How to Keep Babies Cool on Hot Nights

Babies sleeping in heat or during warmer weather may be a reason why your baby is unsettled at night. Therefore, finding ways to help identify this and cool them down will ensure they can get a good night’s sleep.

Here are a few simple suggestions to assist in cooling things down.

During the Day

Try to remember to keep your curtains or blinds closed in your babies’ room during hot days. At night, open them back up to allow airflow to come into the room, which will assist in cooling it down before bed.

If your little one is drinking water, ensure they stay hydrated throughout the day to assist with less frequent waking at night for water.

Before Bed

If you feel it may help, you can use a cool damp muslin face washer or cloth to wipe or place on the baby’s head and or neck during feed times, to assist in cooling them down.

Sometimes, it can even be helpful to give your baby a lukewarm bath or shower just before bed to help cool down their bodies core temperature and assist them in getting to sleep.

What to dress your baby in on a hot night?

Putting babies and young toddlers to bed for the night in just a singlet, nappy and 0.5 TOG to 1 TOG baby sleeping bag depending on the room temperature, is generally recommended as this will help them stay as cool as possible.

TOG Rating Guide

If your baby is still feeling too warm, simply remove or open clothing to assist with lowering their temperature, as long as it is safe to do so. Keep in mind you want to ensure no clothing could potentially come loose and run the risk of smothering.

It is important to always dress babies in natural fibres such as organic cotton when they are sleeping. This will help them better to regulate their body temperature, as organic cotton absorbs sweat to keep your baby dry and comfortable.

Swaddling

While swaddling can help keep your baby cosy when the weather is cool, on very hot nights, you might choose to give is a miss altogether. If you choose not to swaddle your baby on hot nights, ensure you use lightweight cotton bedding that is tucked into the mattress firmly when you place the baby in their sleep space and do not to overdress your baby when wrapping.

Sleep Space Set-Up

It is also recommended to use natural fibres such as organic cotton when choosing your baby bedding, for the same reasons as they should wear natural fibre clothing.

Ensure there is adequate airflow into the room, opening windows to let a breeze in can sometimes help.

Generally, the ideal room temperature should be around 18 degrees. If your babies’ room is hotter than this, you can also use a fan to circulate the air in the room making sure the fan doesn't point towards your baby, this can help keep your baby cool at night.

Don’t’ forget to always place your babies’ feet to the foot of their sleep space to prevent them from wriggling under their bedding and becoming smothered. This technique is called feet to foot.

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