Today it is 100 degrees outside. My children and I enjoy being outside as much as we can, and when we’re out for a long time my youngest will want to be worn. Babywearing in the summer heat can be done, and there are ways to help keep everyone comfortable and safe.

Summer Babywearing Tips -

• Dress light. Wear clothes that will keep you cool, and baby too. Shorts and a tank, summer dresses, and loose fitting shirts will help you stay cooler. Baby in a onsie or an airy outfit will help keep babe’s temp down.
• Stay hydrated. Bring a water bottle for you, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Take in fluids often and refill your water bottle. If baby is old enough for a sippy or cup make sure you bring extra water for baby. Make sure you give babe water or breastmilk often.
• Wear a sun hat. There are sun hats out there big enough to shade both wearer and baby. You could also wear a baseball cap to shade yourself and then put a sun hat on baby to keep cool. Take the hats off at times and wet your hair and forehead with the water.
• Keep moving or find shade. I wear mostly at events where a lot of walking is involved. I notice once I stop that is when the heat sets in. If you will not be walking, you should stand or sit under shade.
• Use back carries. If you have a older baby or toddler you can use a back carry. That will provide extra circulation and keep you both a bit cooler.
• Use sun protection. Don’t forget that arms, legs, and heads will most likely be out of the carrier and in the sun. So you’ll want to put a form of sunblock on baby to keep the baby’s skin protected from the UVA and UVB rays (as well as yourself).

In addition to those tips there are also carriers that can help you keep cooler -

Ring Sling - These only go over 1 shoulder of the wearer and if you have a linen, silk, or thinner cotton sling it will be more airy. Wearing baby on the hip will help keep the air circulating. It’s also easy to nurse in and take on and off.

Mei Tai - These can be worn on the front or back and will provide air circulation in between the wearer and baby. While most are made with canvas, there is not a lot of fabric and it doesn’t have to go all the way around like a wrap.

Gauze wraps -Gauze is airy and breathable and many can be worn on the back. While it’s still a wrap, it is more lightweight than others.

Woven Wraps - Linen, lightweight bamboo, or cotton and silk woven wraps are good for summer wearing. These fabric blends tend to be thin and airy. They can also be worn on the back, and certain holds will lessen the amount of fabric going around wearer and baby.

 

Jenn George is a mommy of 2 boys, and a birth professional. They are a home-birthing, homeschooling, baby-wearing, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, organic eating, meals from scratch type of family. Her passions are: her family, helping women get the birth they deserve, trying to better the maternity care system, and getting those breastfeeding rates up. In her spare time, she loves to read and write. To learn more about Jenn and her family, you can visit her blog Modern Crunch.