After summer monsoon brings happiness & relaxation for all of us. But it also give rise to humid atmosphere and dirt due to water flooding and mosquitoes to born. It is also favorable time for virus and bacteria to germinate. So cold, cough and flu is mostly prevalent during this time. But proper care and sanitation can protect your baby from all this, so that you and your baby can enjoy this monsoon.
Bathing a Newborn during Monsoon
Newborn babies doesn’t need to bath daily during Monsoon. Bathing 3 to 4 times in a week is good enough to keep them clean. When the climate is hot and humid then bathing is a good way of helping your baby cool down and if climate is cold then just give your baby sponge bath, special care should be taken on creases and folds of the skin and the genitals to keep them clean. Don’t use cold water for bathing your baby as it might upset your baby. Use lukewarm water for bathing. If the skin is getting dry, do not bathe her often unless she is dirty and needs it. Always try to keep your baby’s bath as short as possible. For more details on bathing your newborn baby, you can read my article “Bathing Newborn Baby: A Parent’s Guide“.
Clothes to wear during Monsoon
During Monsoon the weather fluctuates and sometime it is very unpredictable. It could start with rain and suddenly it becomes hot and humid. So, it is best advisable to dress your baby in layers. Use light cotton full sleeve cardigan to dress your baby and remove it if sun shines bright and day becomes hot and humid. Keep a light cotton blanket handy so that you can cover her if temperature falls.
Choose a light colored dress to cover her full arms and legs. Mosquitoes and flies gets attracted towards dark color and mosquitoes borne disease are more prevalent during monsoon.
As a general rule of thumb your baby needs one more layering of clothes than you. But its better to observe your baby regularly and if you found her to be sweating then remove a layer and switch on the fan. On the other hand if she seems uncomfortable and her tummy is cold to touch add a layer.
Food and Water during Monsoon
Water borne diseases are very common during monsoon as sewers easily get flooded and sometimes get mixed with supply of clean water. Make sure you are using a good water filter. You may also use boiled water for drinking but make sure to cool the water before giving it to your baby. If your baby is excessively on breastfeed then you don’t need to give her additional water even during hot and humid weather and also when your baby is sweating a lot. Just feed her as often as she ask for it to keep the baby well hydrated. You will observe that your baby ask for milk more but feed for less time at a go during hot weather. This is because she is taking foremilk more, which is water rich.
If the baby is formula fed or stared solid food recently, give her water in between her feeds or meals to keep her hydrated. Keep sippy bottle handy at all times.
Sterilize all the utensils used for making foods and used in feeding. Use sterilized bottles, sippy bottles, teats, nipples of bottles for milk and ensure proper hygiene of the utensils required for feeding the baby.
Food can get spoiled faster in humid weather therefore always ensure that food is still good to eat before giving it to your baby. Make sure you are cleaning fruits and veggies properly before using it. It is always the best practice to provide your baby with freshly prepared food.
Sleep Care
Use a mosquito net every time your baby is sleeping because rainy season brings flies, mosquitoes and other insects in home. So its best to use mosquito net every time.
Keep some medicines always available at home in case your baby gets cough, cold, fever, rash etc. Also keep some ointments at home as bites are very common during monsoon. These ointments can provide instant relief from bites.
Keep your home clean as much as possible. Change your bed sheets, pillow cover regularly. Use disinfectants floor cleaner to keep mosquitoes away.