Keeping Cool – Mum to be and Toddler!

I love the sunshine, I really do. But I am HOT. Keeping cool seems impossible. I am wilting. Melting in fact. I have a sweaty face, my legs feel like they rub together when I walk and my bump simply cannot cope with the heat. Add to this the fact that my toddler also doesn’t like being hot, yet somehow still wants cuddles, and you have a very hot and very tired Mummy and Mummy to be!

Last night was fairly horrific. We weren’t prepared for the heat at all and as such, despite attempts at keeping cool, none of us got a good nights sleep! Today is simply SCORCHIO – hotter than Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Crete so I hear, and this evening is not going to let up much – with temperatures in the West Midlands at least not dropping much below 24 degrees even at midnight! Here are my tips  to helping you sleep at least a little in a hot house!

1. During the day time, try and keep the heat out your room as much as possible.  Draw the curtains and blinds and as strange as this may seem, if it is warmer outside than in, it may be better to keep the windows closed until the temperature has cooled down later in the evening. If that goes against the grain, open all upstairs windows to create a draft through the house, this helps with air ventilation!
2. If you have the option – consider sleeping downstairs – heat rises, and therefore in most houses, the bedrooms will be the hottest rooms in the house by the end of the day!
3. Have a lukewarm shower / bath before bed – this works for babies, toddlers and Mums to be! As tempting as an icy cold shower or bath can seem it can actually have the opposite effect and cause your body to heat up to counteract the chill – believe me, that is the last thing you need!
4. If you have a portable fan, or one you can plug in over night, these are great for creating a breeze in your bedroom at night. However, on a day like today, fans will simply circulate warm air – you can ensure air is cool by putting a wet towel or bottles /  buckets of ice in their vantage point – this will release cooler air into the room. Ensure you put some towels down to catch any drips!
5. Wear as little as possible – in baby and toddler’s case – just a nappy or pull ups/pants will be sufficient, and for me – a crop top and pants. As a mum to be I also find sleeping with a pillow between your legs a massive help. Cool against your skin and great for preventing leg chafing!
6. Large bottles of frozen water in the room you sleep in will release cool air into the room as they melt.
7. Take a large bottle of icy water or squash up to bed with you – when  you get thirsty in the night this is an instant cool down refreshment and will help prevent dehydration. This is really important in pregnancy so also try and drink a little more than usual during the day. Appreciate that may result in “peegate” but this is better than the alternative!
8. Cotton sheets are a must – these are cool to the touch and are less likely to cause sweating or overheating during the night.
9. For children, you can keep an eye on their room temperature with the Gro Egg from the Gro Company – which will change colour to advise you if their room is too hot, as well as make recommendations on how to dress them appropriately.
10. Consider a slightly later bedtime. As much as you will be desperate to go to bed, I find letting my daughter go that little bit later to bed on hot nights really helps. Although the temperature doesn’t drop a great deal, its just enough to make the bedtime routine a little more manageable

Good luck for bedtime! And if  you haven’t done already, get those paddling pools out – great fun for the kids and Mummy can get in too! 🙂 (Any excuse!)

xxx