We dress a newborn in winter for a walk in the cold and at above-zero temperatures

A newborn baby needs to be in the fresh air as much as possible. Regardless of weather conditions and time of year, the child should go for walks. Such pastime is very useful for physical as well as mental development. A baby who receives his portion of fresh air every day will have strong immunity, healthy and restful sleep, and a good emotional state.

However, not all babies are lucky enough to be born in the warm season, when it’s warm outside, the sun is shining brightly and you can only go home for lunch. What to do when it’s winter outside and the thermometer shows minus? How to dress a newborn for a walk in winter? What to put in the stroller? What kind of blanket to cover with?

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Getting to know the street

The first acquaintance with the street can be done as early as two weeks after the birth of the baby. For a newborn in winter, spending 20 to 30 minutes a day in the fresh air is enough, and you can increase the time every few days.

Important! On average, a newborn should spend about 1.5 - 2 hours a day for a walk.

But you shouldn’t go out if the thermometer shows more than 5 degrees below zero.

In winter, a one-month-old baby is allowed to be exposed to air at ten degrees below zero. And then - up to 15 degrees below zero.

It is not recommended to walk if the wind speed exceeds 15 meters per second.

You can go out to get some fresh air on the balcony or in the courtyard (private sector), where the wind is not so strong.

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What you need:

• Do not leave the child unattended under any circumstances;
• hang a cape on the stroller that will protect the newborn from wind and frost;
• balcony windows or a corner in the yard should not be located next to a polluted road, the air should be fresh and clean. Otherwise, it will only bring harm to the small organism.

Duration of walks in winter

A lump on a child’s neck - the reasons for the appearance of a lump

It is recommended to go outside with a baby for the first time some time after being discharged from the hospital. They wait for the newborn to get used to the house, then you can start taking the first short walks with him - about a quarter of an hour. The very next day the duration may be longer. Some people prefer to make one outing, but longer, others take several short walks per day. It is not recommended to go outside for the first time if the air temperature is below -5°. By one month, the baby can be walked with as much as the parents want and as long as the temperature is comfortable for him.

Note! Starting from a month of age, the baby should get used to walking and on average be in the fresh air for 1.5-2 hours every day.

You can walk with a one-month-old baby down to -10, but provided there is no wind. In the future, when the baby is a little older, walks can be done even at -15. Pediatricians advise reducing the usual walking time in cold weather.

During the first months of life, it is not necessary to walk with your child along different routes. It is quite enough to be on the balcony or just in the yard. The main thing is that the place chosen is quiet and calm.

During the first months they walk on the balcony or in a quiet place

Additional Information. Before a walk, it is recommended to apply protective baby cream to the baby’s cheeks so that strong winds do not damage the baby’s delicate skin.

In addition, mothers should assemble the stroller in advance and put everything they need during the walk:

• bottles of drink (milk or water);
• napkins, handkerchiefs (wet or paper);
• changeable diapers;
• warm diaper.

In general, mothers should understand that the main thing in walking with newborn children is maintaining comfort. It is necessary to ensure that the child is not cold and not too hot. Walks may be limited in time due to extreme cold. Additionally, it is recommended to do without slings in winter, giving preference to strollers. This will keep the baby warmer and easier for the mother herself.

How to properly dress a newborn in winter

When choosing clothes for a newborn to go outside in winter, you need to take into account not only the temperature by looking at the thermometer, but also take into account the weather conditions outside the window: wind, sun, precipitation.

To avoid an allergic reaction, you need to buy clothes for your newborn that are made from natural fabrics and contain minimal dye. Thanks to natural fabrics, the baby's skin will breathe freely.

During the first few months of life, you need to ensure that your baby’s exposed body parts are kept to a minimum. Therefore, when going for a walk, you must wear a solid bodysuit that protects your back and tummy from hypothermia.

Note! Clothes should not restrict the child's movement, but should not be too big. It is necessary for the baby to feel comfortable in it.

Things for a child should be purchased so that there are no rough seams, collars, zippers, large buttons, or squeezing elastic bands. Infants have very delicate skin, and the presence of such elements can damage it. The best clothing option for a newborn would be a thin cotton sleepsuit with small buttons or Velcro, the seams on the outside.

When going for a walk, the mother should first get dressed, and then gather the child.

Otherwise, the baby may overheat and sweat while still at home, and if he finds himself in the cold, he may catch a cold.

