Tips to help your baby sleep in hot weather

1. Cool the room

The ideal room temperature lies between 18 and 20°C. But in summer, and especially during a heat wave, those temperatures can be difficult to reach. Here’s how you keep the room as cool as possible:

• Ventilate the room in the morning and in the evening when the outside air is cooler.
• Close all windows, blinds and curtains to shut out the heat as soon as outside temperatures start to climb.
• At night you can leave a window open to help cool the room but make sure there’s no draught where your baby sleeps.
• Does the room have airco? Turn it on one hour before your baby goes to sleep but turn it off at bedtime. After all, your baby can’t tell you the room is getting too cold.
• No airco? Do it yourself! Install a (floor) fan in the room and place a bottle of frozen water or a recipient with ice cubes in front of it. Remember to turn off the fan as soon as you put your baby to bed, or aim the fan away from your little one.

Is the room unpleasantly warm in spite of these tips? Then set up your baby’s travel cot in the coolest room of the house. This will help your baby get used to sleeping in the travel cot. Ideal if you’re going on holiday this summer!

2. Sweating less in bed

If air can circulate freely in the bed this prevents heat from building up around your baby. This not only keeps the bed safe but it also helps your baby sweat less. Therefore opt for a cot with bars all around or with sides from a perforated fabric. Also be sure to always use breathable bedding:

• Use a breathable mattress protector to keep your baby’s temperature consistent. The 3D technology of the AeroSleep mattress protector keeps your baby on top of a layer of air that quickly evacuates excess heat.
• Cover the mattress protector with a breathable fitted sheet to allow excess heat to escape via the 3D air layer. That is why the AeroSleep fitted sheet has special perforations that facilitate the evacuation of moisture and hot air. Your darling stays dry and the temperature is safely regulated.
• If your baby’s cot has bars a breathable bed bumper gives your baby a sense of security and keeps it from bumping its head. The AeroSleep bed bumper uses the same 3D technology as the mattress protector. This ensures proper air circulation and your baby can breathe normally, even with its face up against the bumper.

3. Keep up baby's sleep ritual

An agitated child is much hotter than a relaxed baby! A sleep ritual helps your baby relax and get ready for bed so be sure to keep up its regular sleep routine during summer as well.

What else can you do to help your baby sleep?

• Engage in quiet activities with your child as long as one hour before bedtime, preferably in a darkened room. Sunlight and too many stimuli keep your baby too alert.
• White noise helps your baby settle down and filter noises from outside. This will keep playing children or garden parties from disturbing your baby’s sleep.
• Give your little one a short tepid bath before bedtime. This relaxes your baby and helps it cool down.