hot climate advices, baby care

[mamaloco]

Hi, I need the advice of you clever lot living in hot climes. we have a heat wave (37 in the shade). My last DD was born in the UK so no such things there. I know of the usual advices, water offered often, tepid bath, coton or linen only, no going outside between 11 and 17, no nappy time. Anything else to care for DD2 (4 months)?
i.e. skin care do i continue with her normal bum cream or does it makes nappy rash more likely? baby oil?

bump

Hi, there have been a couple of threads on this recently so suggest you take a look at them for some more tips. Also I didn't find nappy cream made any difference - DS has never had nappy rash so would just continue with whatever works for DD.

That said it doesn't really get to 37 here so good luck with that one! Where are you by the way?

thanks, I have seen some of the threads but they are on beddings and dress, not skin care., or may I have used the wrong key word.
In am in romania, I am usually a sucker for following traditions as they are usually sensible. But here they still wrap their babies in wool, blanket and hats by those temp.

I birthed our dd in Oman where the temperature regularly hit 50. I can't remember ever using skin care for her, just bathed in plain water and used baby wash. For nappy rash I think, it's been a long time, I used sudocrem. There wasn't a lot available at the time. Go with your own instinct.

hi im in Dubai with a 4 month old....

We use the same skin care stuff as i would if i was still in the uk. No nappy time ensures my dd is no more at risk of nappy rash than any other.

I bathe her daily but use only bath oil every other day. i clean her in the mornings using only water...paying more attention around her hair line and behind her ears, which some times can be a little more sensitive due to sweating.

The ac is on at 25 degrees, which compared to the 47 plus outside is cold!....

Oh and i change her during the day if we are out and about because the car seat/ pram can cause her to sweat.

Just be careful of the constant change in temp from outside to the ac!

My DC were babies when we were in Germany and it often got over 30°C in summer. Thankfully 37°C was not common though.

I gave them a wash with tepid water and only used skin care when they needed it, ie. Weleda cream when she had nappy rash.

What skin care do you normally use?

I found that putting a terry cloth or a towel in the car seat made it more comfortable if the babies were sweating. I think that you can get summer covers for car seats too.

thanks all, I usually bath with water only, and put some sensitive sanosan baby oil (a mix of jojoba, almond and other oils). I have stop the oil for a few days now, as I think it might worsen heat rash (?). a bit of bepanthen (sp?) when she is red (never had a nappy rash yet, fingers crossed)
She is getting a bit sweaty too, and drooling a lot should I changed her top more often?
I try to use the AC as little as possible, as I think alternating cold draft and heat is worse than having heat alone (?)

Watching this with interest as this is my first summer in Romania and I am currently floored by the heat, as is my nearly 3 year old. It doesn't help that we have just returned from 12C in Scotland to 34 here.... Plus I am six months preg and looking for tips for next summer with a little baby.

Off topic, but thanks Mamaloco for the advice you gave me in the autumn when I had just arrived on contacting the Alliance Francaise etc in Pitesti. Your contacts were spot on and we are quite settled now and have made good contacts. All the best for your hot little baby!

IMO you're right to avoid alternating temperatures too much.

I worked a very hot summer in Hungary with a tiny baby once and kept him as bare as possible - plenty of no nappy time, didn't put clothes on unless we were going out and even then only a very light cotton body.

I washed with tepid water and cotton very frequently, making sure to clean all the creases in the skin carefully. I avoided adding things to bathwater, oils, creams, powder (French family, very into their baby products) to give his skin the best chance to do what it's supposed to.

Bepanthen is the best cream I've found for nappy rash, but tbh heat itself isn't a major factor in nappy rash - it's concentration of the urine which irritates the skin to frequent changes and a well-hydrated baby are the best ways to prevent and Bepanthen the best way to cure!

mamaloco I try to keep her top off if its not too cold/ hot, as like your lo she is dribbling loads right now. If i feel her top is slightly damp, normally after a tantrum or from the car seat i change her then....

Hi, romania. glad that you have setlled. When I arrived DD1 was 3 and very active, the only thing which helped her being quiet in the heat of the day are the cartoon channels (I know! but she really needed to calm down between 13h and 16h, it didn't bother her thatit was in romanian) and homemade ice lollies. good luck

Also watching with interest - I'm in Moldova and we've got the same heatwave although it's cooled today. I've been a bit worried about dehydration for 4 month old DC3 - would you give water as well as bf?

hi missionary, I give water to DD, 4 months, because I stopped BF and she is on formula. I think that for BF babies you should offer the breast more often, your milk is more watery to deal with the thrist in hot weather. YOU should drink a lot more though, so you don't get dehydrated and your milk run out.

Thanks mamaloco That's pretty much what I was doing but I was starting to feel like I was doing nothing but feed! I haven't tried a bottle at all, partly because of our water being from a well but I was thinking about it. It's cooled down now anyway but there's still a lot of summer to come.

missionary I ebf'd DS and didn't give any water till he started on solids (around 5 1/2 months). I did find that sometimes still his fontanelle was a bit depressed (can indicate dehydration) so just topped him up then if possible!

missionarymummy - I was in southern Germany when my DD was born and although it wasn't as hot as Romania, it was way hotter than UK temperatures (low 30s). The advice there was to offer cooled baby tea (fennel) after each BF just to try to keep them hydrated. I tried it but my DD point blank refused it.

If you are tired there is nothing wrong to try to offer him some water. In romania the water used to make milk bottles is "Dorna" apa plata. I give it straight (no need to boil if the bottle is freshly open) in sterile babybottle.

Thanks mamaloco - I had wondered about bottled water but it's all labelled apa minerala and in the UK they say not to give mineral water - but I've definitely seen Dorna in the city so will get some next time I'm there ready for the next hot spell. Also sorry for hijacking your thread!

I had one born through an aussie summer and others very small during an aussie summer.

my dds never really had nappy rash but I tended to just use whatever was available.

I tended to sponge bath them a lot more.

As to clothing - vests and nappies or a short sleeve or sleeveless baby gro for going out.

like this

Muslins were great as shade cloths or for putting over if they needed some light coverage.

At bed times they slept in very very light cotton baby gros.