How to help little ones sleep in the heat

With temperatures set to soar over the coming days, everyone is struggling with sleep and none more so than our little people.

Since becoming a mummy myself, I have found these extreme temperatures difficult to navigate with a newborn. Young babies are unable to regulate their own body temperature so when it comes to dressing them for bed and the temperature of the bedroom, it is all down to us as parents to ensure they are safe and comfortable.

These are my top tips for helping our babies and children to sleep in hot weather:

1. Invest in a thermometer to have in the bedroom so you know exactly what the temperature is. We have a groegg that changes colour dependent on the temperature, going yellow when it is at the recommended. Based off this reading, you can then decide what to dress your baby in with reference to the chart below. If it is really hot, baby can quite happily sleep in just their nappy!

2. Start the bedtime routine with a nice cool bath. This will not only help your little one to cool off but also relax them which will help with their melatonin production (the sleep hormone). Our body temperature tends to drop after a bath too, which can induce better sleep.

3. Keep blinds and windows shut during the hottest part of the day to try and keep the heat out. As a rule I only tend to open doors and windows on hot days when the temperature outside is less than the temperature inside. Following on from this, if and when you do open the windows, try and create a breeze by opening windows at the back and the front of the house!

4. Keep an eye on your baby's temperature by feeling their chest or back. If they feel hot or clammy then remove a layer. It is fairly normal for their hands and feet to feel cooler.

5. You can have a fan in the room to circulate the air but do not have it blowing directly on your baby. A fan in front of an open window can help to bring the cooler air into the room. You can also have a bowl of ice placed in front of the fan to blow cold air around.

6. Offer extra feeds to avoid dehydration and keep an eye on how many wet nappies they are having throughout the day.

7. Keep your baby out of the sun during the hottest part of the day - 11am-3pm. If you do leave the house, ensure you do not cover the buggy or car seat with a blanket or muslin. This can increase the temperature inside. Instead consider investing in a parasol. I have also purchased a small buggy fan that we use if it is hot out and about or at home. As mentioned before, just make sure it is not blowing directly on baby.

8. Expect your baby's sleep patterns to change. They may be more sleepy during the hottest parts of the day and have more energy when it cools down. However at night if babies are hot, they may be more difficult to settle or become restless. Embrace this! Babies are hard wired to wake frequently at night. It's a conveniently built-in safety feature that ensures parents tend to their needs. Frequent waking arouses the brain regularly which is protective against SIDS.

9. Naps can be tricky in the heat if baby wants to have contact naps. Try putting a muslin in between you and baby so that it is less sticky. I have also found that a damp muslin helps to cool my little one down.

10. If it is cooler downstairs than upstairs, you could even camp downstairs as a family for a few nights to get a better nights sleep!

If you are extra lucky, you may be able to invest in some aircon!! Be patient and know it won't last too long - this is the UK after all!!