You should not take your baby with you when going shopping. He can also sweat indoors, and when he goes back outside, he can freeze and, as a result, get sick.

If there is no one to leave the child with, then you need to dress him in a jumpsuit that can be easily removed for the time spent indoors.

Babies should not be wrapped too tightly or dressed in too many clothes. Overheating is unacceptable.

Pleasant chores: shopping trips

Even before the birth of the child, future parents buy everything necessary for him, including clothes. For babies born in autumn or winter, you need to purchase warm outerwear suitable for the weather conditions in your region. The list of essentials for dressing a newborn for a walk in winter looks like this:

• Hat – 1 or 2 pieces. If you purchased a woolen hat for the winter, then it is better to wear a thin cotton cap under it. There are also warm hats for babies on sale with an inner layer made of sheepskin or knitwear; you don’t have to wear a cap underneath them. Choose hats with ties and “ears” that tightly cover the baby’s ears, and better yet, the neck (helmet hat).
• Socks – 2 pairs. You can wear thin socks with the bottom layer of clothing, and thick woolen ones on top.
• Mittens – 1 pair. Especially necessary if outerwear does not have sleeves that can be fastened.
• Thin clothes – 4 sets. These can be one-piece jumpsuits or separate rompers with vests/long sleeve bodysuits. Choose what you like best. When purchasing, pay attention to the composition. These items will come into contact with the baby's skin and should be made from natural fabrics.
• Warm overalls – one will be enough. It can be fleece, velor, terry, or even quilted. They are warmer than ordinary knitted overalls, they can be useful in warm autumn or spring as outerwear, and in winter they will be a layer between a thin set and outerwear. Pay attention to the fasteners; they should be comfortable and reliable, for example, metal buttons or a zipper. Avoid ties and buttons.
• Outerwear – 1 piece. There are a lot of options for winter clothing for an infant on sale: down overalls, padding overalls, insulated sleeping bag, transformable overalls, fur envelope or even a blanket. One of the most profitable purchases will be a transforming jumpsuit. Its legs are connected with a zipper and it turns into a sleeping bag. And next winter, the legs can be separated, and the bag will turn into overalls, which are perfect for a one-year-old baby. In this costume, the child can be fastened with seat belts in a car seat. It usually comes with mittens and soft shoes for a baby who has not yet learned to walk.

For the discharge of “winter” newborns, elegant lace envelopes are often purchased. This is an expensive and not very practical purchase. Both a down winter sleeping bag and a transforming overalls are suitable for this purpose. This item will last you all winter.

This is the necessary minimum of things for a baby born in the cold season. But the shopping list is not limited to clothes.

Temperature above 0

Winter is an unpredictable time of year, and sometimes it brings surprises such as temperatures above zero degrees Celsius outside the window. How to dress a child at 0 degrees and above? At first glance, it seems that it is warm outside and you shouldn’t dress too much.

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But don’t rush to switch your baby to the spring version. To begin with, you can simply replace your usual winter clothes with thinner ones.

How to dress a newborn for a walk in different temperatures?

Winter is different everywhere, so you shouldn’t constantly wrap your child in four layers of clothing. It all depends on the temperature outside the window.

Temperature from 0 to −10 degrees

In this case, only three layers may be enough: a light bodysuit, insulated overalls, a cap, a hat, two sets of socks (cotton and wool) and a winter overall or sleeping bag. And also mittens and a scarf.

In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the baby is protected from possible unfavorable factors, for example, snow or drafts.

Temperature below −10 degrees

In such weather you should be especially attentive to your baby. For a walk you will definitely need a warm wool blanket. But even all four layers may not warm the baby, so you need to focus on the baby’s condition. If there is severe frost, you should return home and take a walk at another time.

Is it worth going for a walk in severe frost?

Temperature above 0

Sometimes even in winter it can get warmer, but you shouldn’t reduce the amount of clothing. It is better to simply replace the second layer with a thinner one. For example, you can wear two simple overalls or replace your winter outer suit with a lighter one.

Temperature from 0 to -10 degrees and below

At this temperature, you should dress the baby warmly:

1. New dry diaper, thin overalls (can be replaced with a long-sleeved bodysuit and pants with a weak elastic band), a thin hat (cap), thin socks.
2. Outer overalls (terry or fleece), wool or terry socks.
3. Winter outer jacket or overalls (preferably sheepskin), woolen mittens, warm hat, scarf or collar.

