Babywearing in summer

Many parents doubt whether to wear their babies during hot summer days. The babies do not – they want to be carried no matter the weather or season. A lot has been written about summer babywearing, so we will skip to the basic rules. YES, you can wear your baby in summer. YES, we will all get sweaty and warm, because it is hot and sweating is crucial for our organism. And YES, you can keep babywearing more comfortable by choosing the right wrap or a carrier.

When dressing your baby in summer, less is definitely more. Sometimes a baby onesie or just a simple cloth diaper between the baby and the parent is enough. Dress the both of you in soft natural materials that absorb sweat and keep you dry. We definitely recommend clothes made of functional materials like silk, bamboo, linen or thin merino wool, or the very popular Outlast®. If you keep none of this, cotton is the way to go.

Avoid synthetic materials that can irritate the very sensitive skin of your baby. More about dressing children when babywearing during the whole year can be found in our article here.
 
Protect yourself and your baby from the sun – by wearing hats or sunshades, by using sun creams, covering the legs of the child with a thin diaper or choosing suitable pants – thin, airy and flexible, so the baby feels comfortable.

Direct sunlight and high temperatures should be avoided, especially from 11:00 to 15:00 (just like we usually do).
It is important to drink lots of water (both the parent and the child), or breastfeed often (and that is one great thing about babywearing – your child is always close and ready to be fed).

Vital for your mutual cooling, sweating is not an undesirable phenomenon – it is a natural way your organism keeps itself cool. The risk of overheating your baby is much lower when you wear them on your body than when you put them in a pram body where the temperature can – under some circumstances – reach high levels.

In case of getting your baby out of the wrap or a carrier, be sure to bring some spare clothes to keep you two dry. The previously mentioned functional materials are of great help here – they dry very quickly.
 
How to choose the right wrap or a carrier for hot weather? You might appreciate linen, hemp, silk, Tencel or bamboo blends; even wool (in certain wraps or with certain blends) can help you make summer babywearing more comfortable.

A wrap offers various carries that are perfect for summer – like front cross carry or short front cross carry with a ring; single layer carries like kangaroo or simple hip carry; or the rucksack carry for children that are carried on back.
 
Babywearing in summer is safe – so go ahead and enjoy the precious time spent together on a walk. After all, walking in the woods is the best way to cool off.