Our Best Beat-the-Heat Summer Babywearing Tips!

 Baby it's hot outside!

summer tips, babywearing, lillebaby, lillybaby, baby gear Keeping it Cool with LILLEbaby. Summer tips and gear guide for babywearing.

If my toddler had a super power, it would be producing heat!

Here in Colorado, the sun has started to blaze. We have dry summers here, so I didn’t fully appreciate how important it is to prevent overheating in the summer until a recent trip to Orlando, Florida. We spent most of one day exploring the farmer’s market in Winter Park. I’m not certain who came up with the name of this area of Orlando, but it was a cruel joke as I started sweating before I had even unhooked my son out of his car seat.

I have a very quick and curious toddler who quickly darts into small places like a cat. We kept everyone happy and sane (by everyone I mean me) by keeping him loaded onto my back while we enjoyed the Florida sunshine while shopping for local products.

Within minutes of strapping my son into my carrier,  we both started heating up! I was careful to pack big, floppy hats for the family and we liberally applied sunscreen. All the sun-stopping precautions in the world won’t help the heat that babies and toddlers can produce though! I wish I could use his body to generate solar power in my home, than at least we could save some money with his heat producing skills.

In honor of this fun and sweltering trip, I’ve compiled a list of keeping-cool tips for babywearing:

1. Around the month of July, the fabric of your baby carrier really makes a difference. Generally speaking, you won't find a huge difference year-round in different kinds of fabrics, but even a few degrees can help make all the difference on a scorching summer day. I highly recommend  the LÍLLÉbaby COMPLETE Airflow for summer babywearing. It's performance baby gear at it’s best. Made with 3D mesh, it's ventilated to maximize air circulation for you and your baby. Featuring 6 different carrying positions, it can be used from birth to 45 pounds. It easily supported my 30 pound two year old for this several hour trip.  It is an attractive and cool way to stay hands-free this summer. The COMPLETE Airflow is a great choice for year-round use, but it is a top choice for the hottest months of the year.

2. Make sure baby and you are wearing hats and sunglasses. Big floppy sun hats with wide brims will create shade around your face and a really big hat can even help shade baby too.

3.Some parents like to use portable clip on fans. Keeping a little battery operated fan or mister in your diaper bag can help everyone with a quick cool off. Don’t forget to pack extra batteries in a pocket in your diaper bag where curious fingers won’t find them.

4. Cooling towels can help keep things chilly. Some babywearing educators believe that it is best for only parents to use these as young babies have trouble regulating their temperatures and can’t tell you if its getting too cold for them. Cooling towels such as the popular Frogg Toggs work by absorbing water and feeling cool to the touch.

5. Take babywearing breaks. It feels good to stretch and air out occasionally. A quick mist from a spray bottle and the opportunity to run around can help keep things breezy. We also like to rotate from back wearing to wearing on the front so that our toddler gets both a change of scenery, and I can cool off my back.

6. Don’t forget that concrete radiates heat. Keeping your toddler on your body is a cooler option then having them walk on the ground when things get really hot! It also keeps their hands far away from things they may want to touch that have gotten heated up by the sun.

7. Hydrate!  This may seem like a no brainer, but it's easy to forget that we need to drink a ton of water in the summer! A cute water bottle, like this one from Kate Spade, can help you stay quenched with style.

8. Find a park with a splash pad to chill out for a bit. Your kids will appreciate the wiggle break and it might even tire them out enough for a nap! On our recent trip to the Winter Park Farmer's Market, the first thing I did was map out the nearest splash pad. Luckily for us, it was within walking distance. My toddler appreciated being able to run freely and I got some great pictures too!

Finally, sometimes it’s just too hot outside to be comfortable doing anything! A nice lounge in an air conditioned room, with your favorite Netflix series and a cold glass of lemonade, is always a relaxing way to spend a summer day.

 

by Stephanie G.

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Our Best Beat-the-Heat Summer Babywearing Tips!