Great article! The heat and humidity here have been ridiculous and I admit that it has made me think twice about wearing my son. One trick we use is to keep a handkerchief with his all of his “gear.” A handkerchief has about a million uses, but on hot days we dip it in cool water and drape it around our necks and pressure points to cool us both down.
I think you have it all covered! I carried all 3 of ours in all weather and never really thought too much about it, though we do not get real extremes of weather.
A really useful article with some great tips, thanks!
Though not an original idea of mine, I can’t remember who to credit; placing an ice pack wrapped in a towel between you and the babe, either on back or front. It has been VERY helpful for us.
That’s a great one! I bet it’s a treat on those really hot days. Even here, when I peel my baby out of the mei tai, we’ve both got nice sweat stains on our fronts. 🙂
No kidding, right?! I keep mistakenly thinking it’s fall… I actually wrote the original piece last year based on a reader question from someone living in a far hotter climate. I was feeling so overheated and ornery here the other day and then realized it was in the 70s. Hee. Which is why I welcome comments from any people in actual hot places…
LOVE this article. Last week we went to the farmers market and it was 95+ degrees. As it is everyday here. We were both so hot in the Ergo by the end of it. I’m going to try the back carry and my sling this next time.
I’ve definitely found our Ergo too hot in Texas (25 days over 100 and counting!), but the mesh Zolowear sling works for short bits in a hip carry. Those are the only two we’re using with our toddler, who thankfully started walking recently. This is a major challenge in this part of the world!
I have a new May baby myself. While my Ergo is my go to carrier that I’ve used for three years with my toddler, she isn’t quite ready for it yet…I invested in a mesh sling this year for the pool and it’s been a godsend! I’m not spending time out of the pool with her, and it gets her cooled off too!!
Our 4-year-old lives in his stroller, but there have been many times a stroller just wouldn’t cut it for us. My husband & I have carried our babyworn babies up hills, into caves, on the beach, through crowded public markets, down steep stairways, onto a ferris wheel, onto boats…and that’s not even counting all the work we can get done around the house with a little one in a carrier. I could go on and on! 🙂
about the mesh ring slings: I used the taylormade ones for my DS when he was an infant and it was great for the hot weather. Now that he is a heavy toddler, I can only wear that just to lug him to the pool from the car, it isn’t supportive out of water for long periods of time for his weight. I use a beco 4g or kanga xt even in 100 plus degree weather and we are both fine :). I take him out when we are hiking when we rest and I give him and myself cool water (in addition to nursing- he is 13 months)
Very good point! My firstborn was very heavy, so I can see the mesh wouldn’t have long been supportive for us out of water, either. Thanks for the alternative suggestions for other toddler-wearers!
Thanks for this! I have been wanting to figure out a back carry in my ring sling for the longest time…but never went so far as to look it up. The video makes it look insanely simple, so I’ll be giving it a try today! =)
I was curious about that one as well! You’ll have to let me know how it works in action. I’ve tried one back carry in a wrap so far with Alrik (trying to get some things done around the house) but was kind of nervous about it at this age.
I live in Phoenix and had a July baby two years ago. That is some crazy heat. For the first four months I wore my little guy in a Portable Baby Wrap almost continuously and it was perfect, very lightweight and folds down to nothing so you can stuff it in a purse when you’re not wearing it. I got a lot of use out of it for baby’s first year, then we graduated up to the hotsling for short trips and the Beco Butterfly for any extended carrying.
I thought the Portable Baby Wrap looked so cool — glad you’re able to give it a good review! Thanks for the other suggestions as well. You’ve definitely earned your hot-weather babywearing badge in Phoenix. 🙂
I live in Taipei, Taiwan (temps in the summer run in the 30s Centigrade (so roughly in the 90s Fahrenheit) with 90% + humidity. I loved the Portable Baby Wrap when my son was younger – very lightweight and cool. Now that he’s older, we use the Boba organic. I also have the Pikkolo by Catbird Baby, which is very versatile but the fabric is thicker than the Boba.
