Tips On Keeping Your Baby Warm in the Winter

Brr, it’s cold outside! Now that the cold season is here (unless you live in the Southern hemisphere), snow is falling, temperatures are dropping, and yikes are we all cold! While for us, we can help regulate our body temperature, we must take extra precaution for our little ones to keep them warm this Winter. With babies being so small, they can get cold much quicker than we can. To check if your baby is cold, touch your baby’s tummy- if it’s not warm, that means your baby is cold. If your baby is also crying more than usual or their skin is starting to look red, it could be that your baby is trying to tell you he or she is too cold. 

Here are some tips on keeping your baby warm in the winter: 

1. Layer up! If you take your baby outside, it’d be a good idea to put extra layers on your baby. Wearing hats, socks or booties, gloves, and more can help keep their head, hands, and feet warm. A general guideline is to apply one extra layer of clothes to your baby as you would for yourself. If you plan to go in and out of buildings and your car or change your baby’s diaper, have easy to remove layers to make it easier on yourself so you can remove a layer when your baby is indoors or in the car, since overheating is also as dangerous as being cold! 
   
   
2. When it’s time for your baby to sleep, while it may be tempting to put a pillow or blanket in their crib, DO NOT use blankets or pillows, as well as any other loose items such as toys to avoid SIDS. Instead, you could have your baby use a baby sleeping bag. It may also help to have a humidifier on especially if you have your heat on in your home. Lay your baby on his or her back while sleeping. It also helps to have a firm sleeping surface, as softer material tends to keep cooler. For newborns, swaddling your baby before bed helps keep them warm and sleep better. 
   
   
3. Since skin is more vulnerable as a baby, it is important to moisturize your baby’s skin before bedtime and before going outside. It’s best to use a non-scented moisturizer and one that’s specialized for newborns. 
   
   
4. When you’re picking the clothes for your baby to wear, it’s important that the clothes keep your baby warm and neither too cold nor too hot. For the base layer, we recommend putting on a thin layer that helps keep moisture away from the body such as a bodysuit, or clothes made out of materials such as wool or silk. If the moisture gets trapped near the skin, it can make your baby feel cool. The next layer could be something that helps retain heat, such as clothes made out of fleece. On the baby’s outer layer, especially if your baby is outside, wearing clothes that are waterproof can help protect your baby from wind, rain, and snow. 
   
   
5. Since it requires a lot of energy for your baby to stay warm in the cold, it’s a good idea to make sure they are well fed. Bring an extra PopYum bottle or 2 with water and formula preloaded so that in case your baby gets hungry when you’re out and about, you can feed anywhere and anytime. 
   
   
6. While it’s important to keep your baby warm, it’s also as important that your baby is not too hot. You can touch their ears and neck- and if it’s hot and red, it’s a sign your baby is too hot. Babies that are overheated also tend to have fast heart rates as their body is working very hard to try to cool down.