We runners may expose our bodies to jogs in unspeakably hot temperatures. But when it comes to keeping baby cool in the stroller, we take protecting our precious cargo seriously.
This article covers how to keep a baby cool in the stroller during the summer. Constructed by input from moms who sweat through stroller runs in Texas, Michigan, and even Australia, we share tips on the following.
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How to prepare baby for hot weather
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How hot is too hot to take baby outside?
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Tips for keeping baby cool in the stroller
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How to tell if baby is overheating
Keep reading to ensure your little passenger is safe and comfortable as you run in hell’s temperatures.
Stroller running in the summer
Pushing a jogging stroller during an already scorching run does nothing to cool you off. After all, the added exertion burns about 5-8% more calories than running unbounded, so you’re definitely working harder.
Since you’ve embraced your role as your baby’s pack mule, you might as well make sure your jogger is equipped to help beat the heat rather than escalate it.
Stroller features to beat the heat
The following features are essential for keeping your baby’s ride cool and comfortable when you’re searching for the right jogging stroller.
Large stroller canopy to provide shade from the sun.
Mesh windows or panels to allow sufficient air ventilation.
Breathable seat fabric, such as nylon or polyester, doesn’t trap heat.
Cup holders and undercarriage will store loads of water and other keep-cool gadgets.
Aside from cup holders, which can come with a separately purchased stroller caddy or snack tray, any stroller worth its investment should have these features.
How to prepare baby for hot weather
Our babies may not be adding steps to our fitness trackers while in their strollers. However, their sensitive skin and inability to regulate body temperature need vigilant measures when preparing them for hot weather.
Dress your baby in lightweight, breathable clothing. The top cooling fabrics include:
- Cotton or muslin
- Bamboo
- Linen
Add a brimmed hat and sunglasses to further protect your baby’s head and eyes.
Slather your little bundle in sunscreen, making sure to cover areas that peek out from under your stroller’s protective sun canopy. This includes their legs, feet, and the tops of their ‘wittle hands.
Make sure you apply the same sunscreen diligence to yourself. I didn’t do this in my youth, and I now look like a sun-spotted purse.
Head out in the early morning or evening when the sun isn’t blaring. During these times, temperatures will be lower, and the sun’s rays will be less intense.
How hot is too hot to take baby out in the summer?
Young babies can’t sweat as efficiently as adults. This means we have to take extra caution when exposing baby to hot temperatures.
Consider temperatures over 80º F (27º C) the caution zone. You can still spend time outside with your baby, but take the appropriate precautions (listed above) to keep them cool.
Temperatures of 90º F (32º C) or more are too hot to spend lengthy amounts of time outside with a baby. This heat is brutal enough on us and even more dangerous for our young children.
Limit how long you spend outside in 90+º temperatures to 30 minutes or less.
Humidity must also be taken into account when taking the baby outside in the hot weather. Humidity traps heat and can make deceptively moderate temperatures hazardous for baby.
10 tips for keeping baby cool in the stroller
Getting out for fresh air and exercise with your baby is valuable for both of you.
Don’t worry! There are many chances for you to do so between the too hot and too cold temperature guidelines.
Here are 10 tips we’ve splashed up for keeping baby cool in the stroller:
1. Travel with fluids
Good hydration is non-negotiable when you’re walking or running in the heat. Pack plenty of fluids for yourself and for your baby.
If you’re out in the stroller with an infant under 6 months of age (before they can have water), you can meet their hydration needs by packing an extra bottle of breast milk. Keep it cold in an insulated lunch pack or your stroller caddy’s insulated cup holder, if it has one.
Are sports drinks safe for baby?
Sports drinks are undoubtedly a big help for your child in sweltering weather, especially if they tend to be finicky about water.
If you’re worried about the sugar content in sports drinks, cut half with water; the flavor remains tasty with less thirst-trapping sugar.
At the end of the day, hydration wins. Provide what you must do to make sure your child is drinking enough fluids.
2. Dress baby in breathable clothing
As mentioned before, dress your baby or toddler in lightweight, breathable, loose-fitting clothing.
Cotton, muslin, linen, and bamboo fabrics offer lightweight breathability while protecting your baby’s skin from blaring sun rays.
You don’t need to invest in Under Armour’s cute but pricey moisture-wicking baby apparel. My daughter’s beat-the-heat outfits include short-sleeved or sleeveless bodysuits, a linen kimono, or linen shorts with a loose tank top.
3. Stay in the shade or make your own
Keeping your newborn to 6-month-old out of direct sunlight is important enough to have the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advocate for shade with religious passion.
This is where using your stroller’s canopy comes into play.
Extend that sucker as far as it can go to cover your baby or toddler as much as possible (peek-a-boo windows and vent panels still provide airflow and visual of the outdoors).
If you’re pushing a younger baby in the stroller via a travel system, the car seat may block the stroller’s canopy. In this case, lay an airy muslin blanket over the infant car seat to shield the baby from the sun but leave space for ventilation.
4. Make a water bottle sandwich
I had never heard of a water bottle sandwich until I read the Bragging Mommy blog—I’d usually just let my daughter cradle my cold Smartwater bottle as her personal cooling device when riding in the stroller.
The construction of a water bottle sandwich, on the other hand, offers longer-lasting coolness.