Thanks for sharing all of these great tips!! I live in the Dominican Republic so it is hot year round but this time of year is just insane heat!! My husband and I run a summer camp and take our 5 month old with us everyday so we do A LOT of babywearing in the extreme heat. Our main issue is keeping her out of the sun at the moment so I often carry an umbrella, but it can be tough when trying to run a camp so she spends the other half of the time covered in her stroller. It all works, but it is HOT!! I wish they made carriers with little sun umbrellas attached.. oh and maybe little fans that spray mists of water! 😉
I totally second the t-shirt or less. For some reason, I’ve always preferred Spencer in clothes, but it has gotten so hot lately we’ve all turned into nudists!
Aside from a bit of sweat between us, I don’t feel overheated from wearing him, thankfully!
Hi there! I used an ergo with baby insert for baby #1, but was considering a wrap for baby #2 (due in Aug). I’m in very hot, humid weather, so I want something I do not have to smother the little one in an insert to use. Did you use a pattern for your homemade mei tais? I’ve never even seen one in person, but I like the idea. A wrap seems really nice, but I don’t think I have the patience for it. Plus, I don’t like the idea of being wrapped like a mummy. Thank-you!
I find it the most convenient, easy on-and-off way to wear a baby, personally, and I do think it does pretty well in hot weather. I’ve used it with two newborns, too, and it works well as long as you keep them up high on your chest.
These are great tips! Thank you so much for sharing these! I have more experience with cold babywearing than hot (I’ve been out in the -40os), but we do get some hot days (high 80s, low 90s) each year.
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Great article! The heat and humidity here have been ridiculous and I admit that it has made me think twice about wearing my son. One trick we use is to keep a handkerchief with his all of his “gear.” A handkerchief has about a million uses, but on hot days we dip it in cool water and drape it around our necks and pressure points to cool us both down.
Oo, I like it. Pressure points definitely make for good instant relief. I had a friend who swore by the maxim of always having a handkerchief handy!
I think you have it all covered! I carried all 3 of ours in all weather and never really thought too much about it, though we do not get real extremes of weather.
A really useful article with some great tips, thanks!
We don’t much get extremes in Seattle, either. But I remember from my days elsewhere in the country. That’s why I moved here. 😉
Though not an original idea of mine, I can’t remember who to credit; placing an ice pack wrapped in a towel between you and the babe, either on back or front. It has been VERY helpful for us.
That’s a great one! I bet it’s a treat on those really hot days. Even here, when I peel my baby out of the mei tai, we’ve both got nice sweat stains on our fronts. 🙂
This is such a great post Lauren – thanks! Awesome ideas in here – and great to pass along to any worriers (cough, mother, cough). 😉
Ha! Hope she likes it. 🙂
Hot weather? What’s that? I’m surprised this topic came to you Lauren. 😉
No kidding, right?! I keep mistakenly thinking it’s fall… I actually wrote the original piece last year based on a reader question from someone living in a far hotter climate. I was feeling so overheated and ornery here the other day and then realized it was in the 70s. Hee. Which is why I welcome comments from any people in actual hot places…
LOVE this article. Last week we went to the farmers market and it was 95+ degrees. As it is everyday here. We were both so hot in the Ergo by the end of it. I’m going to try the back carry and my sling this next time.
Thanks for the tips! Great photos!
Hope that works out for you! I’m not envying you your 95+ degrees…
I’ve definitely found our Ergo too hot in Texas (25 days over 100 and counting!), but the mesh Zolowear sling works for short bits in a hip carry. Those are the only two we’re using with our toddler, who thankfully started walking recently. This is a major challenge in this part of the world!
Yipes. Seek shade! 🙂
Thanks for your perspective, and here’s hoping your toddler enjoys walking more than our 4-year-old does…
Hah…gotta love the “do you think it’s sweat or pee?” conversation after unsticking the soggy toddler from my back 😉
Ha! Exactly. Or if it’s a newborn on the front, I keep wondering if I’m the one leaking. 🙂
I have a new May baby myself. While my Ergo is my go to carrier that I’ve used for three years with my toddler, she isn’t quite ready for it yet…I invested in a mesh sling this year for the pool and it’s been a godsend! I’m not spending time out of the pool with her, and it gets her cooled off too!!
Thanks for the additional tips!
That sounds heavenly!
Stroller works great!
