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Original poster

Having a baby in a heatwave

34 replies

Justbeforetheholidays · 14/04/2023 07:46

I am due this July, and interested in hearing from anyone who had a baby last summer or in any other heatwave!

Fully expecting the hospital to be boiling, I’ll probably have to stay a couple of days as am having an elective section.

Wondering what you dressed baby in, any other tips or things you wished you’d known. First baby born midwinter so very new to this!

OP posts:
RC1234 · 14/04/2023 07:49

All the hospitals I have been in have full aircon. I work in one. It was a relief to go to work last summer.

BigGreen · 14/04/2023 08:06

Both of my kids were born in heatwaves and it just added to the discomfort of being very pregnant.

Tips would be: buy a massive sun hat, sun glasses; keep a huge water bottle with you at all times; have places you can go to cool down that have amazing air con (Iceland and the library in my case); try to go to places with a lot of shade.

For the baby, it was ok though the stupid Gro Egg was always irradiated. Just very light cotton cellular blankets and little summer baby grows. Bring your share with you for the baby, like a UV blocking brolly.

dreamcatchmee · 14/04/2023 08:07

I had my first on the hottest day of the year in 2019. Not much I can advise really. Have a personal hand fan for yourself, a big water bottle with a straw. Sorry to say that it was absolutely boiling. So hot that after birth they wanted to keep the cannula strapped to my hand as I felt sick, but the tape wouldn't stick to my skin as I was so hot and it kept flopping about. 🤦🏼‍♀️

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Whendovescry03 · 14/04/2023 08:09

I gave birth a few years ago on what I think was the hottest day of the year. It was a scorching summer and I remember all the grass was brown.

No air-con so people on the wards were bringing in their own fans from home which I'd recommend. A lady even ordered one from argos to be delivered to the hospital. There were fans on the delivery suite, just not on the wards.

Despite all this I was told to wrap my baby up in as many layers as possible! It was about 30 degrees and sweltering and I was told that a onsie, wool cardigan and socks weren't enough. I had to add mittens and a hat. My mum immediately started whipping it all off the baby once we were out of the hospital! So I'd take plenty of bits as I was told off a few times for not putting enough clothes on the baby.

Once home, my baby lived in just a nappy, or would also wear a vest. I also had light, thin trousers and thin blankets so I could layer him up accordingly. Good luck!

dreamcatchmee · 14/04/2023 08:09

Just re-read that you're having an elective c section, I'm sure your experience will be different to mine heat wise.

Stay comfortable when you're hot and pregnant, wishing you all the best ❤️

MintJulia · 14/04/2023 08:14

Lots of water. Cool Pjs - I had cotton shorts and linen t-shirts. A thin Indian cotton wrap. And do everything slowly, don't rush.

Ds spent his first few weeks in a nappy & vest.

The hosp didn't have air con, they just opened all the windows. 🙂

reluctantbrit · 14/04/2023 08:28

Directly after birth your baby needs layers. It comes out of a warm moist womb and normal rooms are several degrees cooler, even without aircon.

It will adjust over the days and DD was then just in nappies, sleeveless vest with a muslin square or cellular blanket in the moses basket.

If you have a fan at home or aircon, do not have it directed to the baby. Also, it will drink more, we had days where I phoned the midwife in panic when DD's stool (bf) was loose and she said it was due to her drinking a often. Do check what is recommended if you bottle feed.

Ozgirl75 · 14/04/2023 09:08

I had my second baby in the summer in Australia. It was awful being heavily pregnant but once I had the baby it was much better. Night feeding was nice as it was pleasantly warm. He wore a nappy and vest all the time, that was it. It was actually fine and probably easier than when I had my first in the winter where it was so cold feeding at night!

AwkwardPaws27 · 14/04/2023 09:12

DS was a month old during the heatwave last year. We pretty much stayed in bed for those days as he was feeding loads, & skin-to-skin seemed to help a lot too. Make sure you stay hydrated, especially if BFing.

shakeitoffsis · 14/04/2023 09:23

Both babies born in hot weather in the U.K. hospital wasn't too bad tbh induction suite and my room after for 5 days had big windows and fans.
The maternity assessment unit however was a absolute joke it was a million degrees and everyone felt so unwell in there mainly due to the heat! Dressed baby in a vest and nappy mainly and a sleepsuit at night.

WeightoftheWorld · 14/04/2023 09:26

I had my eldest in a June heatwave. Wasn't a problem in hospital really, especially as I was there less than 48hrs. However our flat was horrible for weeks, sometimes it reached 29 degrees in the living area and up to 27 in the bedroom. It was grim and sweaty especially breastfeeding but we all muddled through and it only lasted a few weeks. She just lived in vests for ages.

I found it harder last summer having a 10 month old or so in that heatwave because he didn't sleep that much and wanted to be out and occupied, but that was very hard not driving and with the heat. He spent weeks just in vests then too and did struggle with it, didn't drink enough milk and had bad constipation etc was more difficult than with a newborn I found.

