How To Keep a Baby Cool While Hiking

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If you’re big on outdoor activities, then you probably fancy hiking whenever the opportunity presents itself. Even better, the prospect of hiking with your baby and introducing them to the scenic outdoors can be exciting. But considering how unpredictable the weather might be, how can you keep your baby cool and comfortable while hiking?

Here are 7 ways to keep your baby cool while hiking:

Hike during cooler months of the year.
Hike early in the day before the temperature is at its warmest.
Dress your infant in layers.
Bring plenty of fluids for your baby.
Wear something lightweight to keep your own body temperature low.
Give your child a hat to protect them from the sun.
Keep your hike short enough to reduce exposure to heat and sun.

By reading the rest of this article, you’ll learn some helpful tips on keeping your little one cool and comfortable. These tips will allow you to bond with your baby over a hike without any weather-related concerns.

1. Hike During Cooler Months of the Year

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Timing is of the utmost importance when it comes to hiking. One of the most critical factors you should consider when hiking with your baby is the time of year you’re doing it.

You want to avoid extreme temperatures with your little hiking companion, so it’s best not to do so on the hottest or coldest days of the year.

For most people, fall or spring is the ideal time to embark on hikes, at least in terms of weather. Spring and fall tend to have moderate temperatures that are ideal for hiking, especially when tagging your little one along.

Because most parents use a front-facing carrier like this Infantino Carrier (available on Amazon), choosing a day that isn’t too hot is even more vital. This is easiest to achieve by hiking in the cooler months of the year.

Another thing that you can do is move your baby around from time to time to allow their body to breathe more and cool.

Hiking on spring or summer days will likely mean the temperature is well under 90° F (32° C) when exploring with your young nature lover. Ninety degrees Fahrenheit (32° Celsius) is the threshold considered safe for babies to be outdoors for extended periods.

You should also try to hike under trees, especially if you’re out during the warmer months, as it will help you stay cool during peak heat. Temperatures in the shade can feel much cooler, both for you and your baby, even though they mightn’t be able to tell you verbally.

2. Hike Early in the Day Before the Temperature Is Its Warmest

Much like the time of year matters, so does the time of day you hike. Therefore, if you plan to walk during the summer, it’s best to choose a time earliest in the day to hike with your baby.

Hiking early in the day can make a difference as much as 50° F (10° C) in some parts of the world. Thus, a huge part of keeping your baby cool while hiking is choosing the time of day to go.

Hiking early in the day ensures that you’re outside before peak heat, and you won’t have to worry about being caught outside once it starts to get dark. It’s also a great time of day to hike because your baby will still likely have ample time for a nap when you return home from the hike.

Plus, the weather is usually much more forgiving when the sun comes out to play compared to sunset when it starts to get colder.

3. Dress Your Infant in Layers

Dressing your young child in layers is the best way to prepare your little champ for an outdoor adventure. The layers of clothes ensure that your baby’s skin will be covered and protected from the sun and that you have plenty of options should the weather change.

When dressing your child in layers for a hike, you should choose materials that best regulate body temperature. While cotton is the most common fabric for baby clothes, it isn’t always the best for keeping your baby cool, but it isn’t a bad choice either.

As long as you have layers, you can monitor how warm your baby feels and take an item or two off to keep them nice and cool.

Dressing your child in layers also protects their skin from the sun. Protecting their delicate skin is critical, so wearing a lightweight outfit with long sleeves is suitable for their outer layer.

You can also choose a light pair of socks or booties rather than shoes or boots. As long as their skin is covered, there’s no need to wear shoes, assuming they aren’t walking yet.

Another thing to consider is that the clothes shouldn’t be too tight. It’s best if the outfit has plenty of room for them to breathe and allows for better circulation. Your baby will appreciate the extra space to wriggle around and be more comfortable and cool.

4. Bring Plenty of Fluids for Your Baby

Staying hydrated should be at the absolute forefront of every parent’s mind when partaking in any outdoor adventure.

While carrying several water bottles might be ideal when hiking with older babies, you might need to consider other alternatives when dealing with infants that can yet drink water.

When you go out for a hike, you must remember to pack milk for your child to keep them cool and refreshed.

Not only is milk or formula essential to bring along on your hike, but you must also consider how you’ll store and tow it properly. There are some excellent ready-to-drink portable options like this great product from Similac Formula. These are convenient because you don’t need to worry about regulating the temperature as you would with milk.

For breastfeeding parents, some more thought needs to go into preparing your baby’s fluids for the hike.

