London is feeling the heat this week with temperatures reaching 35C but did you know that shielding your baby from the sun could put them in danger?

We see stories time and time again about people leaving babies in hot cars and thinking it is ok because they are out of the sun, but this in fact is one of the worst things you could do.

Lots of mums think that putting a blanket or towel over their baby's pram or car seat is beneficial in the hot weather, but it can however raise the temperature by 10C.

You could be risking your child getting sunstroke from this increase in intense heat and humidity.

No matter how thin the material is covering your baby from direct sun, this can create a ‘furnace-like’ effect.

A Swedish newspaper did an experiment on the heat inside a pram when it was covered compared to when it was not.

The temperature inside the pram without a cloth was 22C but when covered for 30 minutes the temperature rose to 34C, after an hour it was 37C.

How can you keep babies cool in the summer?

Babies less than six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Their skin contains too little melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin protection from the sun.

Apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 to your baby's skin.

Make sure the product also protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Make sure your child wears a hat with a wide brim or a long flap at the back to protect their head and neck from the sun.

If you're breastfeeding your baby, you don't need to give them water as well as breast milk. But they may want to breastfeed more than usual.

If you're bottle feeding, as well as their usual milk feeds, you can give your baby cooled boiled water throughout the day.

Playing in a paddling pool is a good way of keeping babies and children cool. Keep the pool in the shade during very hot weather and supervise the children carefully at all times.

Run them a cool bath before bedtime.

Keep your child's bedroom cool during the day by closing blinds or curtains. You can also use a fan to circulate the air in the room.

Keep nightwear and bedclothes to a minimum. If your baby kicks or pushes off the covers during the night, consider putting them in just a nappy with a single well-secured sheet that won't work loose and cover their face or get entangled during the night.

A nursery thermometer will help you monitor the temperature of your baby's room. Your baby will sleep most comfortably when their room is between 16C (61F) and 20C (68F).