Having a newborn in hot temps

[mrsjrd23]

And no a/c 
Im scheduled for my repeat c/s on Friday and starting Saturday the high is 105 and then high 90s-low 100s for the next week. We do not have a/c (though we are getting it installed 7/15) we have window units in our 2 upstairs bedrooms and one of thos old school floor a/c units that has a hose to go to the window and lots of fans. I'm freaking out about baby overheating. At best, it's still likely to be high 80s in our house when it is 105 outside. DS was born in the winter so we didn't need to worry about this. Is the baby going to be ok if swaddled? Any tips for keeping us both cool? Will the breeze from the fans and a/c in the window be too much at night in our room?

[anna7602]

I've had two babies (May and August) with just window units and it has been fine. I've also taken both outside frequently as newborns, being sure to keep them shaded and hydrated.

[anna7602]

Jun 23, 2015 6:56:18 GMT -5 @callmefia said:

I would just have a backup plan if it gets too warm in the house, like going to your parent's house during the day or something.

Honestly, I would just ask your pediatrician for a pep talk. This seems kind of extreme, and impractical if you live in an area in which most people don't have central a/c in their homes (as I do). Sometimes there is nowhere to go unless you want to camp out at the Target or the mall all day with a newborn. Ceiling fans and electric fans can do a decent job of cooling things down.

[kershnic]

If you're too hot elsewhere I would just hang out in the rooms with the window units. Baby doesn't need anything other than a diaper if it's hot, and I agree with the muslin swaddling blanket.

Obviously do your best to keep baby happy and hydrated, but people have been having babies in hot climates without a/c for centuries. You'll be ok!

[Velar Fricative]

Since you have window units I'd just plan to spend a lot of time in the areas where you have them and have all the supplies you need in those areas. Use the muslin swaddle and check the back of baby's neck every so often to check if baby might be too hot.

I do not believe fans and a/c together will be too much but then again, we're polar bears and couldn't survive without air conditioners everywhere in the house (central or units), so I'm definitely in "the more, the merrier" camp!

[jeaniebueller]

Can you sleep with the baby on the lower level? THe idea of going to a second floor with no a/c on a 105 degree day has me twitchy. Although I guess the window units probably keep it cool. I would plan on having the baby chill out in a onesie or just a diaper most of the day.

[lillaguma]

My baby is 2 months now, and we are in really hot temps with no central air. We do hang out by the fans a lot. She is just in a diaper right now, we basically only put on clothes if we're going somewhere.

We have gone to several library story times and that sort of thing partially because it's air conditioned there.

We're surviving, but it is tough. She tends to get really fussy in the evenings and often I think it is because it is really hot.

[D2M]

I honestly thought you were going to say you didn't even have window units. Around here, that's all anyone has, and we survive just fine (in fact, a lot of my childhood friends didn't even have window units in their homes -- and it gets HOT during the summer here). My daughter was born in June and she slept in our room, which has a window unit. We swaddled her, but she only wore a onesie underneath.

[qubit]

We lived at the beach in LA when our first was born. We didn't have any type of AC, and our third floor apt was regularly in the mid 80s. It made me nervous, but baby did fine. We had two fans blowing across (not directly at) her at night. There's a summer-weight Woombie swaddle that seemed a bit cooler than the muslin swaddles. We used both types. Good luck. You will all do great!

[pinkdutchtulips]

It was 101 the day we brought dd home (mid July in Nor Csl) and we had ok central air (vents/registers were too small for the house) but dd wasn't swaddled and not REALLY hot days (inside temps 85+) she'd be in just a diaper and lots of cool washcloth wipe downs