If the mother is going along for the hike, she may want to take the time to feed her baby somewhere on the journey. Doing so is recommended for infants, especially if the mum does not mind breastfeeding while enjoying some time out.

For breastfeeding out in the trails, the mother should find a comfortable, well-shaded location. There are some great tips and tricks on breastfeeding while hiking from articles like this one.

If the mother doesn’t breastfeed or prefers to prepare the milk before the hike, you’ll need to consider storage. The easiest way to keep the bottle cool for your baby on a hike is to have the right accessories. I’ve had great success with a backpack designed for babies with bottle storage inside, like this durable Diaper Bag from JHhomezeit Store (available on Amazon.com).

To keep your baby’s milk extra cool, you can wrap an ice pack around the bottle before storing it in the backpack.

An ice pack works equally well for breast milk and formula, especially when hiking towards midday. Your baby will appreciate the hard work and effort you put into keeping them hydrated and cool.

5. Wear Something Lightweight To Keep Your Own Body Temperature Lower

You’ll most likely wear a baby carrier when hiking with your baby, especially when embarking on potentially long hikes. Wearing a carrier means your body will be directly next to your baby’s. For this reason, it’s equally vital that you choose nice cool clothes for yourself to ensure that your baby stays as cool as possible.

Much like you want to dress your baby in layers, you’ll also want to dress yourself in layers that you can easily take off as you continue with the hike. Wear a nice wicking T-shirt like the Nike Dri-Fit Shirt as a base.

On top of that, you should choose a lightweight shirt similar to what you’d give your infant. While some might prefer to layer up with heavy clothes, keeping things simple with light clothes is recommended when hiking during morning hours.

Just like you want to be conscious of what you cover your baby’s head with, you want to consider your clothing.

If you wear a heavy sweater or sweatshirt, you might generate excess heat and pass it down to your little one. Therefore, it would be nice to choose lightweight material that breathes well to keep your youngster appropriately cool while enjoying the great outdoors.

6. Give Your Child a Hat To Protect Them From the Sun

A baby’s face is often the first thing a parent considers covering, especially when bringing their baby outside for extended periods, like when they take them hiking.

While it’s extremely important to cover your baby’s skin, especially on the face, because their skin isn’t made to handle the sun the way a grown-up adult’s skin is, you must also do so in a way that doesn’t make your baby too hot.

Too often, people are so concerned about keeping their baby’s skin covered that they mightn’t realize that the material they use as a cover, like a blanket, could cause their baby to overheat.

Similarly, choosing the right hat is equally important. Stocking hats aren’t ideal as the baby will be too warm if it’s any other season besides winter. Baseball caps, safari hats, and other lightweight options will be your best choices.

When picking a hat for your child, you should choose one that’ll protect them from the sun and keep them cool.

Fortunately, there are some excellent options for babies to keep their heads out of the sun while remaining nice and chill, like this Green Sprouts Sun Hat. This hat is perfect because it’s lightweight and has a drawstring for comfort. The hat has some excellent ear flaps that’ll protect your little one’s ears while making them look cool at the same time.

7. Keep Your Hike Short Enough To Reduce Exposure To Heat and Sun

Another essential consideration when hiking with your baby is the length of time you’ll be outside. It’s advisable to keep your hikes short, especially when hiking in the afternoon when the sun is at its peak.

And since your baby can’t handle excess heat and movement yet, you should try to limit the amount of time you spend outside.

The longer you’re outside, the more exposed your child will be to the elements, which can become extreme when dealing with unpredictable weather.

Experts advise that you finish your hike before 10 am or at least kick it off at 5 pm to avoid exposing your little one to extreme heat. Not only will you be missing the hottest stretches of the day by hiking during these hours, but it’ll also keep your hike at a safe length of time.

Many experts warn about taking babies outside for long periods. Even though a hike might not seem extreme to you, it could significantly affect your young baby. So do your best to keep your walk around one hour long.

Keep your hike around the one-hour mark to avoid overwhelming your little adventurer.

Remember, not only are they wearing clothes out in nature where the temperature isn’t as closely regulated as at home, but they’re also pressed against you. The extra layer of the fabric you’re wearing means they’ll be warmer than usual, so you shouldn’t have them in this position for very long.

Conclusion

Now that we’ve looked at some ways to keep your baby cool during hikes, you should be well placed to embark on an enjoyable outdoor adventure with your little champ.

Remember, babies don’t have the strength to endure extreme temperatures or strong winds yet, so you should limit their time outside, no matter how tempting it can be to extend.

Dressing your babies in layers will also give you more flexibility in terms of temperature regulation.