Winter is slowly making its presence felt with the onset of the chilly air and low temperatures. For parents with a tiny life to be taken care of, winter can seem full of challenges. The body of the newborns isn’t completely evolved and so, it is more difficult to adjust the core temperature of the body to deal with cold as older children and adults can. In addition, cold and dry weather brings along some common ailments and flu.

How to take care of a newborn in the winter?

The cold is harsher for the babies, especially if it’s their first winter. There are chances for them to be frequently sick and weak to the changing temperature. Therefore as parents, it becomes crucial to take care of the newborns and ensure that they are not at the risk.

Here are 5 tips to ensure a healthy and happy first winter for the child:

1. Massage the baby

There may be a general consensus that it is not a good idea to expose a child to cold air for an extended period of time. However, oil massages increase the child’s body temperature and improve blood circulation. Choose heated natural oils that are of high quality for the same.

2. Give a warm bath

It is not necessary to bathe the baby every day in the winter. The babies don’t usually sweat much during the season and so, bathing can be skipped to a reasonable frequency as long as the hygiene is taken care of with regular sponge wipes and cleaning after feeding. Whenever the baby has to be bathed, ensure the water is adequately warm. Keep all the essentials around you before the baby is undressed for the bath, to avoid them from catching a cold. After taking a bath, change clothes.

3. Pay attention to the clothing

The choice of clothing is crucial for keeping kids warm and protected from the impacts of cold. However, it is also important to understand that the focus of the clothing choice must be on layering for warmth. Avoid using a single warm cloth since it makes it difficult to check and modify the baby’s temperature. Make sure the infant has dressed appropriately so that they are not too hot or too chilly. Also, opt for softer fabrics that don’t irritate the skin of the baby. Additionally, remember to wear mittens and caps.

Also read: From diaper rash to summer skin woes, follow these tips for baby skincare

4. Provide body warmth

Holding the baby in your arms is also important. The human touch helps in transferring the body warmth, thus helping with optimizing the body temperature during cold, Kangaroo Mother Care method can also be used if the baby feels cold. That being said it is also important to keep seasonal cough and cold at bay, by avoiding contact of the baby with sick people or the ones that show the symptoms of illness.

5. Vaccination

Ensure that all the vaccine schedules for the baby are met on time. It is also important to check with the doctor on any additional vaccines and precautionary care that needs to be taken to keep all forms of illness away.

Takeaway

It’s the baby’s first winter and it is indeed special for the parents. But the threat of a baby being constantly sick and vulnerable is daunting. Some simple tips and a bit of advice can go a long way for a healthy winter. Also don’t avoid going out with the fear of catching a cold as the sunlight and outside air is essential for the young mom and the child, just ensure to avoid chillier days and go out when the sun is out. Be prepared to protect the child!