Home care for a winter baby
Funnily enough, it is often over-heating of baby at home during winter that can cause the most problems. Parents tend to panic about baby getting cold, and don't always remember that a baby's body temperature is regulated differently than that of an adult. Read on for advice on home care for your winter baby.
Home temperature over winter
© Thinkstock
Your baby’s room should be between 20 and 22°C during the day and around 18°C at night. Higher temperatures can be detrimental for the child: ambient air becomes too dry and causes nose and mouth mucosa to dry up, making baby more vulnerable to germs. Her skin can also suffer from this lack of humidity in the air and become fragile. Itching and sudamina (small heat spots caused by sweat which form little bumps on the skin) are the most common consequences.
If your heating system does not have a thermostat, place a thermometer which measures humidity on the bedroom wall: if it goes above 22°C, air the room and lower the radiator temperature.
Air humidifiers are also recommended, but don't overuse them. Opt for a cold air humidifier (those which process hot air are more dangerous and there is always the risk of burns). If using a humidifier, ensure that the bedroom is clean as humidifiers can transmit bacteria and fungus that develop in stagnant water.
Take great care if you have a chimney: if your chimney does not “evacuate” well, you will soon be surrounded by smoke, dangerous for little lungs. Get your chimney swept regularly...
Will my baby be cold?
It’s very unlikely that your baby will be cold. Parents tend to overprotect their babies and generally wrap them up too warmly. It is true that in the first weeks of life – especially babies weighing less than 2.5kg – newborns find it difficult to regulate their body temperature and can need a little help. Between 2.5 and 4kg, their bodies respond properly if the room in heated to 20°C. Above this weight, your baby’s internal thermostat works much better and his skin has a thick enough layer of fat to conserve heat.
You need to be most careful at night. Baby’s metabolism slows down and she needs better protection. She also lies still in her crib whereas adults move and produce heat. But be careful not to overdo it: she just needs to be a little more wrapped up than yourself (remember that her body still has trouble regulating temperatures and is more vulnerable to heat than you). Irritability, fever or dehydration can have serious consequences.
Don’t be fooled by certain signals either: cold hands, for example, do not necessarily mean he needs more clothes on, just as sweating does not necessarily mean overheating (you will notice that babies sweat a lot during feeds). You should base your judgement on the temperature of your baby’s neck or nape of the neck – these areas are more reliable.
Quick tips for baby’s winter care
- Place your baby’s clothes on a warm radiator briefly before dressing her. Do the same with bath towels.
- If you need to change your baby’s clothes, change them in stages so she is never completely naked.
- When you apply body cream, rub your hands briskly together to warm them up first, then keep the cream in the palms of your hands for a few seconds so that it warms up to your body temperature.
- Heat the bathroom before taking baby in there.
- Put small containers filled with water on the radiators to avoid the air drying out.
- If you find the air to be very dry, put a few drops of physiological saline solution in your baby’s nostrils.
- If you notice that your baby has got cold, undress him and place him directly against you, covering him up with a small blanket. Your own body heat will be the best remedy and will give you both a lovely moment of bonding.
Copyright © 2010 Doctissimo
Posted 06.01.2011
Get more on this subject…
