A joyous heat wave is on its way to the UK. Bring on the ice-cream, paddle pools and pims! ☺ It can also mean uncomfortable, stuffy nights. Our houses in the UK are built to keep the heat in after all! Here are some tips to help your little ones sleep well this summer.
1. Room Temp
Use a room thermometer so that you know what heat you are dealing with in the first place.
2. What to wear
Dress your little ones for the temp of room they are sleeping in. Remember this will change during the night so also keep an eye on the expected low temp. Its worth checking the temp of your little one in the night as well to make sure they are not too hot. If in doubt go for the cooler option – it will be easier to add a layer like a cellular blanket while they sleep rather than have them to hot and try to remove layers. I love using the growbag what to wear guide as a sleep reference. 24-27 degrees use a 0.5 tog with a little vest. 23 degrees 1 tog with a vest.
3. Windows
Keeping a window open is a great way to let the air in however it can also let outside noises in as well. So if you live on a busy street it might be better to keep the window shut and use a fan. Speaking as a mother a word about safety – if you do leave a window open especially if you don’t normally – don’t forget to keep a safety lock on it to stop your little ones getting out.
If the sun is blasting into your child’s bedroom then shut the blinds and curtains during the day to keep it cooler ahead of bedtime.
4. Fans
Fans are brilliant at circulating air around the room. Don’t aim it straight at your child though. If it’s a steaming hot night, it will simply be circulating hot air around… so a handy trick is to place a large frozen water bottle in front of the fan to cool things down. A bowl of ice will also do the same but a big bottle will take longer to defrost! The white noise is also a bonus!
5. Start as you mean to go on
A luke warm bath or shower before bed not only gets all the days sweat and suncream off but if you dry them next to a window or a fan you will cool them down before they get into bed.
6. Hydration
Be prepared and keep some water ready to give your kids in the night if they need it. If you are breastfeeding continue as normal as that will provide all they hydration required. But if your child no longer has milk at night – a heatwave is not a reason to reintroduce it as you could end up with a new sleep crutch. Instead offer water which will give them all the hydration they need.
7. Heat beating tricks for the older ones (5+)
I love to wet my daughters hair before bed as this really cools her down at the start of the night. You could even send the older ones into bed with an ice pack under their pillow or wrapped in a towel or muzzy for them to cuddle an place on their body to cool down.
Leigh. X
Happy summer everyone. ☺
Does your child start waking hourly after a couple hours of good sleep? Then this blog is for you!
