1. Dress both you and baby for the weather. Thin/airy clothes are great. Thin shirt on baby, tanks and light shorts or skirts can help keep you cool. Many people also find that they are more comfortable in the heat if there is a thin layer of fabric between you and baby. Higher necked shirts can reduce how sweaty it feels to be wearing a baby.
2. Stick to the shade if you can! If you can't find shade, make your own! A little parasol can make a lovely shade. Sun hats also make a great shade. Try the ones with velcro chin straps, so your baby has a hard time getting it off. If your baby won't wear a sun hat, a really wide brimmed hat on you will probably provide enough shade to cover most of baby (except maybe his/her legs and feet - so slather some sunscreen on those little feet or if you're not a fan of sunscreen - try UV protection baby legs).
3. Use water to help cool off! If you carry a little squirt water bottle or one of those little spritzing water containers, you can stay hydrated and occasionally give yourself and baby a little squirt of water on the hair, hat, hands, or feet to help cool off. Older kiddos usually LOVE helping with this job.
4. Choose your airiest/thinnest carrier. Our lending library has a few that are great for summer. We've got two 100% linen ring slings by Sleeping baby productions, a thin cotton sling by Zanytoes, a freehand mei tai, an Onya baby SSC, and Hoppediz Shorty, a Vatanai long woven wrap, and a few others. If you're wrapping, choose an airy carry. Any carry with only one layer over baby will be nice for summer. Some summer favorites are Kangaroo, Robin's Hip carry, Ruck (and any of it's variations), Front cross carry, rebozo, and torso carries. With big toddlers, some people find back carries seem cooler. For smaller babies, front carries are best so that you can easily monitor baby.
5. Choose what time of day to go out, if you can. If you're planning a long walk or other outing, try to head out in the morning or evening when it tends to be cooler and shadier.
Bonus Tip: Wear sunglasses. Because they look awesome.
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