Summer Safety!
Soak Up the Sun Safely: Summer Tips for Pregnant and New Parents
Summer is here, and with it comes lots of sunshine. Whether you’re pregnant, have a
newborn, or are parenting toddlers and young children, the warm months require some planning and consideration.
We hope you and your family will enjoy the beautiful mornings, long days, and warm
evenings. Before you do, we want to offer some safety tips for the summer months.
Summer Safety for Pregnant People
When you’re expecting, hormonal fluctuations, along with increased blood volume and
cardiovascular output, cause you to feel warmer in any season. It’s no surprise that
summer heat can be challenging for expectant parents.
According to the CDC, symptoms of overheating include warm skin, headache,
dizziness, muscle cramps, and nausea. When body temperature goes above 102.2
degrees Fahrenheit, there is an increased risk for dehydration, which can cause Braxton
Hicks contractions, dizzy spells, and fainting. Overheating can also lead to adverse
pregnancy outcomes like premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, congenital heart
defects, and congenital disabilities.
When you’re pregnant, staying cool isn't just about comfort. It's really about health and
safety. Here are a few tips for managing the heat during pregnancy.
● Stay hydrated.
● Wear loose-fitting clothing.
● Limit time outdoors to the cooler parts of the day, like morning and
evening.
● Stay in the shade if you can when you’re outside.
● Retreat to a cooler place and apply a wet cloth to your skin.
Summer Safety for Babies
A few risks to be mindful of during summer when you have a baby include sunburn and
overheating. Babies have a special risk of sunburn and overheating due to their
delicate, thin skin and their inability to communicate that they are feeling hot or
beginning to burn. This makes it especially important to be proactive in protecting them.
Protecting Your Baby from the Sun
Babies younger than six months cannot wear sunscreen, so this makes them
particularly vulnerable. Here are some tips to protect your baby’s skin:
● Avoid direct sunlight if possible.
● Dress your baby in loose, lightweight clothing that provides good coverage (but
still has plenty of airflow to keep cool) when you are outside.
● Find a tree or another shady spot where you can park the stroller.
● Avoid the midday sun and go outside early in the morning or in the evening
instead.
● If your baby does get a sunburn, contact your pediatrician to discuss the best
course of action.
Protecting Your Baby From Overheating
Children’s body temperature can increase three to five times faster than an adult’s does.
Some guidelines to follow to avoid dehydration and overheating include:
● Offer plenty of feedings of breast milk or formula.
● Keep the air moving in your baby’s environment. Consider attaching a fan to the
stroller and make your baby’s environment breathable. Choose a stroller that has
a canopy and a removable back panel for ventilation.
● Do not drape blankets or similar items over the car seat or stroller. This can
create a greenhouse effect that can increase the baby’s body temperature
quickly.
● Use a summer-friendly carrier. If you’re wearing your baby, choose a lightweight
nylon carrier, not a heavy fabric.
Make a Plan For the Car
Never leave your child unattended in a car, even for a moment. Heat stroke is the
leading cause of non-crash vehicle-related deaths in children. Vehicular heatstroke can
even occur at temperatures as low as 57 degrees due to how quickly the inside of a
vehicle can heat up.
Anyone can forget a child in the car. Your brain does not prioritize or place
importance on certain memories, even remembering to get your child out of the back
seat. It is very easy to enter “autopilot mode,” especially if there is a change in routine or
someone other than the usual caregiver is transporting the child.
Here are a few suggestions for creating a safety plan for your child:
● Have built-in reminders in your routine such as placing your purse in the back
seat and/or training yourself to look in the back seat every time you get out of the
car (even if you do not have your child with you).
● Check in with other parents and caregivers to ensure that your child was safely
dropped off at daycare or wherever they might be going.
● Always keep your car doors locked and your car keys out of reach from curious
children. About one-fourth of vehicular heatstroke deaths happen because a child
accessed a vehicle while unattended and became trapped.
You can find the latest statistics about vehicular heatstroke at noheatstroke.org.
Summer Safety for Families
Summer can be a very fun time for families, but it also brings potential dangers.
Children encounter greater risks during the months of May through August. Having
layers of protection helps prevent accidents and injuries.
Water Safety
Swimming and water safety are critically important. Drowning is the leading cause of
injury-related death among children ages 1-4. Parents must be vigilant in and around
water at all times.
Experts recommend the following while swimming with kids:
● Keep young children within arm’s reach while in the water. If your children are
experienced swimmers, ensure they still have a buddy with them.
● Have a designated “water watcher” when several adults are present. The water
watcher should avoid distractions such as conversations and looking at phones
when it is their turn to watch the kids.
● Put your child in a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when participating in
activities in or nearby open waters.
● Consider ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) lessons that focus on survival skills,
or other swim lessons starting around age 1.
● Install fences around home pools. Fences prevent more than half of the possible
swimming pool drownings of young children.
● Empty kids’ pools immediately after use.
● Learn CPR and water rescue skills in case of emergency.
Even when the family isn’t swimming, parents need to be aware of the danger of
children in close proximity to water. Among children age 4 and younger, 69% of
drownings happen during non-swim times. If your child is ever missing, check any water
nearby first. Drowning can happen unexpectedly. Then, check the car, including the
trunk.
Protection During Other Types of Play
Kids will keep you busy with all kinds of activities during the summer. The key to staying
safe is being prepared and actively engaged in supervising them. Here are a few tips to
set you up for success.
● Wear helmets. If you or your children are riding a bike or scooter, a helmet is a
must to avoid traumatic brain injuries. Properly fitted helmets reduce the risk of
head injuries by about 45 percent. Make sure to check out the helmet fit test to
be sure your child’s helmet is adjusted correctly.
● Choose playgrounds that are well-maintained with age-appropriate equipment.
● When out and about, teach your children to walk on sidewalks or designated
paths, and to cross the street with an adult if they are under age 10.
Sun and Heat Protection
Protecting your skin is a lifelong endeavor, but it is especially important during
childhood. While childhood skin cancer is rare, sunburns and early sun exposure are
important risk factors for developing skin cancer later in life.
Experts give the following recommendations for protecting your skin while outside:
● Limit sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when the sun’s radiation is most
intense.
● Find shade to stay underneath when possible.
● Have the family wear protective clothing such as wide-brimmed hats, clothing
with ultraviolet protection factor, rash guards while swimming, and sunglasses.
● Apply a broad-spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher,
and reapply at least every two hours or after toweling off from swimming.
● Remember that you can still get a sunburn on cloudy days, too.
Keeping Cool During Summer
Along with the other tips that have been shared about staying cool in the heat, here are
a few more things to consider:
● Build in extra rest time in your routine. Heat can make everyone more tired and
irritable.
● Keep water bottles with you.
● Call your pediatrician immediately if your child feels faint, nauseated, or
experiences numbness, breathing problems, or other serious symptoms after
being in the heat.
Summer can be both safe and fun if you take the time to be prepared for what comes
along with this season. In the long run, avoiding injuries and discomfort means less
stress and more time to do what matters: Enjoying your life together as a family.
At Roots Community Birth Center, we love helping families stay healthy and safe. Are
you interested in learning more about our services? Call the front desk at 612-338-2784
or fill out our form: https://www.rootsbirthcenter.com/contact.