rashes. However, before you pull out some cute baby shorts, there’s also a danger in having too much of your baby’s skin exposed to the sun. Underdressing can lead to sunburns or heatstroke.
Dress your baby in lightweight, loose clothing to help ensure that they stay cool in their stroller, while also remaining protected from the sun. Dress them in a breathable fabric such as cotton that will wick moisture away from their skin.
You’ll also want to dress your baby in lighter clothing which reflects light more than darker clothing, to help ensure that they are not overheating. You may also want to use a hat with a broad rim and that covers the neck and ears to protect your baby from the sun.
3. Increase fluids
Fluids may not directly cool down your baby, especially if they’re too young to drink water, but making sure your baby gets enough fluids will prevent them from getting dehydrated. Just like you, a baby is prone to dehydration if they aren’t given enough fluids. This will become especially apparent after your walk. You can check to see if your baby is dehydrated by how wet their diaper is as well as by the color and smell of their urine. If it’s darker and stronger smelling than usual, that’s a sign that your baby may be dehydrated.
Increasing how much you breastfeed your baby when it’s hot is a good way to help prevent dehydration. If you go for a walk and have an opportunity to take a break, try breastfeeding your baby. When your baby becomes older than 6 months, you can start giving them no more than 4 oz. bottles of water to help keep up with their hydration.
4. Seat Liner
Adding stroller liners made out of breathable fabric to your baby’s stroller will help keep your baby cool. It will absorb any moisture from your baby if they sweat while preventing them from getting too hot. You’ll also want to make sure that your baby has enough room to move in the stroller – if it’s too crowded or if your baby needs to be squeezed into it, they might sweat and overheat.
Choose a liner that is easy to remove and machine washable. On hot days, you’ll want to remove the liner immediately after your walk to wash it.
5. Stroller Fan
A baby stroller fan is a great tool to have to keep your baby cool on hot summer days. You can get your baby their own personal clip fan to attach to their stroller. The baby stroller fan usually clips on easily and is battery operated.
Stroller fans are a great way to help circulate air in your baby stroller and help them stay cool. They can also be used indoors to help keep your baby cool during nap time, and they can be attached to other on-the-go travel accessories, such as a car seat or a baby carrier.