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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Summer baby + heatwave!

12 replies

Kittypillar · 29/01/2018 15:00

I'm due at the end of May and my colleague was just saying what a lovely time of year to be born it will hopefully be (my birthday is right by Christmas so I thought so too)...

Anyway, it suddenly just occurred to me from that conversation that around that time last year, we'd not long moved into our new house and we had the most almighty horrendous heatwave where it felt like the whole house was a furnace, even with all the windows open!!

So while I'm reliving sweating into my mattress all night during that heatwave, I was just wondering - how would you handle a heatwave with a newborn? I know I'm thinking way ahead (and probably unrealistically considering I live in the UK!) but I'm just curious how people have handled that in the past. Whacking the heating right up when it's cold in the winter seems easier to deal with in theory.

Thanks!

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bettydraper31 · 29/01/2018 15:07

My DD was born July 2015 and it was HOT! But they just adjust! We feel hot because we’re not used to it and are often commuting/shopping etc but your little one will be just laying about and snoozing. Just get some short sleeve vests if it’s very hot and follow the guidelines for dressing them. You’ll feel hot but I’m sure baby won’t notice a thing! My DC2 is due late April and I really don’t know what to buy as that time of the year can be either hot or crap lol x

idontlikealdi · 29/01/2018 15:09

It was properly when dts were born. The hospital was horrendous but then the maternity ward always seemed to be at 90' anyway.

They just wore a nappy and a Muslin swaddle for a few weeks. Slept outside in the shade and I dozed next to them in the day.

It was quite nice having decent weather. Better than being cooped up indoors in winter.

idontlikealdi · 29/01/2018 15:10

Properly hot!

Bluntness100 · 29/01/2018 15:10

Yeah, mine was born in a heatwave in the June. To be fair it was harder being heavily pregnant in the heat. Just keep the house cool, even if it means curtains closed during the day and fans on. To be honest, I didn't give it a second thought, we had the patio doors open and she was often in the garden with me. She was fine, we struggled more with it.

HappyLollipop · 29/01/2018 15:17

My DS was born July 2017 so I was pregnant during that terrible heat, I found it hard to keep cool I was having ice lollies all the time, fans on thoughout the house and kept my feet in cold water which helped a lot.

Mummyh2016 · 29/01/2018 15:19

My DD was born early June last year and there was only the one night that caused a problem. Father’s Day night; it had been boiling all day and she wouldn’t sleep all night, she was too hot. I went into the kitchen to make her a bottle at 2am and the perfect prep machine had turned itself off (when the cool water in the machine reaches 25 degrees it won’t work for safety reasons). That was horrendous, she was two weeks old

Mummyh2016 · 29/01/2018 15:19

Oops posted too soon! But apart from that had no other issues.

KatharinaRosalie · 29/01/2018 15:22

I'm abroad and both kids were born in the middle of heat wave we we had 40 degrees some days. They just spent their first weeks wearing only nappy or vest.
I also have to say that this was way easier than being heavily pregnant in the heat.

DollyTots · 29/01/2018 15:25

My DD was born during the heatwave in July 2016. The maternity ward was truly AWFUL, so I recommend ice blocks & magicool spray. They were a life saver. Baby was totally fine though! She slept in just nappies, sometimes just a vest. We were the only ones who were struggling 😂

mathanxiety · 29/01/2018 15:26

I live in a part of the US that gets hot, humid summers (usually high 20s all day but often higher, and no relief from the heat at night).

My DCs were all born in a four week window from late April to late May. The summer DD2 was born there was a prolonged heatwave with very poor air quality that resulted in about 700 heat related deaths. Heat is a real worry even in the UK though. I agree that at least you can do something about the cold but there's no escape from the heat.

If you want to be prepared, buy a few big fans online while it's still nowhere near summer, and at least you'll have air circulating. There are a few tricks to keeping home temps down - keep curtains drawn to keep direct sunlight out, light clothes, washcloth with cold water, tepid baths, avoid cooking indoors. Pad your bed with lots of light coloured cheap towels to absorb night sweats.

Jemma2907 · 29/01/2018 15:58

My DC1 was born in June 2015 and it was so hot in the maternity ward and for about the following 8 weeks. I had a section too so really struggled with feeling sweaty and gross as not able to move around as much as I'd like. I recommend getting a plug in small fan for the hospital. My DC1 was fine with it all, slept mainly in Must be vest. I didn't last as long as i'd have liked with Breastfeeding though (about 6 weeks). The heat from feeding/holding him so close just became unbearable and made me miserable. I'm due again end of April and really hope I'll be more prepared for once the summer months come this time!

Original poster

Kittypillar · 30/01/2018 10:52

Thanks everyone, this is all really helpful! Will definitely be getting a fan for the mat ward, a couple of friends who had babies last year said it was sweltering on there and their babies were born in February and March respectively so I'd rather not go without one if I'll be there end of May/possibly start of June! I'll get some fans for our house too.

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