How to Make a Water Bottle Sandwich
1. Fill 2 plastic water bottles ¾ of the way with water.
2. Place water bottles in the freezer and let them freeze overnight.
3. Before going out in the stroller, top the frozen water bottles off with water.
4. Wrap each bottle in a hand towel.
5. Place your water bottle concoction on each side of your baby in the stroller.
You can also achieve the same effect with ice packs, although I find ice packs lose their cool quickly in hot weather.
5. Use sunscreen
There are a lot of options for baby-safe sunscreen, from the Coppertone Water Babies lotion we remember our parents caking our childhood summers with to the posh hypoallergenic Baby Bum mineral sunscreen.
The sunscreen you get depends on your baby’s skin and how it reacts.
Babies with eczema or highly sensitive skin may require a special formula. Leah Rocketto of What to Expect narrows the variety of options to 8 of the best baby sunscreens.
Make sure to apply sunscreen to the often-overlooked areas of your baby’s delicate skin:
- Back and front of the neck
- Behind the ears
- Forehead
- Scalp (if your baby refuses to wear a hat)
6. Snap on a stroller fan
A portable stroller fan benefits stroller-bound passengers in hot weather by circulating the air around them and providing a breeze of comfort.
These mini fans can also be transferred and clipped to a car seat, crib, playpen, or wherever else you might need it.
Are stroller fans safe for babies?
Stroller fans are made with the fair assumption that babies will reach their curious fingers toward the blades. Because of this, stroller fans are either bladeless, foam-bladed, or inside a standard fan cage.
When mounting your stroller fan, position it to blow on the side of baby’s face or on top of their scalp.
Setting it up to blow directly at their face could dry out their throat and nostrils.
7. Use a cooling seat pad
A seat cooling pad or a cooling seat liner, like this one, is stuffed with a polymer gel that triggers a cooling effect when it comes into contact with the baby’s body.
This provides a cool and comfortable surface for your child to sit on, whether in the stroller or car seat.
Note that the cooling effect lasts only about an hour and won’t survive 2+ hour training runs in temperatures above 80º F.
8. Spritz baby with a spray bottle
I came across this tip on Reddit. I think this tip is worth mentioning because threads on product reviews are often based on personal experiences rather than sponsorships.
A light mist with a spray bottle can help keep your child cool while riding in the stroller. Placing a damp washcloth behind baby’s neck or patting their face and arms with a wet cloth can also help your infant stay cool in the stroller.
9. Forget about your pace
OTM runner and writer from Australia, Chelsea Light, experiences legendary hot temperatures during the summer. Her advice is to forget about how fast you’re going and “celebrate the fact that you’re running in the heat.“
You will definitely run slower in hot temperatures, and your runs will have to be shorter to limit dangerous exposure to extreme temperatures.
Knowing this and being proud of what you can manage takes pressure off running with baby in the stroller. You’re also likely to be more satisfied with your effort in the end.
10. Walk your baby in the mall or a store with air conditioning
Regardless of your grit and determination, sometimes it’s just too hot to take baby outside. In this situation, running mom from Texas, Caitlin Salazar, says, “Oof. Stay inside!“
Caitlin has remedied workouts in her home state’s extreme temperatures by doing stroller walks with her son at a store or a mall with air conditioning.
Big home improvement stores and shopping centers offer adequate size, stimulation, and aisles to swerve around. Walking by stacked lumber and paint chips may not be as salubrious as strolling in the open air, but it’s a fine solution to restless boredom.
FAQs
High temperatures will always be a point of concern for many parents. So, it’s no wonder there are a lot of questions for additional safety precautions.
How hot is too hot to take my baby outside?
Temperatures of 90º F (32º C) or more are considered hazardous for children under 4 years old.
What to do if it's too hot to take my baby outside?
Either stay indoors or take your baby and stroller to a large store where you can walk around in air conditioning.
How can I tell if baby is overheating?
An overheated baby isn’t as obvious as an overheated adult, with our gallons of sweat and ability to say, “Holy hell! It’s hot out here!“
Observe your child closely when outside in the stroller, and get to a cool place immediately if you notice the following symptoms:
- Wet skin
- Rapid breathing
- Damp hair
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Flushed skin
- Vomiting
- Fever over 100º F
- Heat rash (appears as clear or raised red bumps on baby’s upper body)
How to safely cool down an overheated baby
- Get baby to cool place ASAP
- Remove excess layers or undress completely
- Pat down with a cool, damp cloth
- Give liquids (breastmilk for infants under one year or water for older children)
DO NOT attempt to cool baby off in a cold bath.
If your baby continues to be lethargic or unresponsive, call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately.
Is a stroller fan necessary?
While many parents in hot climates say a stroller fan is nice to have, they’ll admit they don’t think it does much to cool their babies off.
A good sun canopy and ventilation windows do more to keep a baby from overheating in the stroller than a tiny fan. But the portable stroller fan’s affordable price and mobility don’t make it a regrettable purchase.
If you think a stroller fan will help, get one. If you don’t, pass on it.
Conclusion
Babies can’t tell us when they are too hot. We can’t depend on our talking toddlers to let us know they’re overheating either (just like they’ll deny having to go to the bathroom when they’re actually bursting).
It’s up to us to make sure we’re keeping the baby cool in the stroller with the following:
- Lightweight clothing
- Hydration
- Sunscreen
- Ventilation
- And the mind to say, “Nah, not today” when temps are over 90º F.
Have a good run!
