Breastfeeding is such a beautiful and rewarding start to life with your new bundle of joy. And while the benefits of breastfeeding are many, it can at times be tough and require patience and determination. One of those tough times can come when breastfeeding throughout the hotter summer months. We know ourselves how heat can change our mood for the better or for worse and the same can be applied to our babies. A hot, agitated and irritable baby can have us questioning whether we are doing anything right. The good news is when it comes to breastfeeding in the summer, your body knows exactly what to do and there are some things we can do to help along on the way.
Magical Milk
Breastmilk is designed perfectly to give your baby everything they need. This is never truer than in the hotter weather. As your core body temperature increases, your blood circulates towards your breasts and this increase causes you to produce milk with a higher content of water, how amazing is that! Exclusively breastfed babies do not need any additional water until they start to eat solid foods. Breastfed babies however may want to feed more during the warmer months so be led by your little one and feed as often as required.
Wee, Watch
Keeping an eye on your baby’s nappy is a great way of checking their hydration levels. A great rule of thumb to go by is to look for, at least 6 heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours. Your baby’s poo is also a great indicator on how their body is coping. Dry, hard poo may mean your little one is dehydrated and on the reverse of that watery/diarrhea poo, may mean your baby is losing water from their body. Both could mean your baby needs an extra feed to replenish any water lost. If you are concerned about your baby bowels, contact your health visitor/GP for further assistance.
Drinking buddy
Keeping up your fluid intake in the summer is one of the most important measures you can take against protecting yourself and your little one. If you become dehydrated whilst breastfeeding, your body can stop producing breastmilk. A great way to keep a healthy water intake is to drink a glass every time your baby has a feed. A tracker water bottle is also a great way of meeting your daily quota.
Simple Switch
A position switch from the normal ‘cradle hold’ can help to give you and your baby a more comfortable feed during hot weather. An underarm ‘rugby ball position’ means there is less body contact and therefore means less body heat transfer. Support your baby by placing your hand under their head and shoulders and let their legs point behind you.
We hope these tips help you and your baby to navigate your breastfeeding journey through the summer.
Baa for now x
