Heatwave Safety for Babies: Food and Fluids

May and June in Pakistan can push temperatures past 45°C in Jacobabad, Multan, Lahore and even Islamabad, and babies feel that heat faster than adults do. A heatwave baby plan is mostly about three things: enough fluids, light and fresh food, and a cool place to rest. Here is a practical guide for Pakistani homes, including what to do when the light goes during load-shedding.

Fluids first: milk, then water

Under 6 months

• Breastfed babies do not need extra water, even in a heatwave. Breast milk is mostly water. Simply offer the breast more often, including short extra feeds.
• Formula-fed babies: make up formula exactly as the tin says. Never add extra water to "stretch" it. Ask your doctor before giving extra water.
• Do not give ghutti, honey water, gripe water or sugar water. They add nothing and can be harmful.

6 to 12 months

• Keep milk feeds going as the main drink.
• Offer small sips of safe water (boiled and cooled, or filtered) from an open or straw cup with meals, a few times a day.
• No juice, Rooh Afza, sherbet, cold drinks or tea. They are sugary and do not hydrate better than water.

1 year and above

• Offer water often, every hour or so when it is very hot, especially after play.
• Plain lassi without salt or sugar, chhaas (thin buttermilk) and plain yoghurt count towards fluids. Keep salt and sugar out.
• Coconut water or fresh juice is not needed. Whole fruit is better.

Light, cooling meals for hot days

Babies often eat less in the heat. That is normal for a day or two, as long as they are drinking well and wetting nappies. Choose foods that are soft, fresh and high in water:

• Lauki (bottle gourd), tori (ridge gourd) and kaddu (pumpkin) – steamed and mashed or in thin khichdi.
• Dahi (yoghurt) – plain, full-fat, at room temperature, from 6 months. Mix with mashed rice or fruit.
• Fruits – watermelon (tarbooz) without seeds, ripe mango (aam) mashed, melon (garma), papaya. For babies, mash or offer soft finger-length strips.
• Thin khichdi and daal – moong daal khichdi with a little ghee stays easy to digest.
• Egg or chicken – keep protein going daily: a mashed boiled egg in rice, or shredded chicken in yakhni.

Serve smaller meals more often, and do the main meal in the cooler morning or evening. Heavy fried food, parathas dripping in oil and spicy salans are harder on everyone in this weather.

Food safety when it is 45°C and the light goes

Bacteria multiply fast in heat. This is when tummy upsets and loose motions peak, so be strict:

1. Cook baby food fresh where possible, or in small batches.
2. Cooked food should not sit out for more than an hour on very hot days. Cool it quickly and refrigerate.
3. During load-shedding, keep the fridge door closed. Use cooked food within 24 hours, and throw away anything that smells or looks odd.
4. Never reuse leftovers from the bowl your baby ate from; saliva spoils food quickly.
5. Wash hands, spoons and bowls with soap and safe water. Boil water if you are unsure of the supply.

Keeping baby cool

• Thin cotton clothes; a vest and nappy indoors is fine.
• Stay indoors from roughly 11 am to 4 pm. Keep curtains drawn and use a fan to move air, not pointed straight at baby.
• A lukewarm (not cold) sponge or bath helps. Avoid ice packs on the skin.
• Never leave a child in a parked car, even for two minutes.
• Cover the pram with a light cotton cloth that lets air through; thick covers trap heat.

Danger signs: see a doctor

Go to a doctor or hospital urgently if your baby has: fewer than 4 to 6 wet nappies in 24 hours, dark urine, a dry mouth, no tears, a sunken soft spot, unusual sleepiness or floppiness, hot dry skin, vomiting that will not stop, or a fever. Any fever in a baby under 3 months needs a doctor the same day.

On hot days when you need something gentle and quick, Nutri Bowl Savoury rice porridge mixes into a soft, light meal that is easy to make fresh in small portions. Please check the ingredient list on the pack if your child has any allergies.

Frequently asked questions

Should I give my 4 month old water in a heatwave?

No. Exclusively breastfed babies get enough fluid from breast milk; just feed more often. For formula-fed babies, ask your doctor.

Can I give ORS to prevent dehydration?

ORS is for treating fluid loss from diarrhoea or vomiting, as advised by a doctor. It is not needed as a daily drink.

Is cold water or ice bad for babies?

Cool water is fine for babies over 6 months. Very cold or iced drinks are unnecessary; ice cubes are a choking risk for young children.

For more summer help, read Lauki (Bottle Gourd) for Babies: A Summer-Friendly Vegetable and Water for Babies: When and How Much After 6 Months.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Please check with your paediatrician before starting new foods, especially if your baby has allergies, reflux or was born early.