The temperatures are rising and we are enjoying ice creams and playing in the garden, but often with the hot weather can become disrupted sleep at night time for both us and our children. So how can we keep them comfortable and their rooms cool?
KEEPING THE BEDROOM COOL
Keeping the bedroom cool during the day will help keep it cooler at night time too. Keep all blinds and curtains closed during the day to stop direct sunlight heating the room up further and keep a fan on to allow air to circulate.
Keep a fan on over night but ensure it is not pointed directly at your baby or child and ensure it is out of reach of them for safetly reasons. You can try putting a bowl of ice in front of the fan to cool the air too.
Open a window over night to allow cooler air into the room to circulate.
If you have an air conditioning unit in the room, set it to a safe temperatue, around 18-20* is ideal and don't be tempted to lower the temperature further because it feels so warm outside - we don't want them to get too cold. Ensure any air con units are serviced regularly and their filters are cleaned and maintained.
BEDDING
If your child is using a sleeping bag, check the tog level of the bag is suitable for the hot weather. Lower 1 tog sleeping bags are advisable when it is hot. Dress them appropriately for the temperature of their room and don't be afraid for them to sleep in just a nappy and a vest.
If they are older and use a duvet, you may want to remove to duvet and just cover them with a thin sheet instead, or even nothing at all if it is very hot.
BEFORE BED
Before bed time, keep them inside or in the shade for around an hour to cool down and reduce any lively activities to stop them getting hot and sweaty before bed. If they are older, a cool bath is ideal to bring down their core temperature but this is not advisable with very young babies as they struggle to regulate their temperature. A flannel or towel with cool water on can have a similar effect.
Keep them well hydrated and offer water during the day as well as foods which have a high water content if they are on solids, for example cucumber, water melon, celery etc.
PREPARE FOR WAKES
The warm weather an be very uncomfortable and make sleep more difficult for us and our children, so expect that they possibly will wake more than usual. Younger babies may require extra feeds if they are thirsty due to the weather and older children may require a drink during the night. Sleeping in the heat can make everyone tetchy, but try to remember they are likely to wake more if it's very hot and that it will be a short lived period of time that they will do this for.
NEED HELP?
Working out your baby or child's sleep needs can be daunting and it can also cause worry that you may disrupt them or make their sleep more unbalanced that it currently is.
This is where working with a professional can help you look at your little one's current schedule, the issues you're facing and where they are in their development and whats going on in their home life and help you to build a schedule that works for your individual.
Help!
If you would like more help with your child's sleep I can help create a tailor made plan for your family based on your individual needs. Explore my packages for something that suit you
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