Baby wearing can get hot in the summer. Two bodies pressed together generate a lot of heat and sweat. Your baby carrier itself can contribute to the excess warmth when there is a lot of thick fabric. It is easy to overheat, even when it’s just a little warm outside. Dressing for the season and choosing the right baby carrier can help you stay cool when it’s hot outdoors. Should you choose a podegi, wrap, mei tei, pouch, sling, or some other carrier? Here is a guide to baby wearing in the summer, so that you can be comfortable when you wear your baby.
First of all, dress for the temperature. Always bear in mind how much more fabric your baby carrier will add. If it is blistering hot, you can wear a thin tank top, and your baby can just hang out in a cloth diaper. A T-shirt for you and a onesie for your baby will suffice for slightly milder weather. Remember, the baby carrier will cover you both and make you a lot warmer. You don’t need much fabric covering you unless there is a breeze.
Choose a baby carrier that is made of thin, sturdy material that breathes, like a woven wrap, a cotton pouch, or a mesh sling. You wouldn’t want to wear your baby in a fleece wrap when it’s 80 degrees outside! UV protection is a plus, because it will protect you both from sunburn. Waterproof material is available for days at the pool. Waterproof and UV protection material is usually a bit more expensive, but not by a whole lot.
Podegis and wraps consist of the most fabric, making them the hottest baby carriers for parents and babies. Podegis are Asian baby wearing blankets, and the last thing you want on a hot day is a blanket covering you! Sling and pouch carries where the baby is in the newborn hold or sitting with their legs tucked in are warm for babies, but they probably won’t make parents uncomfortable. Because it is so easy to overheat, especially for babies, it is particularly important that such carriers are made of appropriate material for summer use.
Mei teis and structured carriers, which consist of the least fabric, are the best choice for staying cool. The mei tei, another type of Asian baby carrier, is incredibly versatile which is a plus in the summer. If you get warm wearing your baby on the front, you can switch to the hip or back carry for a while. Structured carriers usually just consist of a series of straps and buckles, rather than a lot of fabric like podegis and wraps. As the mei tei is but a square of fabric with a strap at each corner, it also does not cover much of the body and thus helps keep everyone cool. These sorts of baby carriers, therefore, are ideal for hot weather.
Summer heat also brings thunderstorms. For rainy or muddy days, try to avoid mei teis and wraps, whose fabric ends can drag in the mud. If you do wear a wrap, wrap before you get in the car, then tighten when it’s time to put the baby in. Instead, choose a pouch, sling, or sash carrier like the Obi or Duo, so you can get the baby on quickly and hurry inside. Once indoors where it is nice and dry, you can switch to a mei tei or wrap if you prefer them to pouches and slings. Rain ponchos with an extra hole for the baby’s head can also be worn over your carrier to conveniently keep you both dry. These baby wearing ponchos cost a bit more than regular rain jackets but are worth it!
Always carry sunscreen, because babies burn easily. Some baby carriers have a keyring or pocket. Buy some suncreen on a keychain to hang on your baby carrier’s key ring or tuck into the pocket. If your baby carrier doesn’t have these features, hook the keychain on your sling’s rings, tuck it into your pouch, or loop the ends of your wrap or mei tei ties through it before tying. Voila!
Baby wearing in the summer doesn’t have to be a hot, sweaty business. By dressing for the weather and choosing the right carrier, you can stay cool. Pick a baby carrier that does not have a lot of fabric and that is made from thin, breathable material. For summer thunderstorms, have a pouch handy so you can get quickly out of the rain, without having to get your mei tei or wrap wet and muddy as the fabric drags the ground. Doing these things will help you stay cool and dry this summer when you’re wearing your baby. Stay cool, and happy babywearing!
