The soaring temperatures, scorching sunlight and the harsh heat make summer a vulnerable season for newborn Baby. If we as adults get uncomfortable with the beginning of the summer season, think about the tiny tots who are as delicate as a flower.

As parents, we often get frantic and start wondering about how to keep our toddlers cool in summers. Parents become sceptical about how to vanquish all the inseparable troubles like loss of appetite, diaper rashes, dehydration, profuse sweating, flushed cheeks and much more that troubles the baby in the summer season.

Looking after your baby in the summer season is no different than any other season, yet summers are somehow harsher, and as new parents, you need to give extra care. 

Here we are; unveiling some tips about keeping good care of your newborn baby in the summer season.

Common illnesses during summers

Toddlers are often more susceptible and prone to catching illnesses, especially during the summer season. Hot weather marks the beginning of the following illnesses whose symptoms you need to look for.

• Fever 
• Overheating
• Diarrhoea and vomiting
• Gastroenteritis
• Sunburn and prickly heat
• Heatstroke and dehydration
• Skin rashes and allergies
• Mosquito and insect bites

Essential tips for baby care in summers

• Baby’s diet

Like adults, keeping the baby’s body hydrated is a crucial condition to be taken care of. Most of us must be familiar with the fact that water is restricted for infants under six months. However, breastfeeding becomes the only source of hydration and a balanced diet for babies.

So, feed them frequently and do take care of your diet as well because your antibodies are going to boost their immunity and keep them healthy during summers. Also, if you are in the dilemma of what to eat and what not to eat during pregnancy and thereafter, check out the tips described for healthy pregnancy.

• Hygienic water

As already mentioned, toddlers can not consume water upto a certain age. However, this does not mean water cannot be the cause of infection in babies as the bathing water or the water used for washing their belongings can be harmful in case it is unhygienic.So, always use boiled water for everything to prevent diseases.

• Keep them at bay from direct sunlight

Melanin is the pigment that gives colour to the skin, hair and eyes. But due to the dearth of melanin in the skin of babies, the newborns and infants need to be kept away from direct sunlight. Direct exposure can damage their skin cells due to the low melanin level. 

• Protect them from illness

Talking about infants, their immunity entirely depends on their mothers. However, it becomes critically important for the mother to ensure proper intake of every essential nutrient to boost the newborn immunity and protect him from common summer illnesses. 

Make sure you don’t let your little bundle of joy sweat too much or leave them in the damp for too long as it may become the underlying cause of many other significant problems.  

• Be alert from mosquito bites

Humans may hate the summer season, but for mosquitos and other bugs, it is often considered the most favourable season that marks the onset for several insect-bite caused diseases.

Bugs swarming around your baby may need a bit of more attention than any other person. Using a mosquito repellent or spray can help protect your baby accompanied by hygienic surroundings.

• Clothe them right

A wrong practice followed by many parents is that they put on a lot of layers on the newborn, keeping in mind the fact that temperature outside the womb is colder than inside. 

But you must use loose fitted cotton clothes to let the baby stay comfortable. Cotton clothes are preferred for babies as it acts as a sound absorbent and soaks sweat quickly. You can also use a hat while taking the baby out in the sun to prevent heatstroke.

• Consult the doctor

Sometimes, even following the good summer care practices and cultivating home remedies fail to cure the baby’s non-stop loud cries. Thus, it becomes imperative to consult the doctor to understand the complications that your child can experience during the first summer and how to vanquish the difficulty he or she is facing in adapting to the surroundings. Ensure to have regular visits to the doctor for the healthy and hygienic growth of your toddler. 

Frequently asked questions

Q1. How often should we bathe the baby in the summer?

Ans. The number depends on your newborn However, giving baths one time is necessary for summers, but if he or she gets dirty and needs to be washed, then the number may vary. Make sure while you bathe your baby, the water is clean, neither hot nor cold, it would be better to have lukewarm water. 

Also, in summers washing your baby a couple of times won’t harm the body or make him/her sick. 

Q2. Can oil be used for massaging the baby in summers?

Ans. Massaging your newborn body is a vital part of their proper growth and development of bones and muscles. Whatever be the season, make sure you massage your baby’s full body with doctor recommended oil and that too twice or thrice a week. 

However, giving a good bath after massaging the body is also necessary to wipe off the dirt and make the pores clean. 

Q3. Can talcum powder be used on my baby’s skin in summer?

Ans. When asked from several mothers, most of them came with a standard answer or a misconception, that it might harm their body. But the expert paediatricians at Smt. Paarvati Devi Hospital advise using talcum powder to mothers as it helps keep the body cool. If you are in a dilemma to use it or not, you can always consult our expert paediatricians at Smt. Paarvati Devi Hospital. 

The bottom line 

As parents, we often get worried about every phase of our newborn growth and development, and so is their first summer that may create panic among us. However, making notes and consulting the expert paediatricians can help you have incredible summer seasons piled up with beautiful memories of your baby. 

But despite incorporating good summer practices, if you face difficulty or your baby shows unusual signs, then immediately consult the best pediatrician. 

Smt. Paarvati Devi Hospital provides the best healthcare facilities for the babies. Our doctors are available 24*7 to check your baby and make him/her smile. Smt. Paarvati Devi Hospital is a renowned hospital for children, having some of the best child specialists in Amritsar. 

With their vast experience and love for children, they tend to bring out the best treatments for the infants. Having the best Child Doctors of Amritsar, this Children’s Hospital in Amritsar tops the preferential list of parents for their children.

May your child always keep brimming with happiness!