Mums doing 'everything we can' to keep babies cool

A group of mums say the current heatwave is making it increasingly difficult to keep their babies safe, as new data analysis suggests about 1.6 million children are living in homes that are too hot.

The analysis of government data by the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing suggested more than 70,000 - or one in six - babies in England were living in overheated homes.

And when the BBC visited the Parenting Network in Portsmouth, families described sleepless nights and rising anxiety as temperatures climbed above 36C in recent days.

Jade was among the mums who said her child - a six-month-old girl - was struggling to cope.

"It's just far too hot, especially with a clingy baby," she said, adding that she was particularly worried at night.

"You don't want to get them too cold, don't want to make them too hot, so we're trying to keep windows open, fans on - you don't know what to dress them in, don't want to make them overheat."

And fellow mum Chloe reported temperatures of 33C inside her property.

"Our flat's a new built flat and you think there'd be more insulation, but actually it's worse," she said.

"Our windows are big glass windows, so it's just a greenhouse - we're pretty much cooking inside."

Her concerns were not only about comfort.

"We're doing everything we can to keep him cool, but there's not a lot you can do really, is there?" she said, describing her panic when her youngest child began breathing heavily.

Mother-of-four Holly said they were making sure they had "enough fans in the house, loose clothes, topping up with sun cream when we go out and keeping in the shade"

Her eldest daughters are off school and her two-year-old twins' nursery is only open until midday.

"I've put all the fans near me and just keep cool, just as much as I can," she said.

The experiences reflect a wider concern highlighted in the housing organisations' recent research.

This includes a heightened risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), with parents advised to keep rooms between 16C to 20C to keep newborns as safe as possible.

Sarah Lewis, a project coordinator at the Parenting Network, said her organisation was "really passionate" about staying open to provide a lifeline for parents in accommodation with no outside space.

She said they had been seeing "a lot of very hot families, a lot of very hot babies".

"Knowing that we had this really lovely space at the hub here, it was nice to be able to provide outside space with a bit of a breeze."

She added that the children "have had a whale of a time today playing in the water".

"Keeping curtains and blinds shut as much as possible, actually keeping the windows closed during the day - sometimes it's cooler inside than out - and making sure parents and children are hydrated is so so important."

Part of the government advice on staying safe in hot weather is to make sure that "babies, children, older people and pets are not left alone in stationary cars or other closed spaces".

Additionally, the NHS advises keeping babies safe in hot weather by avoiding direct sun, especially when under six months, using shade, lightweight clothing, and appropriate SPF 30+ sunscreen for older babies.