babies and the heat

[Ali]

Ok all of you experts out there. This is a general question, but could be applied to Disney as well. With the heat index over 100, and the back of most cars without seperate air conditioning vents, and babies facing backwards in the car seats, how do you keep them cool? I went to the mall yesterday with my 4 month old son, and when we got there his cheecks were bright red, his body was warm to the touch and his outfit was sweaty. I took him into a ladies room with a diaper changing station and sponged him down with cold water, and waited until he felt cooler to move him around again, but I don't know what else to do. Any sggestions? I am concerned because we were planning on going to Disney soon, and driving ourselves with him in his car seat, but it is so hot outside I am unsure of how safe it is for him.

 

[Kermit]

How far away is the mall? If you're in the car long enough for the AC to get really cold, the back seat should be getting cold enough, even where he is (as long as he's wearing cool clothes). To get the most out of the AC in your car, keep it on low until the air starts blowing it out cold. Then turn it up to high. When the temp inside your car is lower than the outside temp, switch to Max. Regular AC sucks air in from outside and Max uses air inside the car, so using Max right from the start makes it take longer to cool off.

If you can't get the car cool enough, take your car in to be serviced. It may need more coolant.

You can also cover the car seat with a cool sheet. Most of them have a lining that is very hot. Cover it with something that doesn't get as hot.

 

[skeezixspud]

... if the seat is left in the car. (A light colored towel will do for a seat cover, but the reflective ones really do the best job.) You can get spring-ring window shades for your side and rear windows that are reflective on the outside but allow you to see out. These should help, along with directing your AC vents. What I do (aside from the above advice of starting the AC on low), is to point the vents at the car ceiling; the air flows along the wall for a certain distance where it is propelled by the fan, then falls below the heated air; I find that this cools the back seat more quickly. Also, if you can, cool the car before putting the child inside. You can get the window shades at places like WalMart, and also at auto supply stores.

PS: You can get a nasty sunburn through a car window if you are driving a long distance. I always make sure that my arms and legs are covered when I drive for a long time in sunny weather.

 

[Ali]

Thanks for the advice. I do already have shades on all of the windows, and the back window, but I have a station wagon, so the shades don't fit quite right. I'm probably going to have the windows tinted soon, since my son is so sensitive to light and heat. I didn't think about switching from uncirculated air to re-circulated air, so i will try that. Unfortunately, the car seat is a gray and black velour bumber, so it gets really hot. Do you know of any cotton car seat covers? Maybe I could cut up a pillowcase to use over it like I did for his stroller.

 

[LMHB]

Five or ten minutes before you leave your house, go out and turn your car on and turn the AC on. Then, when you get in it, it will have already cooled down. When you park it someplace like the mall, try to park it in an area that is covered or dark, even if it farther away. Overheated babies are a serious thing! I know I am very worried about my chubby 19-month old, when we go to WDW next month. His cheeks turn bright red when he is hot, especially when we have a hat on him, but he NEEDS the hat to keep the sun off his face. I am always welcome to suggestions about how to keep them cool, too.

 

[disneydude]

With our DD we start the car and air about 5 minutes before we leave. We, also, have a wagon. Once I start the car I open the trunk door to let the heat our for a minute. Try to make sure you baby has something to drink before the car ride. If you nurse nurse before the ride or give him cool formula to drink. (Can babies have cold formula? Sorry, I'm a nursing mom. ) Our DD if 13 months now, so I give her cold water to drink before we leave and in the car. This seems to help. She is 28 lbs. and has enough body heat, she does not need our Fl. sun to genarate any more for her. If you ride in the back seat, you could put a cool wash cloth on your babie pulse points. ( back of next, forhead, wrists and ankles ) Just not cold, that might hurt when you are really hot. I try to travel in the morning when it is not too hot and humid. Good Luck

 

[LMHB]

That tip about the water was good, I was just going to add that, if you baby is four months, any day now he will be able to use a sippy cup, and you can put some cool water (even with just a piece of ice) in his sippy cup and let him hold it while in his car seat. Put a bib on him or he may drool it all over, but the water will help to cool him. Now I am remembering, I did do this sometimes with mine since I figured that breast milk wasn't cooling. I also have not clue about the temps of formula. Especially if he's nursing, I would go straight for that cup and skip the bottle altogether...although that's getting off topic! Just some advice, take it or leave it.