Summer Baby PSA

It's summer in Southern Utah (and all over, obviously), which brings temps often between 105-110 throughout the summer. It's HOT. But it's not just hot for adults, it's hot for everyone. Even that itty bitty new baby. The general rule of thumb for summer with a newborn is to dress her how you're dressing.

This is why I want to cry every time I see a new mama whose new baby is not only fully clothed in the summer heat (meaning onesie, shirt, pants, socks), but also has one of those adorable car seat covers draped over the car seat for the duration of a shopping trip to Target, Costco, or wherever.

Image from Cluck Cluck Sew Tutorial

Mamas, I know you mean well. I do. But imagine if you were baby. Not only is it hot out, but someone has you fully dressed, even if in light clothing. Now you're in a car seat - lying on fabric that is going to heat up with your body temp as well as the heat outside. Add to it a cover that cuts off any fresh air. So now not only are you hot, uncomfortable, but you're shortly going to be recycling your own CO2.

I'm an advocate for leaving car seats...in the car. I recommend baby wearing baby instead. Yes, it gets hot, but baby is still going to be more comfortable on you, barely dressed (think a diaper and onesie), breathing fresh air throughout the shopping trip. And you can find slings in breathable summer fabrics! But if you can't, or choose not to wear your baby ... please only use the cover for the wind and/or sun outside, and flip it back during your shopping trip so that baby has fresh air and isn't exposed to even higher temps under the cover.

Same goes for nursing covers, mamas! Sure, they may be super cute. But they're unnecessary, and they lead to the same as the above. Only now baby is cradled against fully body heat, in the heat of summer, and cut off from fresh air. There are a number of ways to nurse very discreetly without wearing a cover. In fact, wearing a cover screams, "I'm NURSING!" (which, I personally don't care whether or not people know what I'm doing), whereas most people don't even know what you're doing when you nurse discreetly. It usually looks like you're just cradling your baby.

This summer (and always), please remember that babies need fresh air more than you and I do. They are still regulating their tiny bodies, and we need to do whatever possible to not hinder this. Cute covers just aren't worth overheating your baby, and drastically decreasing fresh oxygen intake.

For rules on appropriate breastfeeding, read this. It's hilarious!  ;)