Hello warm weather!

As the temperatures start rising, the questions of what is the best carrier for summer start rolling in. The truth is any carrier can be used year round.  There is no NEED to go out and buy another carrier for the summer.  Babywearing in 90° is absolutely going to be hot, there is no getting around it.  I will cover some tips for being comfortable and signs to watch for overheating.  I will also talk about some options for great carriers for summer, IF you are in the market for a new carrier.

The most important thing you want to do is watch your baby for signs of overheating.  Is your baby overly red or have a rash?  Is your baby’s chest hotter than normal or breathing more rapidly than normal?  Does your baby seem unhappy or uncomfortable?  If your baby has any of these signs it is probably time to take a break somewhere cool.  Keeping yourself and baby hydrated is also very important on those hot, humid days.  I bring ice water with me everywhere I go in summer.

Some other tips are:

• dress yourself and baby in single light layers
• keep baby in a lightweight hat
• use a misting fan
• stay in the shade as much as possible
• use cooling towels like Enduracool Towels and Frogg Toggs, although these should be used with caution. They have to be exposed to air in order to work and the Frogg Toggs have chemicals and could cause burns on babies’ sensitive skin.

If you are looking to buy a new carrier for summer there are definitely some great options out there. A mesh ring sling is a great option for days you might be in the water.  The Lillebaby airflow, a Kinderpack with the mesh panel, the Mothers on the Move carrier that has a zip down panel to expose mesh are some great soft structured carrier options.  Linen is a lightweight fabric great for a wrap or ring sling.  You want to keep in mind, even with these options babywearing will still be hot, but use the tips above and you can make your wearing as comfortable as possible.

Happy Babywearing!  Enjoy Summer!