I live 200km from the hottest town in Australia, last night my phone kindly told me it would feel like 48℃ today but while my car tells me it’s only 34° out there, the humidity is thick and it sure feels hotter.
I know heat, I know babywearing, and here are my tips when having to combine the two.
1. If it’s just too hot, don’t. Babywearing isn’t going to be pleasant with two hot sweaty bodies in close contact.
There is also potential for the baby to overheat. Little bodies have a harder time regulating their temperature due to a large surface area compared to body size. The large amount of surface area is one of their strategies for removing heat from their bodies (adults tend to sweat more), but if they are held against an adult with fabric covering them on the other side, this could reduce their ability to cool down through their skin. There actually aren’t studies looking at how efficient sweating is as a cooling mechanism for babies, but they do sweat when their environment gets over 34°. If they are in air over 41° they also might start to gain heat from the environment.
What to do instead? If you are babywearing outside, limit to the start and end of each day when it’s cooler, stick inside if you have access to air conditioning, or use a pram with a fan if you have to spend time outside in the heat.
Got a baby that just needs to be held? Do your best to cool down the environment, and hold them in your arms with a cloth between you to limit the amount of stickiness you are sharing, and allow one side of them to be uncovered. You want to avoid placing wet cloths on small babies as due to their larger surface area, you can accidentally cool them down too much, but a wipe down and a cool cloth on your body can help.
2. Pick a carrier made of natural fabrics. I’m skeptical about the cooling properties of carriers that are made of synthetic mesh fabrics that claim to be cooler. Yes, even the Neko Switch Air that I have in store, though I have had people assure me that this carrier is cool. Natural fabrics breath and plasticy fabrics are going to make you sweat.
Want an even cooler carrier? Consider using a ring sling so there is only one extra layer of fabric over you and bub. They are almost always made of natural fabrics as well.
Many cultures that live in hot climates have practiced babywearing for many years, so you might also look to these types of carriers too.
3. Both dress in light, thin layers, or even leave your baby in just a nappy while babywearing. If you are outside, make sure their limbs are covered or you are in the shade so they don’t get a dose of sunburn.
Babies lose a lot of heat out of their heads, so if they have a hat on, take it off when you are in the shade to help heat escape. Avoid the use of the hood on your carrier, they are really only useful to support a baby’s head if they fall asleep in a back carry. If you have a removable hood, I would suggest taking it off the carrier so it’s not adding to the layers. Try a broad brimmed hat on your head to cast shade on your baby, or use an umbrella, or even better, avoid the sun as much as possible.
4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Both you and your baby. If your baby is under six months, only offer extra breast milk or formula, but if your baby is older you can offer extra water with meals. Carry your own drink bottle, and remember to actually drink from it.
Know the signs of dehydration in babies - excessive sweating, decreased number of wet nappies, fewer or no tears when crying, confusion, rapid breathing - and seek medical advice if your baby reaches this point, while starting cooling measures mentioned above.
Heat can mean some modifications to how you babywear, but it doesn’t have to stop if it’s something you and your baby love. As the weather is so hot where I live, we are blessed with well air conditioned spaces so thankfully I was able to continue to babywear, even with the original Ergo Baby infant insert (think tiny, thick doona if you aren’t familiar with it!).
Keep an eye on your baby, and monitor how you are feeling and babywear away with breaks where needed through your summer adventures.
References
van de Kamp, E., & Daanen, H. (2025). Narrative Review on Infants’ Thermoregulatory Response to Heat. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(8), 1265. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081265