Are you worried about keeping your baby hydrated in the hot weather? 

Our Health Visiting Team have put together some tips and advice to help you keep your baby well in the heat, whether they are breastfed, bottle-fed or moving on to solid foods:

Breastfed babies:
If you are breastfeeding your baby you do not need to give any water or extra milk. Your baby will get their all their food and drink from their feeds. They may ask to feed more often to quench their thirst. Mums will want to drink plenty themselves which will make sure both are comfortable.

Bottle fed babies:
If you are bottle feeding, your baby will still get plenty of water from a milk feed. Like a breastfed baby, they may want to drink more often when it is very hot. You can give a little cool, boiled water when it is very warm, but they need the calories from the milk, so do not fill their tummies up with water, keep it to about 1oz or 30ml a day.

Feeding solids in hot weather for babies from about 6 months:
Try to avoid any salty foods and offer refreshing fruit, cucumber or pepper sticks to gnaw on. Offer water in a cup or beaker with meals and between feeds. Don’t worry if your baby is less keen on solid food when it is hot. You can feed outside in the shade in a highchair or on a picnic rug to make mealtimes more fun (and the mess is less of a problem!). NEVER leave a baby alone with food but DO let them have fun exploring tastes and textures.

Remember:
Do not put a cover over your baby’s pushchair in the sun. This can raise the temperature under the cover to a dangerous level very quickly. It is better to use a sun shade or umbrella and face away from the sun when possible.