I adapt my suitcase for maternity
Some maternities are air conditioned. But if this is not the case, the stay may be difficult in the event of strong heat. even heatwave. So I slip light nightgowns, a sprayer and towels in my suitcase to place under the sheet, because plastic hospital sheets often make you sweat.
I bring baby bodysuits and pajamas
Because in the days following birth, baby goes from an environment of 37 degrees to some twenty degrees. It must therefore be kept warm even if it is summer: bodysuit, pajamas, socks, waistcoat and hat will therefore be required. We can discover it gradually after a few days, when it will be able to better regulate its temperature. Inside, we can then let him sleep wearing a single layer if it’s very hot.
I swaddle baby despite the heat
If we opt forswaddling, you can stick to it even when it’s hot. In this case, it is enough to choose a light cotton sheet rather than a blanket. To know if hot baby, learn to spot when he is sweating by sliding a hand at the base of his neck. If it’s wet, no doubt, it’s too hot. You can still swaddle him but leave his legs out in the open.
No need for water to hydrate it
Before the age of six months, it is generally not advisable to give a baby water. Milk does the job very well, because it is itself made up of a large amount of water. And drinking water puts the infant at risk of diarrhea – if the water contains germs – and malnutrition – because he will be less hungry and will therefore drink less milk. If baby is thirsty I breastfeed him or the bottle more frequently. If I’breastfeed, I hydrate myself more than usual.
From the age of six months, I can give her, in addition to milk, bottles ofmineral water suitable for infants.
I don’t give her a fresh bath
Even if it is hot, I do not change the temperature or the frequency of the baths. Ideally, the baby’s bath is at body temperature (37 degrees). You can go down to 35 degrees if it’s very hot, but not lower. To refresh baby, it is possible to use a sprayer but without spraying the water directly on his skin. Instead, spray on a cloth before passing them over his face or hands.
No fan or air conditioning in the room
Air conditioning dries up the air and mucous membranes, while babies need rather humid air to breathe well. The fan, meanwhile, creates drafts: avoid it, if you do not want the baby to catch cold.
I change his diaper more often
The heat increases the risk of sweating and maceration in the diaper, which irritates the infant’s skin on the buttocks. It is therefore necessary to change it more often, leaving it for a few minutes with its buttocks in the open air to dry its skin well. During this time, place baby on a bath towel to avoid disasters.
Sources:
- Public Health France
- Maternal and Child Care Centers (PMI)
- Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
Read also :
- 6 tips for coping with the heat when you’re pregnant
- The post-containment baby boom will not happen
- Heatwave: precautions to take when baby is hot
- Baby: how do you know if he’s dehydrated?
- Childbirth: should antibiotics be taken for prevention?