The long, hot days of summer are part of the Aussie experience – and so much fun for the whole family. However, the heat can take its toll on your bub’s sensitive skin. Here are some tips to keep your little one comfortable and soothed through these sunny months.
Why is summer weather a challenge for babies?
Your bub has much more delicate skin than older children or adults. In fact, newborns have skin that is about 20% thinner! This makes them much more sensitive to their environment when it gets hot or dry. This also means their skin is usually much more reactive to other environmental conditions, whether it’s a daily dose of sunscreen, playtime in the pool or sea, sleeping with air conditioning constantly on, or even getting a sunburn.
Between the heat that causes your little one to sweat and the skin to dehydrate, to the dryness from salt or chlorine, and the sunshine, babies can quickly develop heat rashes, dry skin, and itchiness.
How to keep your bub’s skin soft and soothed
- Hydration – Because their bodies are so small, it’s very easy for bubs to become dehydrated in hot and dry weather. Prepare for more frequent feeds for newborns and keep sippy cups of water or diluted fruit juice handy for toddlers.
- Breathable fabrics – Fabrics like pure cotton, hemp, linen, and silk allow sweat to evaporate easily and support airflow, so sweat doesn’t get trapped and cause overheating and skin irritation. Simple, loose clothes with no harsh dyes or synthetics are best.
- Organic laundry liquid – Most commercial laundry detergents have plenty of chemicals in them that can irritate sensitive skin, including carcinogens and chemicals like sodium laurel sulphate, ammonia, phenols, phosphates, and optic brighteners. When your bub sweats, residues become more active, making irritation worse.
- Natural skin lotion and bath wash – Natural and organic baby products use pure essential oils and plant extracts to ensure maximum moisturisation with minimal irritation, nourishing and restoring your bub’s skin. For the summer, it’s recommended to change to an ACO moisturiser and bath wash that’s fragrance-free and designed for sensitive skin.
At KidsBliss, we specialise in high quality, natural home care, skin care, and baby care products that help keep your bub, home, and family safe and nourished. Not only are our moisturises and washes organic and natural, but they’re also vegan, chemical-free, and fully biodegradable – making them safe for you, your bub, and the planet. We also offer an ACO fragrance-free range for bubs that’s perfect for the summer months – for bubs and families too! Try out the goodness of nature to help your bub stay healthy and irritation-free through the hot, dry seasons.