Our 4-year-old lives in his stroller, but there have been many times a stroller just wouldn’t cut it for us. My husband & I have carried our babyworn babies up hills, into caves, on the beach, through crowded public markets, down steep stairways, onto a ferris wheel, onto boats…and that’s not even counting all the work we can get done around the house with a little one in a carrier. I could go on and on! 🙂
about the mesh ring slings: I used the taylormade ones for my DS when he was an infant and it was great for the hot weather. Now that he is a heavy toddler, I can only wear that just to lug him to the pool from the car, it isn’t supportive out of water for long periods of time for his weight. I use a beco 4g or kanga xt even in 100 plus degree weather and we are both fine :). I take him out when we are hiking when we rest and I give him and myself cool water (in addition to nursing- he is 13 months)
Very good point! My firstborn was very heavy, so I can see the mesh wouldn’t have long been supportive for us out of water, either. Thanks for the alternative suggestions for other toddler-wearers!
Thanks for this! I have been wanting to figure out a back carry in my ring sling for the longest time…but never went so far as to look it up. The video makes it look insanely simple, so I’ll be giving it a try today! =)
I was curious about that one as well! You’ll have to let me know how it works in action. I’ve tried one back carry in a wrap so far with Alrik (trying to get some things done around the house) but was kind of nervous about it at this age.
I live in Phoenix and had a July baby two years ago. That is some crazy heat. For the first four months I wore my little guy in a Portable Baby Wrap almost continuously and it was perfect, very lightweight and folds down to nothing so you can stuff it in a purse when you’re not wearing it. I got a lot of use out of it for baby’s first year, then we graduated up to the hotsling for short trips and the Beco Butterfly for any extended carrying.
I thought the Portable Baby Wrap looked so cool — glad you’re able to give it a good review! Thanks for the other suggestions as well. You’ve definitely earned your hot-weather babywearing badge in Phoenix. 🙂
I live in Taipei, Taiwan (temps in the summer run in the 30s Centigrade (so roughly in the 90s Fahrenheit) with 90% + humidity. I loved the Portable Baby Wrap when my son was younger – very lightweight and cool. Now that he’s older, we use the Boba organic. I also have the Pikkolo by Catbird Baby, which is very versatile but the fabric is thicker than the Boba.
Thanks for sharing all of these great tips!! I live in the Dominican Republic so it is hot year round but this time of year is just insane heat!! My husband and I run a summer camp and take our 5 month old with us everyday so we do A LOT of babywearing in the extreme heat. Our main issue is keeping her out of the sun at the moment so I often carry an umbrella, but it can be tough when trying to run a camp so she spends the other half of the time covered in her stroller. It all works, but it is HOT!! I wish they made carriers with little sun umbrellas attached.. oh and maybe little fans that spray mists of water! 😉
I totally second the t-shirt or less. For some reason, I’ve always preferred Spencer in clothes, but it has gotten so hot lately we’ve all turned into nudists!
Aside from a bit of sweat between us, I don’t feel overheated from wearing him, thankfully!
Caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, naked and wearing Spencer in my Boba… its a pretty funny site. 🙂
Also, I wore Spencer once with not diaper. He is MUCH shorter in that thing without one! I usually put his diaper back on just to wear him.
Hi there! I used an ergo with baby insert for baby #1, but was considering a wrap for baby #2 (due in Aug). I’m in very hot, humid weather, so I want something I do not have to smother the little one in an insert to use. Did you use a pattern for your homemade mei tais? I’ve never even seen one in person, but I like the idea. A wrap seems really nice, but I don’t think I have the patience for it. Plus, I don’t like the idea of being wrapped like a mummy. Thank-you!
I cobbled together a few patterns to make my own. Here’s my sewing tutorial:
“How to sew a mei tai baby carrier”
I find it the most convenient, easy on-and-off way to wear a baby, personally, and I do think it does pretty well in hot weather. I’ve used it with two newborns, too, and it works well as long as you keep them up high on your chest.
Best wishes with your little one on the way!
These are great tips! Thank you so much for sharing these! I have more experience with cold babywearing than hot (I’ve been out in the -40os), but we do get some hot days (high 80s, low 90s) each year.