As most of us in the UK are basking in a heatwave, it can be great for getting outdoors and enjoying the sunshine, but come bedtime it’s a whole other story!
A hot and light bedroom, a child that is feeling agitated and a frazzled bedtime for you!
Check our top tips below for battling the heat…
1) Keep curtains or blinds closed in the day to keep the sun out and their room as cool as possible.
2) Use blackout blinds or curtains at bedtime. There are some great temporary stick on ones on Amazon which we’ll link below for you. Some people even use tin foil to keep the sun out! Remember if you need to cool it down and get the air flowing and open windows and blinds, this is more important than blackout blinds.
3) Start with a lukewarm bath. Following a bath, the drop in your baby or child’s core body temperature gets them ready to sleep, whilst making them more comfortable. Make sure it’s not too cold, otherwise this will have the opposite effect!
4) Dress your baby or child for the temperature. Often in the heat, a nappy or vest are sufficient (and safest).
5) Consider a fan (not directly on baby and out of reach of them) to circulate the air. A bowl or bottle of ice in front of the fan acts as a DIY airconditioning unit as it cools the air as the water evaporates. Air flow is really important. Open windows if needed.
6) Keep milk or water handy. It is common for babies or children to be more thirsty in the heat. Even if you don’t usually need to if they wake, offer breastmilk, a bottle or water (if they are old enough) to keep them hydrated.
7) Be CALM. As hard as it is when you are hot yourself and handling another little heat box, remember to keep calm so your little one is too.