This set of clothes will be quite enough.
Taking into account weather conditions (wind, snow), you can put a thin blanket on top of a newborn’s stroller. If the thermometer shows a temperature below -10 degrees, then it is better to postpone a walk with the newborn or take some air on the balcony.

When the baby is one month old, then you can go out with him for a walk in this weather.

How to dress a one-month-old baby for a walk at -10? To all of the above, you just need to add a warm blanket. This will keep him warm and comfortable.

Air temperature down to –10

At this temperature, the baby needs to be dressed in 3 layers of clothing, sometimes more. Diapers, light overalls/pants with a bodysuit, light hat, thin socks. Next, a thicker overall or set: jacket and pants, wool socks, warm overalls, mittens, hat, scarf.

Despite this list of things, you need to constantly check the baby, make sure there are no drafts, snow and other unpleasant factors. And you shouldn’t stay at home for a long time after dressing your child so that he doesn’t sweat.

How much clothing do you need in winter?

What clothes does a baby need in the winter?

• 2–3 warm diapers on the bike;
• 2–4 light slips or bodysuits with long sleeves (you can cut 2 slips and 2 bodysuits in half);
• 2-4 units of rompers and a couple of light shirts;
• a pair of thicker overalls (you can replace one overall with a two-piece suit);
• two pairs of mittens of different densities;
• 3-4 pairs of warm and thin socks;
• scarf, shirtfront;
• 3–4 thin caps;
• one, or better yet two warm hats;
• a warm sleeping bag or overalls, preferably made of sheepskin or camel hair;
• a warm envelope, blanket or wool blanket.

That's the whole list of what to dress a newborn in winter. When your baby is dressed and ready to go for a walk, feel his neck. If it is hot and wet, the child is wrapped up; you need to remove one layer of clothing.

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To find out if your baby needs an extra layer of clothing, you need to touch the nose. If it is cold, the baby is frozen.

A cap

One of the main elements of children's clothing in winter is a hat, because when walking, the first thing that freezes is the head.

Important! You should definitely wear a thin cap under a warm hat. This will help avoid itching and irritation on your baby's delicate skin.

What to look for when choosing a headdress:

• There must be ties so that during a walk the hat does not slip off and open the ears.
• There is no need to take a cap for growth. If it is large and does not fit tightly, the head may freeze.
• Ideally, the hat should cover the ears, forehead, and neck.

Jumpsuit and socks

When choosing a jumpsuit, you should not take it smaller than size 60, even if at first it seems very large.
Over the winter, the child will grow a little, and given that in March it is still very cold, and it is too early to switch to the spring version, overalls of size 56 may become small.

Which jumpsuit to choose? Winter overalls are divided into the following types:

• lined with fleece;
• lined with sheep or camel wool;
• with feather or down filling;
• filled with holofiber, padding polyester or other synthetic product.

For walking outside in winter, it is better for a newborn to buy clothes made of sheep or camel wool, and choose a fleece lining for early spring or late autumn.

A newborn cannot do without socks. Even if the overalls are very warm, socks must be worn. The best option is socks made from natural wool.

After what time can you leave?

The first walk of a newborn in winter takes place no earlier than 2-3 weeks after birth. Before this, sudden temperature changes are undesirable for the baby.

Of course, inexperienced mothers may be indignant: why take such a small child out into the cold, when even an adult prefers to be at home, preferably under a warm blanket with a cup of hot coffee in his hands. But there are good reasons for walking with your baby in winter. Firstly, heating devices dry out the air in the room, and this has a bad effect on the body, especially children. Secondly, frosty air stimulates the development of all systems and organs of the child, improves sleep, strengthens the immune system and prevents viral diseases.

Of course, it is not worth taking your baby outside if there is a snowstorm, rain, or hurricane. There are also temperature restrictions, as well as time for walking.

How to organize a walk correctly

Spending time outdoors is an essential part of a baby's routine. But to really benefit from it, you must follow the following rules:

1. When the air temperature is low, only parents decide how long they need to stay outside, but it is recommended to reduce this time to 15–25 minutes.
2. Apply children's protective cream to the child's cheeks in the presence of wind or precipitation outside.
3. To prevent snow and cold air from getting into the stroller, be sure to cover the stroller canopy with a scarf or a specially designed cover.
4. During the walk, you need to cover the newborn with a blanket or blanket.
5. You definitely need to take a bag with you, which will contain: a bottle of milk and water, a handkerchief, napkins, a clean diaper, a flannel diaper.

How to dress a newborn for a walk?

