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How to take care of LO in hot weather?

Discussion in 'Infants' started by RekhaViju, Feb 23, 2010.

  1. RekhaViju

    RekhaViju Bronze IL'ite

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    Hi mummies, I am going to India this wednesday and am extremely worried now about the hot weather in Kerala, looks like it is already 39 degrees! Laya will now be going from extreme cold to extreme hot weather. I am worried if she would be able to tolerate this.

    I am assuming I should be feeding her more often than I do here. Is there anything else that I should be doing? Should I give her water in addition to BM? We do not have airconditioners, do you think it is worth investing on one? How to take care of extreme humid conditions? I am already planning to use cloth diapers, but I am worried about the outer waterproof nappy cover, should I? How to take care of mosquitos? most of the repellents and creams that i see here cannot be used on infants less than 6 months old.

    oh my! until today i was more worried about the actual travel part and now I have more than enough to worry about.
     
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  2. Gowri66

    Gowri66 Gold IL'ite

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    Rekha...

    Same here.... 39F to 39C !!!
    I asked the Ped. about giving water... she said it is not necessary at all. She also assured that babies can tolerate and get accustomed to the surroundings soon.

    My points...
    Using cotton outfits, giving bath twice atleast. Not to take her out until it is absolutely essential. As you said.. kept her hydrated by frequent feedings.

    Mosquito bites.... try neem oil (natural) .I remember reading some where in IL it is a good repellent.

    I hope Laya and Aditi will do fine. Take care.
     
  3. manjulats

    manjulats Silver IL'ite

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    I travelled exactly at the same situation as yours when my elder one was in the same phase.She got used to it pretty soon.Only the jetlag was difficult,others she settled very soon.Just give her water that would be fine,and use cotton clothes .Mosquitoes won't be there much i guess as it is summer.

     
  4. AnithaA

    AnithaA Bronze IL'ite

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    Rekha,

    My BIL's daughter came down from the UK too last year and though it was tough for the first 2 days, she adjusted after that. :thumbsup I would suggest you get those thin cotton wear for Laya when you come here or ask someone to get them for you. So by the time you come, they can get it ready by giving it a first wash. When going out, sleeveless, halternecks should work well. As for the diapers, I read somewhere that the CDs (with PUL) should be dried in shade and not in the sun (I guess it was Tikka who said this). Inside the house, it is best to have netlon installed on all windows and ventilators. Netlon is removable, so if your folks want, it can always be removed after you guys leave. When we didn't have netlon, I applied coconut oil mixed with 2-3 drops of lemongrass oil all over nilu, including the face. Nilu has pretty sensitive skin, and she was ok with this. By the way this has to be reapplied as the oil gets absorbed. An air conditioner makes things easier for the nights, but if you don't want to get one, I would suggest you get a table fan. Switch on the fan and the table fan (directed at Laya) and she should sleep well. Worked for us (I didn't want Nilu to get used to ACs, lest she refuses to sleep without one) :) And like Gowri says, giving 2 baths a day helps a ton! Good luck and have a wonderful time!
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2010
  5. tikka

    tikka Gold IL'ite

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    Rekha, I did invest in one. As I said somewhere here in the forums, K's bedroom gets evening sun and get intolerably hot in the nights. So I did a lot of stuff to cool the house and then I got the a/c, which we had to use all night long. But in our room, we dont need the a/c at all, even peak summer. I would say it depends on how the room you are going to be is situated.
    Like Anitha, the first year we did use lemon grass oil and citronella oil based repellants. I also used it in the essential oil dispenser. If mosquito is a problem where you are at, I would then suggest a canopy like mosquito netting. It was some Rs 1500, but is quick to assemble and put it away.
    The PUL works well in Indian summers to, the only thing is I was told to put it on the washing line with the PUL surface facing away from the sun. The covers were given to us by a friend, and she had used it with her daughter, gave it to another friend, then we used it and we have now given it to another friend, who said after three years they are beginning to fray a bit, but she is getting her maid to wash them and the lady is using a brush. Long story short, PUL covers do not cause any discomfort from my experience.Wishing you a pleasant journey and a nice stay here with Laya.
     
