With the mercury rising, keeping babies comfortable becomes difficult. Do not worry, here are some simple ways to keep the little ones heart cool during this summer.

Keep baby hydrated: Given their high energy level, kids can easily dehydrate without showing any early symptoms. One needs to be extra careful with the child especially during summers. Keep a regular check on symptoms such as urine output, dryness of skin, chapping of lips, excessive drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting/vomiting tendency, fever, etc.

Children drink more and more water and increase their liquid intake in various forms. For babies on external food, give them liquid supplements at regular intervals.

Protect from mosquitoes/bugs: With the increasing temperature, the number of disease-causing mosquitoes and bugs also multiply, which makes it essential to protect your child from them. If you are using air coolers, regularly clean it and change the water to prevent mosquitoes/insects from breeding.

Keep the house and surroundings clean and make sure there’s no water logging nearby. Choose a natural mosquito repellent, which is safe for your baby’s skin and does not contain any harmful chemicals like DEET and alcohol.

Being a natural blend of Citronella, Eucalyptus, Peppermint Oil & Lemon extract, it does not cause any side effects like eye irritation or skin damage. The DEET free formula will protect your baby from mosquito borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. These patches can be pasted on the baby’s clothes, cot, pram, and school bag to have protection from mosquito bites both during indoor and outdoor activities.

Use talc-free body dusting powder: With the rising awareness about the harsh chemicals being used in talcum powders, the confusion of using it on the baby’s skin is natural. Organic and natural ingredients in the dusting powder help baby’s skin retain moisture to prevent diaper and heat rashes.

Protection against sunburn: Since your their skin is extremely delicate it is even more susceptible to sunburn. Before taking children out, do not forget to put a baby-friendly natural sunscreen for protection against harmful sun rays.

Mineral-based sunscreen can help especially the one which contains Zinc oxide, as it reflects the sun by scattering away ultraviolet rays. Do check the ingredients on the sunscreen bottles and pick the one, which contains natural fragrance from essential oils and is free from synthetic fragrance.

Choose right clothes: To keep a baby cool, pick clothes that are loose and made of breathable fabric. Natural and light fabrics, like cotton, will let the skin breathe freely, absorb sweat, and prevent heat rashes. Use light coloured clothes since dark colours easily absorb heat and will make them feel hotter than the actual temperature. To protect them from harmful sun rays and mosquitoes outdoors, choose clothes that loosely cover arms and legs. While moving out in the sun, cover the child’s head and face using a simple hat. Also ensure that the baby carrier is comfortable, breathable and not made of any synthetic material.

Heat rashes: Occurrence of heat rashes in the form of small red bumps on the baby’s skin is quite common during summer. These can be itchy and can make your child uncomfortable. To relieve the discomfort, first rinse the affected area with water, pat dry, and let it cool by keeping them undressed for some time.

Diapers are one of the main reasons for causing rashes, use them only when needed. Bath them with lukewarm water and keep the room temperature to a normal 25 degrees. One can also put two spoons of sandalwood powder in the bathing water and apply dusting powder to comfort your little one. In case the rashes get severe, immediately consult a doctor.

“It is equally important to be careful with a baby’s diet, clothing, and the surroundings during summer. One have to be mindful of the changing needs of your baby with the change in season. Keep the toddlers hydrated, put on light and breathable clothes, use plant-based products and just let them sweat the heat out with fun.”