The frosty winter air is good for the baby, but it is important not to overcool him or overwrap him. There are a few basic rules. Firstly, the mother herself must get dressed first, and only then the child. Otherwise, the baby will snore even before going outside. Secondly, a lot depends on the weather. We’ll look at different clothing options based on temperature below in more detail. Thirdly, you need to dress your baby using the puff method. The standard set consists of four layers:

• the first layer is thin. Cotton lightweight bodysuit, thin socks, cap;
• the second layer is insulated. Closed fleece or woolen overalls or pants and jacket. Wool socks;
• the third layer is outerwear. Winter overalls or insulated envelope and hat. A good solution would be woolen items made from sheepskin. The hat must cover the ears - the ideal option would be a hat with earflaps with ties. The baby does not need shoes, but the feet need to be insulated as much as possible, so we put booties on top of the socks;
• the fourth layer is a spare one. Winter weather is unpredictable, so it is recommended to always take a warm fleece or wool blanket with you.

The child should be warm, but not hot

The stroller must also be made for winter: an insulated body and stable wheels are required. Plus, you also need to put a blanket and pillow in the cradle.

What to put in the stroller

In winter, it is better to choose a stroller for walks, as the baby will be more comfortable and calmer in it, since the cover and high sides protect well from bad weather.
It’s better to leave the sling for the warmer seasons.

Modern strollers are equipped with everything possible to make the child comfortable in it.

But in winter you can put a blanket or a small mattress on it, it will be warmer.

You should dress your child without too much enthusiasm. You should always remember that babies tolerate overheating worse than hypothermia. It is very easy to understand whether he is hot or cold - you need to touch his nose and cheeks. If they are hot, then the baby is very wrapped up. If it’s cold, you’re frozen, you can put a blanket on top.

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Now there should be no questions: what clothes to choose and how to dress a newborn outdoors in winter. The main thing to remember is that until the child grows up, it is the parents who are responsible for him. Therefore, you need to approach this very seriously.

What else will be useful for a walk?

Such a convenient and popular thing as a sling backpack, or “kangaroo”, is unlikely to be useful to you in winter. Its use will be difficult due to the thick outer clothing of the mother and baby. In addition, it will not protect the baby from wind and possible precipitation. Therefore, you can’t do without a stroller in winter. It is better to bring a raincoat for the stroller in case of unexpected precipitation. A pillow will also come in handy. Children under 2 years old do not need them, but when the child is wearing snowsuits, the head in a horizontal position may be lower than the body, and a pillow will come in handy. Be sure to place a blanket or fleece blanket inside. If it gets cold, you can wrap your baby up.

When the winter turned out to be warm

In the case of warm winter weather, when the air temperature is above 0 C°, the baby's clothing should be somewhat lighter. But you shouldn’t focus on imaginary heat. It is enough to replace the second layer, namely a thick suit and woolen socks, with lighter things. Instead of insulated overalls, a fleece product is good. Second socks made of thin knitwear will keep tiny feet from freezing, and light mittens will protect the baby’s hands from sharp gusts of wind. Pediatricians' data indicate that knowing how to dress a newborn baby in winter at above-zero temperatures will protect the baby not only from hypothermia, but also from viral infections.

How to avoid problems with hypothermia of a newborn at home?

For this you should:

1. Maintain temperature conditions. Experts recommend sticking to the range from +18°C to 24C in the house where the baby was born. The lower limit is more suitable for him for sleep, the higher for activity.
2. Wear a cap after water procedures. This will protect your baby from colds. Don't forget that the baby's immune system is just being formed outside the mother's womb!
3. Temper the newborn. For a few minutes, undress the baby down to his diaper so that he can take air baths.

It’s easy to check if your baby is cold:

• he shudders - he presses his arms and legs to himself;
• the newborn urinates more often than usual;
• he hiccups;
• his limbs are paler than usual;
• his nose, neck and ears are cold.

Cold palms are the norm, and not an indicator that the child is cold, pediatricians note.

Varieties of winter envelopes

An insulated envelope is an almost irreplaceable thing for winter walks. In it, the child does not have the risk of freezing and catching a cold in snowfall and windy weather.

Today there are many types of envelopes for newborns.

