Taking newborn out in the heat?

[trrk]

Clueless FTM here. I have a newborn (less than 2 weeks old) and we are ready to start going out more for walks etc. With the upcoming heatwave I was wondering what a maximum safe temperature to take her out in the pram without overheating would be? What should a newborn be wearing in the pram in summer? At home she is mostly in a short sleeve vest with muslin cloth as a cover but I guess she will be in nappy only if it reaches 37 degrees.

There’s no absolute set. Newborns are people just like adults and they all have varying degrees of tolerance for heat, but the tolerance will always be less than an adults.
As long as you have a fully shaded bassinet then you can take the baby out in just a vest. I probably wouldn’t go out on a walk just for the sake of it between 12-3pm when it’s over 30 degrees though.

I wouldn't take a newborn out in that temperature tbh.

I wouldn't. There was a heatwave when DS was a couple of months old and we only went out first thing or in the evening. Only time we went out during the day time was for his injections. Temps are due to go back down the end of next week so I'd just wait a few days.

I would hang tight a few days and take your newborn out once the heatwave passes.

I wouldn't want to go for a walk in 37 degree heat just for the sake of it, even without a newborn. I'd just stay in, or go out early morning when it's cooler.

I'd go early morning or not at all - newborns shouldn't be in the sun at all so you'd need a pram parasol which don't always give great shade if you keep changing direction on your walk (never drape a muslin over the pram to create shade, it causes overheating) and it will be just be a massive pain tbh.

I wouldn't, I have a 2.5yo and a 4mo and we won't even be opening the curtains all day let alone going out for a walk.

Some babies are okay in the heat, but probably best give it a skip this week for both your sakes

As others have said, I personally wouldn't go out at all. Looks like back to normal Wednesday so it's only a few days

Tbh if you feel like going out, I'd head to your nearest big shopping centre in the car. Go early before the shops open. Wonder round the shops, have coffee and lunch and come home.

I wouldn’t. Prams get hot, especially black compact ones and it’s hard to give them shade and keep good airflow. Newborns can get dehydrated fast. Stay at home and chill with some iced drinks, ice cream and iced coffee and ice lollies and iced snacks. 😁
Congrats on your baby.

I would find a shady spot at home for another few days, it will be back to normal next week. Prams are man-made fibre hell, hot and sweaty at the best of times (don't ever cover one with a blanket to create shade, the temeperate in there can rocket and the airflow is vital) and trying to dismantle one to fit it in the car boot in that heat wouldn't be fun. Baby doesn't need to be out and about for any reason, I'd just stay home and relax.

Go out first thing, very very early morning if you must. But honestly, staying indoors is ideal. You don't want to risk heatstroke.

Maybe go out first thing but honestly by 10am today I'd say it was getting too hot for young babies and it will be worse on Monday/Tuesday

There's no real need to have a newborn out in the coming weather unless you desperately need to go to the shops. Babies can't regulate their own body temperate they overheat very very quickly. I'd stay home in the shade and in the cool

Stay in the shade obviously. A vest will do if it’s hot - I mean like late 20s/early 30 degrees. But when the temperature goes up dramatically like it’s supposed to on Monday I would stay indoors for the hottest part of the day. Surely that’s sensible for everyone, not just babies. No one is comfortable walking/ being outside in 37 degrees when they’re not used it - it takes a long to time to acclimatise to that, and in countries where it’s regularly this hot people still avoid the heat if they can, shops shut for the middle of the day, people have a siesta etc not sure why you would be planning a walk for a 37 degrees day (unless you really need to get somewhere) with or without a baby.

The other day I saw a newborn in a buggy with just a nappy on and a blanket to cover modesty. That seems like a good idea

Cant you just ... wait? Its not like it'll last that long.

What I would recommend whether you go out or not is a small fan that you can clip onto the pram or cot. My DD hates heat so still won't settle without this. And if it all gets too much towards evening and they don't settle I would recommend a late evening pram walk in just a nappy and muslin.

As long as you keep baby out of direct sunlight it'll be fine
Is it breezy where you are today ?

Maybe the first time mum NEEDS to get out for her own sanity

It’s the direct sun more than temperature that’s more of an issue

to get out and about I suggest a short walk early at 8-9am, then go again for a short walk in the evening after 7pm when it’s cooling down.
We had many evening ice cream walks around 7-9pm when Ds was tiny.

I think an indoor, air-conditioned shopping centre sounds great so long as you have good air conditioning in the car (ours is a bit dodgy). In fact, no newborn here yet but I might suggest it to DH for our weekend entertainment (hot and heavily pregnant currently).

I'd be tempted to stay at home and just go out in the garden briefly in the morning if you have any shade (otherwise keep the baby cool inside). But I understand that you might be suffering cabin fever and keen to get out, especially with next Mon/Tue being write-offs.

I once spent an entire day in Sainsburys in a heatwave when DD was a baby! It had aircon and a cafe so we alternated between sitting having a drink and wandering the aisles. We went before it was too hot and stayed through the worst of the heat!

In hot countries people go out to the mall on really hot days. It is so much nicer than being outside.

I have a 7 month old and the furtherest we’ll be going is to a supermarket, I’m not risking it. It’s meant to be 34 degrees where I am, we’ll be sat close to a fan for the majority of the day.

Thanks all for the advice! I wasn't thinking about taking her out in the middle of the day, more wondering how to judge when is early or late enough to go out. On the hottest day it is forecoast to already be 30 degrees at 9am and still be 30 degrees at 9pm which would pretty much rule out going out since baby has been sleeping until 9am (after a restless period during the night) and I'm ready to sleep by 9pm. DH was fancying a National Trust outing before he goes back to work or something like that but seeing they are open 10am-5pm it doesn't seem a good option.

A blanket doesn't seem a great idea tbh