Keep your baby safe in the summer months with our top six summer safety tips.
Dress your little one for the weather
Overheating is a contributor to sudden infant death. It’s important to make sure your baby is not too hot whilst sleeping. Use lightweight breathable bedding made from cotton or bamboo, and if you’re using a safe sleeping bag, make sure it has a low TOG rating.
Keep baby hydrated
When the weather is hotter, just like you, your baby may need more to drink. If you are breastfeeding, it is very normal for your baby to want to feed more frequently in hotter weather. If you are formula feeding, make sure you offer more feeds to your baby too. Older children may need more frequent drinks of water or may enjoy snacking on high water content fruits such as watermelon, grapes and oranges.
Be aware of the heat when travelling
The temperature inside cars can rise very quickly, especially if there is no window shade. Heavily padded car restraints although extremely important for travel, can also contribute. Take breaks frequently to remove the baby from the restraint and continue to offer the baby more to drink.
Don’t leave the baby in the pram
Don’t leave your baby asleep in a pram unsupervised or for long periods. Even though babies fall asleep in prams, they are not designed to be used as sleep spaces. If your baby falls asleep in the pram, transfer them to a safe sleeping environment, such as a cot, as soon as you can.
Be safe around water
Toddlers and infants can drown in even just a couple of centimetres of water. Always make sure young children are supervised by an adult.
Check your portacot for rips and tears
When away from home and using a portacot, make sure it is in excellent condition, with no rips or tears; and meets the Australian Standards AS/NZS 2195 You should always use the mattress that comes with the portacot, and never add additional bedding or mattresses into the portacot environment.