• Transformable envelopes are a convenient and comfortable thing. They can easily turn into a warm blanket or blanket. This envelope can also be used as a mattress in a stroller.
• Products with faux fur are warm items that contain, in addition to fur, additional insulation - padding polyester, vatulin, etc.
• Down envelopes are light, soft and comfortable. Quilted items filled with goose down are especially good.
• Many envelopes are shaped like a cocoon. But there are also those in which the handles remain free. In this case, you need warm gloves, which are often included with the product.

When choosing an insulated item for a baby, you should focus on what to wear for a newborn in the winter under an envelope. A winter product should be moderately loose so that a small “cabbage” - a child dressed in several warm layers - can fit into it.

How to dress a child at temperatures of 20 and 25°C?

Room temperature. Various sources call the optimal temperature for a child from 18 to 24 °C. In practice, adjusting the air temperature in a room is very difficult. In fact, there is no urgent need for additional troubles and costs.

It is enough to adapt to the existing constant room temperature by choosing the right clothes for the child. And it’s better to spend the extra money on buying a humidifier, which will be much more useful and necessary.

Examples:

28-30°C and above:

diaper (panties), but it is better to leave the child naked for air baths

25 - 28°C:

light T-shirt/vest + diaper (panties)

23-25°C:

short sleeve bodysuit

21-23°C:

• long sleeve bodysuit + tights
• or light overalls
• or short sleeve bodysuit + one-piece jumpsuit/light suit

18-20°C:

long sleeve bodysuit + thick jumpsuit/suit with long sleeves + warm socks

15-17°C:

short sleeve bodysuit + light suit/overalls + warm suit + woolen socks (or socks + knitted booties)

Advice for young mothers

We have sorted out the question of how to dress a child according to the weather, but we want to share a few more tips. To make your walk a success, you should adhere to three basic rules:

1. Choose a safe place. Ideally, this should be a playground or park, without cars and industries;

2. Walk closer to home. The baby may become capricious or it may suddenly get cold outside, and you will have to return in a hurry;

3. Make good use of your time. Usually, fresh frosty air serves as a wonderful sleep aid for infants. Therefore, walking time can be considered a “free minute”, so necessary for a young mother. You can read a book or chat on social networks, but don’t forget to check your baby’s well-being.

What to wear for your baby on the street

The most important piece of advice is that a newborn should be dressed appropriately for the weather. It would seem, what could be simpler? But there are some nuances.

Even young and “green” parents have probably heard more than once about such a phenomenon as special thermoregulation in infants. What is it and why is it remarkable?

Thermoregulation is the body’s ability to maintain a comfortable and safe body temperature for humans, regardless of environmental factors. Thanks to thermoregulation, we always have approximately the same temperature (illnesses and emergencies do not count): we do not heat up to 40 degrees in a sunny resort and do not freeze to minus 35 when we find ourselves in the cold on a frosty day.

In newborns, thermoregulation is still imperfect. But this does not mean that they are always cold and in any weather they need to be wrapped warmly. This means that infants react very sensitively to the ambient temperature: they quickly freeze in the cool and just as quickly overheat in the heat. That is, a newborn feels equally bad both in extreme heat and in cold.

The opinion “it’s better to overheat than to freeze” is fundamentally wrong: moderation is important in everything.

In the first few months of a baby's life, you can dress a little warmer than yourself. There is a rule “plus one layer of clothing”: that is, if you yourself wear a T-shirt and jeans outside, you can add a light windbreaker on top and a cap for your baby. Clothes made from natural materials such as cotton are preferred.

In the summer heat, when the air temperature outside reaches +25-30 degrees, a newborn only needs to wear a light cotton bodysuit and a headdress, for example, a thin cap, to protect himself from overheating. In extreme heat above 30 degrees, if possible, it is better to avoid being in direct sunlight altogether: it will certainly be difficult for a newborn in such conditions, even if he is dressed lightly.

Sometimes representatives of the older generation advise young parents to put woolen socks on their babies in any weather, supposedly the newborn gets very cold, causing his feet to become very cold.

The baby’s feet do often become cool, but the point here is not that the baby is cold. Cool feet in a baby are his physiological norm. The baby's autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for thermoregulation, is not yet fully formed, and that is why the baby's feet often become cold.

Maximum - thin cotton. Again: modern doctors urge parents to be prudent and appropriate - think for yourself whether the baby will be comfortable in woolen socks and a thick hat in thirty-degree heat.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, you need to pay attention not to whether the baby’s feet are cold or warm, but to the color of his skin. Pink baby is a happy baby who is not cold

Even if his feet are cool. If the newborn’s skin begins to turn blue, the child is freezing, take action.