Stop Covering Your Baby’s Stroller With a Blanket
Trying to protect your baby from the sun can be challenging (and stressful). Parents usually do not want to use sunscreen on babies under six months old, so when you go out for a walk, it may be tempting to throw a light blanket over the opening to protect bare feet from the sun. But that could make things more dangerous, not less.
The pediatricians cited by Today’s Parent warned that a lack of airflow in a wheelchair can lead to rapid temperature increases and increase the risk of heat illness, dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
(Swedish pediatrician Svante) Norgren told a local newspaper that even a thin muslin blanket can make the conditions in the stroller unpleasantly hot and put your baby in danger. “It gets very hot in the stroller, kind of like a thermos,” Norgren told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet .
The newspaper tested Norgren’s theory and found that after 90 minutes, an uncovered stroller heats up to 22 degrees, and a stroller with a thin coating heats up to 34 degrees in just 30 minutes. An hour later, the sun was scary 37 degrees.
Fahrenheit is roughly 72 degrees (90 minutes open) compared to 99 degrees (1 hour closed).
Instead, try the following methods to help your child stay cool and avoid scalding from the sun:
- Use a large canopy, mesh or perforated sun visor designed for your particular stroller.
- Dress your child in light, loose clothing that covers arms and legs.
- Avoid the sun when its rays are strongest, from 10 am to 4 pm.
The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that if all else fails and the sun is inevitable, a little sunscreen can be used:
When suitable clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimum amount of sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 (sun protection factor) for babies under 6 months of age on small areas such as the baby’s face and the back of the hands. Remember that it takes 30 minutes to take effect.
Basically, just use your common sense, stay in the shade as much as possible, and don’t block the airflow into the stroller.