From flushed cheeks to heavy breathing, the heat hit my baby harder than I expected. We did the obvious — shade, fluids, loose clothes — but one simple thing made the biggest difference: a small wet cloth my baby instinctively sucked on. We now call it the “Lil Towel.”
This isn’t medical advice. It’s what genuinely helped us while we monitored closely and stayed ready to seek care if symptoms worsened.
What Heatstroke Looked Like for Us
Heat exhaustion can escalate quickly in babies, so we paid attention to the early signs:
- Hot, red skin
- Unusual fussiness
- Fast breathing
- Refusing feeds
- Lethargy or difficulty settling
If a baby becomes unusually drowsy, vomits, stops responding, or their temperature climbs dangerously high — that’s an emergency. NHS/AAP guidelines say to seek help immediately.
What Helped
1. Immediate cooling — not shocking cold
Cold water or ice is too harsh for babies. What worked:
- Moving to shade or an indoor cool area
- Fanning gently
- Wiping with a lukewarm wet cloth
- Removing layers and loosening the nappy
The goal is gradual cooling.
2. The “Lil Towel”
This was the unexpected lifesaver.
We soaked a small clean cotton cloth, wrung it out so it wasn’t dripping, and handed it to our baby. She put it straight in her mouth and sucked on it while holding it against her face.
Why it helped:
- Kept her lips and mouth moist when she refused the bottle
- Cooled her cheeks and chin
- Calmed her — the sucking reflex regulated her better than offering constant feeds
- Prevented dehydration creeping in without overloading her with big gulps
We refreshed it with cool (not cold) water every 10–15 minutes.
Important:
Use clean water, clean cloth, and supervise constantly — no frayed edges, no loose fibres, and never leave the baby with it unattended.
3. Small, frequent fluids
Instead of pushing a full feed:
- 10–20ml every few minutes
- Breast milk or formula as usual
- If older than 6 months, sips of water were fine
Little and often kept her hydrated without upsetting her stomach.
4. Body contact cooling
Holding her against my chest — skin to skin — actually helped regulate her temperature better than leaving her in the pram. Babies stabilise when they feel safe.
We covered both of us with a light damp muslin when the heat peaked.
5. Cutting back stimulation
Heat makes babies irritable. We dimmed the room, reduced noise, and let her rest. The calmer she was, the more her temperature dropped.
What Didn’t Help
- Spraying cold water — made her cry harder, which increased her body heat
- Overfeeding — she vomited
- Using a fan too close — dried her out and irritated her eyes
- Constant movement — stroller walks heated her up again
Simple and still worked better than anything dramatic.
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