When will parents realise that covering pushchair with blankets and muslin sheets is actually dangerous?

[longlocks]

Already seen two mums doing this and its just turned 11:30am. They have no idea that putting a blanket over the pushchair traps air and makes the pushchair area warmer. Babies can die of SIDS if they are overheated. Put a parasol or a sun cover instead.

A muslin cloth is perfect to protect a child from sunburn. Ideally you would use a sunshade but a muslin is fine. If your child is well hydrated and not in the pram too long, a rise of 2 degrees won't do any damage.

You want evidence of one child that’s been ill due to overheating or do you want evidence that babies are “dropping like flies”?
Is the NHS telling you not to do it not enough?
Have you heard of SIDS and are you aware that overheating can be a contributing factor?

I can't imagine it's an issue if it's a light muslin and there are gaps for air flow.

I'm in Ireland, there are really not many days in the year where this is even potentially a problem.

But importantly, the NHS aren’t telling parents not to cover prams with muslins.
In the guidance, which has been linked more than once, the NHS advises not covering prams with blankets. it’s important not to berate parents for doing something that is perfectly safe and sensible.

Remember too, that babies and young children are also at risk when they are not protected from the sun.

And for what it’s worth, I’ve just searched prevention of future deaths reports from coroners, for both prams and pushchairs. The only mention I found involved an accident with a van.

NHS Link
“Never cover the pram with muslin or blanket as your baby can overheat”

Years ago now but we used a snoozeshade and the pram mesh back. It was nice and cool in there. Because I'm anal, we tested it in the sun with the baby temperature penguin instead of the baby in there and it was several degrees cooler inside than outside. I remember approached by a busybody at an under 5s event who was telling multiple people off. Everyone was polite to her, but TBH sticking a hand under other people's muslins it was still cooler because of the airflow yet blocking direct sun. I expect if someone tucked the muslin in all round or threw a blanket on that it would heat up, but I haven't seen anyone do that. I guess she got attention though and maybe that was her goal.

DD was born in the 2000s. We would use a uv parasol with the buggy hood up. If we stopped anywhere we turned the buggy around so the sun was giving the hood the most shade. Snooze shades didn't exist then. I took her to Cyprus and used this method which worked out fine. I agree that using material reduces airflow and makes the buggy warmer, which is not good.

It's so thin I question exactly what protection it provides from the sun if any at all? I live in a place with far hotter and more humid summers than the UK and never resorted to covering the pram with material, that sounds insane. Just pulled the hood up, rigged up a little fan, stayed in the shade as much as possible and and avoided going out at the hottest times of the day. Rigged up some mosquito netting on occasion to keep the bugs away.

Why is it 'mums' and not 'parents'?

I find it crazy that people don't research more with their children.

A bit like people use jumparoos and sit in baby walkers.

Yeah it's crazy, they're far too big, they'll break them.