As the nights get colder, we’re all trying to stay as warm as possible. But what does that mean for your baby? They can’t tell you when they’re cold, and they can’t tell you when they’re getting too warm. Here are some of our tips on how to keep your baby warm in cold weather.
Layers
Layers are your friend. A good rule of thumb is that your baby should be wearing one more layer than you are. This means that if you’re wearing a shirt, jumper and jacket, your baby should have a bodysuit, shirt, jumper, and coat. If the temperature outside is really cold, then you might want to add a blanket to keep your baby warm. If you’re in doubt whether your baby is too hot or too cold, check their tummy. It’s the best place to check for a temperature indication.
Look for natural fabrics as much as possible. Cotton and wool are good at keeping the heat close to your little one’s body.
Always remember to take your baby’s coat off when you’re going back inside, or into a warm car, bus, or train.
Hats and Mittens
Hats and mittens are excellent for keeping the heat in. A lot of heat escapes through the head, so a hat is essential for preventing this. Mittens help trap heat next to the hands, but it can be difficult to convince a baby that the mittens need to stay on their hands. If your little one keeps getting them off, then try to make sure that their hands are tucked under their blanket.
Pushchair Covers
Covering the pushchair can be a good idea, but you will need to take care. Try to get a cover from the same manufacturer as the pushchair to make sure that it allows for appropriate air flow. If you don’t have a cover, you can still take your little one outside. You’ll have to stay against the wind, and make sure that you baby’s blanket is up to chest level.
Prevent Dry Skin
Your baby’s skin can get very dry in winter. Indoor heat can be very drying on skin, so try to keep your home temperatures between 16 and 20 degrees. You might also want to skip a daily bath for your little one. When you do bath them, make the baths short, and once they’re dry, apply a good baby specific moisturiser.
Night-Time
We all like to get extra blankets or leave the heating on for longer during the winter nights, but babies can’t regulate their temperatures in the same way as we can. Your little one’s bedroom should be between 16 and 20 degrees. As mentioned earlier, to check your baby’s temperature, check their tummy rather than face or hands as it’s the best indicator of their temperature.
Most of the time, it will be fine to dress your baby in their usual sleep wear, but if you use a baby sleep bag, you should check the tog. You may need to change to a different tog for winter.
Warning Signs
There are some signs you can watch for that will indicate that your baby is too cold.
- Like adults, babies can start to shiver if they’re too cold.
- Cold, red hands, face, or feet.
- Hard, pale hands, face, or feet.
Baby’s hands, feet, and faces can get a little mottled looking in the cold air, and this is normal. If the extremities get red, or hard and pale, it’s a sign that the baby is too cold. Try to ignore the temptation to rub their hands. Rubbing can cause damage to the skin. Instead, strip your baby, and use warm facecloths to heat the skin. Put your baby into dry, slightly warmed clothes. If the baby shows no signs of improvement after a few minutes, you may want to seek advice from your GP, or health visitor.
