How to Keep Your Baby Warm In Winter
As winter approaches, it is important to make sure your baby stays warm, dry and comfortable. How to keep your baby or toddler warm is often a worry for many mums as babies are unable to regulate their own body temperature and toddlers are more sensitive to temperature drops. But rest assured – we are here to help!
Whether you are planning a winter walk or need help dressing your baby for bedtime, here are a few ways to keep your baby warm this winter:
Babywear for warmth
If you’re planning a winter walk or outing, babywearing is a great way to keep both you and your baby warm. Keeping your baby close to you creates a lovely, warm environment and helps regulate their temperature. Adjustable baby carriers are ideal as the carrier can adapt to extra layers and can be tightened to protect and secure your baby.
But remember less is more when dressing your baby for babywearing; the baby carrier and yourself are extra layers of warmth, so ideally keep young babies in ‘indoor’ clothing adding a hat, booties, mittens, and a lightweight coat or cardigan to prevent them from overheating. Snowsuits and thick pram suits should be avoided as big, thick coats like these make it difficult to tell how warm your baby is and prevents your baby from being properly secured in the baby carrier.
Winter-proof your baby’s pram
If instead, you choose to take your baby for a winter stroll in their pram, pram accessories including footmuffs, winter covers, and rain covers provide resistance to the outside elements while keeping your baby warm and snug.
Footmuff covers are available from our baby online store, they are specifically designed to keep your child warm and comfortable in cold weather. Covers tend to be water-repellent and weatherproof to protect your baby from wind, rain, and snow. Designed to fit most car seats, strollers, and joggers and is the perfect pram accessory. And, of course, purchasing a rain cover is a must-have; they are not only useful for the winter months, but with the unpredictability of the glorious British weather, it is a great accessory to have to hand all year round.
A full range of rain covers including the Doona Rain Cover and Bumberide Cold Weather Footmuff are available in the Bambini and Bo online pram shop UK. These pushchair accessories protect your little one against wind and rain and has side ventilation holes for breathability.
Some of the pushchairs, prams and strollers in the Bambini and Bo collections such as My Babiie, Ickle Bubba, and Babymore include footmuffs and rain covers too!
Keep head and hands warm
Whether you choose to babywear or push your baby in their pram during your winter journey, make sure to keep your baby’s head, hands, and feet warm. As younger babies, particularly newborns, lose large amounts of heat from their heads and hands, it becomes important to cover these areas with a warm, woolly hat and mittens to prevent the warmth from escaping. Booties and a blanket also provide extra warmth while you and your baby are outside during the cooler months. The NHS strongly advise removing your baby’s hat, mittens, and extra clothing as soon as you go indoors or while in the car to prevent overheating.
Keeping your baby warm is just as important when you are indoors. According to the NHS, room temperature should be 18 degrees. As well as adjusting the thermostat, there are additional ways to keep your baby warm indoors during the winter months.
Use a firm mattress
A firm cot mattress keeps your baby’s cot warm from underneath during the colder months; cot mattresses that are too soft allow too much cold air to enter into the mattress which increases the risk of your baby becoming ill. The Lullaby Trust recommends that cot mattresses should be firm rather than soft, no thinner than 8cm with no sagging to support your baby while they sleep.
The Babymore Premium Dual Core Pocket Sprung Mattress with 258 micro pocket springs (the highest count available) provides your little one with the best possible, even support, for a comfy and supportive sleep. Its fibre core lining promotes airflow and helps regulate your baby’s temperature. The mattress core is encased in a removable hypoallergenic cover that is water-resistant, has a wipe-clean surface, and is fully breathable.
Bedding
A 100% cotton fitted sheet not only provides a hygienic, easy to wash barrier between your baby and the cot mattress, but it makes the cot extra cosy too! In line with NHS guidelines, pillows and duvets are not recommended for babies under 12 months of age. Light blankets should be tucked in across your baby’s chest and under their arms or alternatively, you may choose to buy a baby sleeping bag. Sleeping bags ensure that your baby stays covered up no matter how much they move, roll, or kick their legs.
Dressing your baby
Dressing your baby for bedtime is important, especially with loose bedding being a no-no. The general rule of thumb is that babies should be dressed in one more layer of clothing than you. During the colder months, consider a vest and long-sleeved sleepsuit with either a 1.0 or 2.5 tog (depending on the temperature) baby sleeping bag or a cotton blanket.
Room temperature should always be used as a guide when dressing your baby for bed. To get a more accurate indication of whether your baby is too hot or too cold, feel their chest or the back of their neck. If your baby’s skin is sweaty or hot, remove one or more layers of clothing or bedding as appropriate. Don’t worry if your baby’s feet, hands, or arms feel cool, this is normal, and actually helps them to maintain a regular temperature.
Limit bath time
Although bathing your baby is a lovely way to warm your baby up and get them ready for bed, try and limit the number of baths to twice a week as, during winter, the air is drier which can cause dry skin.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, if you were wondering how to keep your baby warm during the winter months, now you know! Whether you are planning an outdoor venture or sticking to the warm indoors, make sure to check your baby’s temperature regularly and dress your baby accordingly. Products from the Bambini and Bo online baby store including rain covers and footmuffs for prams help protect your baby from the outdoor elements, while a firm cot mattress promotes airflow and help regulate your baby’s temperature.
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From the Family at Bambini and Bo
