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Keep Cool and Carry On - Surviving the Summer in Hong Kong

Written by Laura Tyson on Monday, 01 June 2015. Posted in Life in the +852

Survive the summer heat in Hong Kong with a few of our favourite tips and tricks for new mums and mums-to-be

Keep Cool and Carry On - Surviving the Summer in Hong Kong

Being pregnant or taking care of a newborn is tough work and it’s even harder in the heat. Expat mum of three, Laura Tyson, who survived the excessive Doha desert heat pregnant and with a newborn passes on her tips to stay cool in Hong Kong this summer. 

 

Elevated Aircons

Hong Kong is home to a vast network of walkways, many of which are airconditioned or at the very least shaded. Interlinking transport hubs and shopping centres, where you can stop and grab some refreshment, there is no reason for a lady with a baby bump or a new mum with a pram to be amongst the heat and pollution of street level. Cities Without Ground: A Hong Kong Guide Book by Solomon, Frampton and Wong, navigates you along 32 routes on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories.

 

 

Wallow in Water

If you’re anything like me in my pregnancies, I felt like a cross between a hippo and a whale and being in the water brought enormous relief from the weight of the bump and the heat. Hong Kong is blessed with some wonderful outdoor swimming pools that don’t cost the earth and are beautifully quiet in the early mornings. There are often massage jets too for tired backs and shoulders. And if getting to the public pool seems like too much effort then make a cold footbath and feel your body temperature reduce a notch or two.

 

A good option to keep your newborn cool, especially if you’re avoiding public pools until they have their first vaccinations, is a washing up bowl. Small enough to fit on any Hong Kong balcony, newborns will love a cool off in lukewarm water and welcome the short-break from the air con and their nappies. Use one hand to gently support the neck and their bodies will naturally float.

 

 

Refreshing Replenishments

Some great refreshing foods for toddlers in heat also work well for mums-to-be. Blueberries are loaded with vitamins, so put some fresh ones in the freezer, divide them into little pots and grab one when you’re heading out for a cooling snack. Freezing kids’ tubs of yoghurt also make a cooling, calcium-laden treat. They’re great straight from the freezer as frozen yoghurt, or pop one in your bag when you head out and enjoy it a little later when it melts but is still cool enough to seem straight from the fridge.

 

I remember feeling paranoid that my newborn would not get sufficient breastmilk from me to quench the near constant thirst I was experiencing in the heat. My midwife at the time assured me that as long as I kept hydrated and offered extra sittings my baby would get sufficient. I followed her advice and didn’t even supplement with water in the height of summer.

 

Karin Siegler, founder of Wellness and Birth and - speaking from personal experience - an incredible midwife in Hong Kong, explains, "In hot weather babies may change their breastfeeding behaviour, wanting to feed more frequently and then stop after a few minutes. They are often thirsty rather than hungry so the more watery foremilk is sufficient."

 

Karin also has a great tip for ensuring you have cool water with you all day long. She suggests filling a plastic bottle half with water and freezing it overnight. “Fill it up the next day and the water will be cool and fresh all day long,” she says.

 

Try to make breast-feeding as comfortable as possible in the heat for both you and the baby. If you’re using a modesty cover then ensure it’s made from a lightweight breathable fabric. In the Hong Kong humidity, it may help to have a layer of cotton, perhaps damp muslin between your skin and that of the baby’s to stop her delicate skin sticking to yours.

 

If you’re bottle feeding and you’re out and about, then consider adding room temperature or slightly cooled water into your baby's formula mix. As long as the water is distilled, it isn’t necessary for it to be warmed through. 

 

 

Soothing Sleep

There is a reason that siestas take place during the hottest part of the day. Give your sore and possibly swelling feet a break from carrying the extra tummy weight and take an air con drenched siesta. Get comfy by elevating your feet or using pillows to cushion the bump, draw the curtains and switch off. You’ll feel energised for the afternoon and you’ll have avoided the worst of the heat.

 

Working out how high to have the air conditioner, how tight to swaddle and how many layers to clothe a newborn in the heat can feel a bit overwhelming and confusing when you’re sleep-deprived. Follow medical advice as best you can and also trust your instinct. Stick to lightweight cotton fabrics or bamboo, which is breathable.

 

 

Restorative Remedies

Aloe vera gel is one of nature’s great coolers. Use on tired legs and feet for instant refreshment when you’re pregnant. Aloe vera is delicate enough to be used on a newborn’s skin too and is great for cooling them down and giving a mini-massage. I used it to soothe my newborn’s skin when he experienced bouts of heat rash.

 

Another trick is to dip muslin in water and then use it to shade the pram (the water helps it stick to the pram and the weight keeps it from blowing off, keep re-dipping in cold water as it dries). If your baby is feeling unsettled, use it to pat his forehead and back of the neck to cool him down. This too can be used for overheating mums-to-be. Carry some muslin in a zip-lock bag and dip it in cool water whenever you get the opportunity and apply it to your forehead and the back of the neck. For some reason, I’ve also found the back of the knees a great spot for a cooling boost.

 

And finally, for mums-to-be and newborns alike, a light mist spray of water fresh from the fridge with a dash of blended cucumber on the face provides a refreshing boost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Laura Tyson

Laura Tyson

After a truly global career working as far afield as Afghanistan and Uganda for the British Government and the charity Save the Children, Laura Tyson became a trailing spouse, first in Qatar and then Hong Kong. She first lived in Happy Valley and Pokfulam before settling in Clearwater Bay where she juggles her writing career with raising her three boys under 5.

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