Hot Child in the City

Dog days of summer begin this month for much of North America. It is hot and humid and everybody has had enough. When you breastfeed, your baby receives all she needs from you including basic hydration. The thinner foremilk satisfies thirst, while the creamier hindmilk packs on those fabulous baby pounds. Make sure your baby is getting enough to drink by counting 5-6 wet diapers per day. Remember that with disposable diapers, baby may have urinated several times before a change. Verify hindmilk consumption with weight gain and, initially, 2 bowel movements per day. This will change and depends on the baby. Some breastfed babies poop once a day, some less, some more.

In hot, humid weather hydration is imperative. Our sweat evaporates to keep us cool but with heavy moisture in the air, that does not always work as it is supposed to. Thus, it is even more important to keep the drinking water flowing and for children, then again so. Their body mass to surface ratio is immature so even without the added challenge of humidity they cannot cool themselves as efficiently as adults. When active in sticky weather, children should drink small amounts of water, frequently. Babies as young as 4 months can start to drink (or dribble into their neck rolls) from a non-suction sippy cup.

Nursing mothers will make quality milk regardless of diet and water intake. Only in conditions of extreme famine does breastmilk suffer nutritionally. To keep you up and at them in the ring of child rearing, remember you. Wake up and hydrate right away. Carry a sports bottle and keep it filled. Do not skip meals! Lactation burns 500 calories per day before any laundry has been folded, dumped out by your precious pearl and re-folded. Nobody ever made a sound decision with low blood sugar.

When you have had your morning snack and are shopping for sunscreen, keep in mind babies less than 6 months are better off without sunscreen but instead in the shade with protective clothing and sunshades on their strollers. Babies older than 6 months can wear sunscreen on the exposed parts of their bodies. Getting them used to wide-brimmed hats is a good idea. In some countries, they are required for outdoor play in elementary school. Rash guards or sunscreen shirts are easily available, affordable and significantly easier than coating a protesting, moving target.

August is a wonderful time to introduce your baby to all sorts of summer wonders – swimming, the sound of cicadas and picnics on the grass. Learn to handle the heat and you’ll be the coolest mama around.

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