Justme10 · 14/04/2023 09:28

I have had a baby in a heatwave and I can't add to the good advice you have already been given.
I just wanted to say though that you might not be in for a few days, I had an elective C-section and was home within 24hrs so hopefully everything goes well and you won't be in too long.

crossstitchingnana · 14/04/2023 09:36

I had my second baby on (at the time) the hottest day on record. In the last few days of the pregnancy I was soooo hot, especially at night and slept on the floor in the bathroom I was so uncomfortable.

For the actual hospital stay? I just remember all the windows were open and I could hear all the screaming from other women. All of it. I had PTSD about those screams.

Matchingcollarandcuffs · 14/04/2023 13:14

I had mine in a heatwave and was pg with my second in another. Wear dresses and lay down so you can blow the breeze up.

I also recommend getting rid of room thermometers, DH found me in a sobbing mess as room was 29 but thermometer said between 16-21 was safe. Obviously couldn't do anything to bring temp down but DS spent first 6 weeks or so in only a nappy and vest, would kick off any attempt at covers.

Bigpinktrain · 14/04/2023 13:19

Both mine are summer babies.

Giving birth in an air con hospital was very pleasant compared to weeks 36-39 when I was waddling around Tesco in desperation.

I just put them both in light cotton vests, and obviously stayed indoors if the sun was very strong. Cool (but not cold) baths, lots of ice lollies for me, and if you put slightly damp flannels in the fridge and just use them to wipe your brow from time to time, it’s really effective at keeping you cool. Also if your bf make sure you stay hydrated!

itssquidstella · 14/04/2023 14:05

DS was born last May so he was around 3 weeks old on the first boiling hot day, and 8 weeks during the insane July heatwave. We had two fans in the bedroom with bottles of frozen water in front of them, and hunkered down in there with the curtains closed.

As a PP said, the fans shouldn't be pointing directly at the baby; we had one angled so it blew across the top of the Next To Me and one pointing at our bed.

DS spent a lot of time in just a nappy; at night he was in an unzipped Love To Dream swaddle so his arms were contained and he didn't flail himself awake. We turned the glow egg off because it was consistently 27/28 degrees in the bedroom even with all the fans etc and it was too stressful to see it glowing bright red!

Picture is of one of the super hot days in June 🥵

Having a baby in a heatwave
AlphaAlpha · 14/04/2023 14:15

Also have a July born, some years ago now but I recall the hospital being as warm as the 7th circle of hell!
I had an ELCS, so was catheterised for the first 24 hours - which after getting up about a hundred times a night to wee was an enormous relief but one of the midwives took umbrage to, as I was drinking so much water and they had to empty the bag a few times. It was hot and I was thirsty!
Baby lived in nappies for about the first month, our flat was boiling, we lived in zone 1 in London.
I just remember it being a very sweaty, hazy time.

TheInterceptor · 14/04/2023 14:16

Don't feel guilty hogging the fan!

Isanyoneup · 14/04/2023 14:24

I had one in the heatwave of 2018. My hospital didn't have air con. I fully recommend keeping damp towels about your person and keeping yourself damp/mimic sweat as well as staying as hydrated as humanly possible.

Isanyoneup · 14/04/2023 14:24

Pack a lot of jelly into your hospital bag. It's sugar and liquid and easier to stomach than just drinks when you're exerting yourself

mogtheexcellent · 14/04/2023 14:30

I had an Emergency section during a heatwave. DD was kept in a heated cot for the first day due to low bloods. After we came out I dressed her in babygro with cardi but by week 2 she was in nappy and t shirt.

I think you just go with the flow, lots of thin layers that can be taken off if needed. It was too hot to have skin contact when feeding so I had her on a cushion when it was scorching out. I bottle fed which helped.

The week before my induction I spent a lot of time in supermarket freezer aisles.

yikesanotherbooboo · 14/04/2023 14:31

My third was born in a heatwave. We were stuck in the hospital for a few days for various reasons, my milk wasn't in and it was boiling. They became quite wizened looking . It was such a relief when my milk came in and they could rehydrate.

xogossipgirlxo · 14/04/2023 14:32

Wow, I don't feel crazy now buying so many vests. I am also expecting a baby in July and my house is like an oven in the summer.

Seasonofthewitch83 · 14/04/2023 14:34

July 2020 birth here, absolutely BOILING summer! When I was wheeled back from my C Section I had sweat dripping into my eyeballs, the wards are so hot.

For hospital:

USB-charged hand fans in your hospital bag
Ice and iced drinks - frozen bottles of water. DH even made up a slush puppy reydration drink for me, he was midwives fave!
I kept facewipes in the cooler bag too

At home:

DD was in thin bests or even just a nappy on the sweltering days. I dont think she wore leggings for months at home
I used to sit with my feet in the washing up tub filled with cold water
Dont have fans pointing directly at baby
Dont panic when your gro egg goes bright red - to by how you, the room and baby feels.

Original poster
Justbeforetheholidays · 14/04/2023 14:38

@itssquidstella he is gorgeous! So cute!

Thanks, all. I don’t want the baby to melt but equally am conscious they could feel the cold a lot more than we do.

OP posts: