Sunday, July 24, 2011

Dangerous Heat

Regardless of where you are located across the country, you're probably feeling extreme heat.  I am not someone to particularly mind if it's hot, but having an infant has changed my mindset.  I am terrified J is going to become overly sweaty, dehydrated, and suffer from heat exhaustion if I don't take all precautions to prevent it.  Our air conditioner seems to be struggling to keep up the pace, so I'm having to improvise.

I have slowly been freezing blocks of ice in our freezer in plastic containers.  As soon as one is frozen, I  bring it out and place it in front of our fan in the living room.  Isn't this how the original air conditioners worked?

I also put J in a cool bath to play.  It was the first bath he's ever taken without actually needing it.  I brought in his bumbo and he went to town splashing and inspecting his toes.  Afterwards, the two of us only put on necessary garments.

I seriously cannot stop taking pictures of my baby sans clothing.

Contained in a large plastic bag, I put some of J's receiving blankets in the freezer.  When it's time to nurse, I pull one out and lay it as a barrier between his skin and mine.  Otherwise, we're both a puddle of sweat in mere seconds.  I'm also offering him an opportunity to nurse very often, before he requests.  This way I ensure he's plenty hydrated.  Last night, I even went so far as pumping 5 oz. and offering it to him chilled.  I wasn't sure if he'd take it as he has only had a warm bottle but, lo and behold, he took it willingly and even attempted to hold the bottle on his own (wow!).

Lastly, I'm keeping the blinds drawn and staying inside.  In fact, we didn't leave the house for 2 whole days.  Hello, cabin fever!  (Truthfully, I dosed myself with a little of J's vitamin D drops.)

Heat index of 119?  We will not be defeated!

What do you do to keep cool in these temperatures?  
How do you ensure your little one is safe from all heat-related injuries?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's been ridiculously hot and humid here as well. It seems like you're taking the necessary precautions to ensure that J stays cool. It gets easier as they get older, I can assure you. We decided to take Jonah to the playground, this weekend, and were out the door at 7:00 am as opposed to around lunchtime just so Jonah could play without turning into a tomato in the sun.

Love the picture of him in the bath; we used to put Jonah's Bumbo in the tub so that he could play too!

Happy Sunday!
Kate

Unknown said...

Its been really hot out here too and our AC is not really cooling as much!
So I improvise too.. :) I put my daughter in the tub so she can play and I sometimes join her .. Its really refreshing!

Angie
http://ourlittleinspiration.blogspot.com

Gina said...

It's been AWFUL! I was glad when it started raining yesterday - it brought a little bit of relief to these unbearable temps!

Nancy said...

This heat is awful. I hate being cooped up in the house (which we did ALL winter long when my daughter was born) but I hate having to do my errands in the heat especially with a baby.

I've been having to turn my truck on, blast the A/C on for a good 10 minutes and give a frozen teether to my daughter while we do quick trips.

I never thought of using a Bumbo in the tub! I may have to try that out today for my daughter's bath. Thanks for the idea. :)

Not There Yet said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog! After reading yours a bit I realize that we have a lot in common! Nice to "meet" you and I will make sure to visit often!

Callie said...

Good idea with the receiving blankets, I may try that.

The tub picture is so cute. He is precious!

Taylor said...

What a good idea! Bumbo in the bathtub! I've never heard of that before!!

Melissa @ Growing Up Geeky said...

Love love love this photo! I can't believe how hot it is out there. I would die without air conditioning.

Thanks for linking up to Toddle Along Tuesday at Growing Up Geeky and Our Growing Garden!

I'm your newest follower via GFC :)