A Swedish study was brought to our attention recently and I think it is so important to get the word out on this popular, but dangerous, practice that many parents are doing with their strollers. I’ve been guilty of this mistake many times when my kids were babies.
As parents, we always want to do what’s best for our kids, and when it’s a hot summer day, we usually think covering them to protect them further from the sun is a good idea. Sure, our stroller canopies are great and all but many times it leaves their little legs exposed to the sun. So, what many of us are doing is actually a very dangerous thing that could harm our baby even more. Parents are draping a thin blanket over the entire stroller blocking the opening of the stroller. Sounds normal, right? You’ve probably done this many times. I’ll admit it, I’m guilty.
Well, when we know better, we do better. The Swedish study brought to light the fact that this stroller covering practice is actually heating up our tiny, helpless babies very, very quickly to dangerous levels. By covering the stroller (even with a super lightweight muslin blanket) we are restricting the air circulation inside the stroller and therefore creating a furnace-like environment. This heat can put your baby at a greater risk of heatstroke so it’s a very bad idea to do.
A Swedish newsletter tested the researchers theory with their own experiment. They placed an uncovered stroller in the sun and the temperature inside the stroller was 72 degrees. After covering the stroller with a thin cover for 30 minutes, the temperature rose to 93 degrees. After one hour, the temperature inside the covered stroller was a shocking 100 degrees!
So, what is a mom to do when it’s a hot day? Glad you asked. We give you a variety of alternatives to keeping your child cooler in the stroller in today’s Baby Gizmo video.