*This is a collaborative post* If you have a newborn baby at home and you are concerned about the winter months, you don’t have to be. If you’re a new parent, it’s natural to be worried and concerned that the cold months of the year are going to impact your baby and how that is going to occur.
Babies and young children cannot control their body temperatures as well as we can as adults, which means that you need to be very aware of which baby rompers you put onto your child. Keeping your child comfortable as the cold weather sets in should be a priority for you, and as we are in a cost of living and an energy crisis right now, it’s not always the easiest thing to do. Getting enough sleep, staying comfortable are both critical for children. We’ve got some suggestions here on how you can keep your baby comfortable in the cold.
- Go shopping for warm clothing. When you put your little one down to sleep, dressing them in one piece pajamas with feet and a hood is not actually the best idea. Even at night time, babies should not be left to sleep while wearing a hat. A hood is also not a good idea because it can become twisted. Remember, babies’ temperature is not regulated on their hands and face, so while their fingers and all their cheeks may feel slightly chilly, it doesn’t mean that they’re actually called. Put your hand on your baby’s chest to feel how warm they are, but a general rule of thumb is to put your baby in one more layer than you!
- Think about zoning the HVAC system. If you have a ducted heating system, you can zone the house and make sure that the bedrooms are warmed for at least an hour before you take your baby to bed. This is going to be much more comfortable for them to fall asleep in, and you won’t have to worry about trying to quickly warm up the crib before they lay down.
- Make sure to add a humidifier. Baby comfortable in the winter, remember that when you add heaters, you are also going to be adding moisture to the air. Using a heater or humidifier is going to help you to reduce the humidity and the moisture in the home. You keep yourself from having trouble sleeping with a whole home humidifier that’s installed by a professional.
- Remember the draughts. When was the last time you checked around the windows in your child’s bedroom as we come into winter it may be a good idea to take a look at that now. If you’re going to warm the room up, you want the warmth to stay in place and in the room so that your child can be comfortable. The last thing you want to do is have the heating running and all of that lovely hot air leaving the room through the edges of the windows or gaps in the ceiling. Re-sealing your windows, and using draught snakes at the bottom of the doors can help you to ensure that your child is going to remain warm and comfortable while they sleep.