  6. sumanr

    sumanr Silver IL'ite

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    Rekha, I am sorry but I am hijacking your thread. Some questions to tikka & Anitha ....

    I have this mosquito problem. Does lemongrass oil work well ? Lo is only 4.5 months, is it ok to apply it on her ? Does it mean that we do not need mosquito net ??

    2. Tikka - We have the mosquito net for a double cot. It is covered on 4 sides and the top. But it is so stuffy inside .... the fan is right above but no air ... i double checked if it is cotton and not nylon. Cost was 550-600 Rs.
     
  7. Vishalini3

    Vishalini3 Silver IL'ite

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    Am listing down whatever works for us.

    If there is another construction above your floor, then using ceiling fan is ok, otherwise, if yours is the topmost, then ceiling fan circulates HOT air inside the room, which is of no use. So we use table fans/pedestal fans in the rotating mode. We switch off the ceiling fans in the day. All curtains, we made it out of my cotton dhupattah or saree, slightly spray water on them. With damp curtains and pedestal fans, room becomes cool in 5-10mins :)
    We use a mat with cotton spread and leave the baby on the floor, not in the bed.
    Only cotton dresses.
    Cloth diapers/langots when he is awake.
    Naps and nights - CDs with PUL or sposies. We have the pedestal fan near him. Otherwise he sweats a lot, esp his hair :(
    Though we have the AC, we have not started using it now. Only on April/May/June, we would have them whole night ON.
    I have started tying his hair too :)

    Mosquitos, have come down a lot, in the past 1week. Am seeing less these days. Evenings by 5, we close all the doors. We have netlons for windows. We keep the bedroom closed mainly. Nights, just before sleeping, i switch off all fans, hunt for mosquitos and zap them off with bats. I have tried neem oil, but dono whether it worked or there were no mosquitos.
    Ramya, netlon for the bed, we too find it stuffy, try using a pedestal fan from the sides, see if you get air inside the net this way.
     
  8. RekhaViju

    RekhaViju Bronze IL'ite

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    thanks a lot everyone.

    I have noted down everything. will see if netlon is available. most probably wont go for ac and try pedestal. I dont live in a metro like chennai, so will try to get neem oil and lemongrass oil from here itself.
     
  9. AnithaA

    AnithaA Bronze IL'ite

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    Ramya, the mosquito net did not work for us unless the AC was on. Nilu hated sleeping in it. So its on the "paranai" now! I used lemongrass (3 drops) mixed in a spoon of coconut iol for Nilu from when she was 5 months old. She has extremely sensitive skin and was fine with this. If your LO doesn't have skin problems, do try it. Or if you want, you can do a patch test and check. :)
     
  10. loonypooh

    loonypooh Silver IL'ite

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    rekha, we use the baby mosquito canopys... just bought the big size so that she doesnt feel stuffy in one.... we have netlon too on all windows :) and yes the bat does come handy... our house is just opposite the forest college, so u can imagine, mozzies are a menace here. no matter wat i do, zoey does get up with few mozzie bites every morn... well! if not for the canopy she wld get up with 500 bites!

    nxt about a/c, we recently got one for now its starting to get quite hot. but she doesnt really like it. its funny she hates sleeping without it, she hates sleeping with it!
    so the a/c is running at 26-27 deg with door open! but we dont run it all night, just enough to cool the room

    PUL, yes we have been using it on zoey , ever since she was 2 wks without issues. but now that it is hot, i give her lots and lots of diaper free time... just put her in the terry mat and let her play. after 30 mins again the diaper is on :)

    PUL does get hot, but giving diaper free time does the trick. :)

    just get lots of sleeveless clothing for her, we just got a dozen for zoey, thin and soft and have seen her quite comfortable in them.

    btw we are moving from the sorta pleasant weather of coimbatore to the HOT HOT city of hyderabad that too during summer.... eeks!
     

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