There are severe frosts and, I think, for many, the questions of how to dress a child in such cold and how long you can walk with a child in winter are very relevant.
How to take into account all possible nuances and provide options for solving “winter” problems, so that you can only get pleasure and maximum comfort from walking with your baby?
With the onset of severe frosts, questions about how to walk with a child in winter become increasingly relevant: is it necessary to walk at all, how long to walk, how to properly dress a child, how not to frostbite your cheeks in the terrible cold, and many others.
First winter
Young mothers of infants, for whom this is their first winter, are especially worried. After all, walking with a newborn in winter is an event that often requires lengthy preparations and is accompanied by special anxiety: how not to overheat the baby, how to prevent him from freezing, how to feed him, how to calm him down, etc. I’m not even talking about traveling with babies on business: in transport, in the car - from the cold to the room and back. For many mothers, such trips seem like a great feat, and not an ordinary scene from life.
Let's understand all the intricacies of winter walks with children, so that we not only not be afraid of frosty days, but enjoy them and experience maximum comfort!
What should I dress my child in?
The principle of selecting clothing is based on its suitability to weather conditions. If it’s hot outside, the baby can be dressed in a bodysuit (or blouse). Very young children are usually covered with a light diaper. Accordingly, cooler weather requires that the baby wear rompers, additional blouses, a suit and a hat. More convenient are modern overalls, which replace several things at once and are convenient for quickly dressing a child. Overalls can be winter, demi-season and very light (made of thin knitwear, so-called slip overalls).
Winter overalls in combination with a sleepsuit or blouse and rompers are used at air temperatures below +5°C.
Some mothers prefer to use envelopes for walking with their children in the first weeks of life. Envelopes also come in different varieties - from a lightweight version (for example, made from fleece fabric) to a rather warm, fur one.
Should you go for walks with your baby?
I don’t know about going for a walk, but at least babies need fresh air. In addition, small children sleep better and longer in the fresh air, and for mothers, a walk is a change of scenery, relaxation and a kind of fitness. Walking in the generally accepted sense of the word is not at all necessary, that is, pushing a stroller in front of you for a clearly established time.
It’s better to combine business with pleasure: walk with your child through the park to the shopping center and back, drop by to visit a friend. And the baby will be saturated with oxygen, receive his dose of vitamin D, and the mother will not wither away or get bogged down in routine.
Is it possible to walk in winter
Winter walks are beneficial for all people. As for babies, there are many nuances to consider. So, in the summer there are no restrictions. You can go outside with the baby immediately after discharge. But in winter, doctors recommend holding off on this for a while.
Young parents are interested in the question of when they can walk with their newborn in a stroller this season. It is best to postpone the first trip for one or two weeks. This is due to the fact that thermoregulation in infants is not established. The difference in temperature can negatively affect his health.
As for the air temperature outside, the climatic features of the region are taken into account. It is not recommended to go outside if the air temperature has dropped to -10 ºC. But in some regions the cold continues for a long time. In such a situation, you can ignore the recommendations, but do not abuse the length of your stay on the street.
If the air temperature has dropped significantly, then the possibility of going outside should be discussed with your doctor.
Among the advantages of winter air it is worth highlighting:
- High oxygen content. Studies show that cold air contains 30% more oxygen than warm air.
- Fewer germs and viruses. When the outdoor temperature decreases, the number of viruses and pathogenic microorganisms in the air decreases significantly. At the same time, many of them die completely and lose the ability to further reproduce. Therefore, experts recommend ventilating the room more often in winter. This will reduce the risk of many diseases.
- Unique healing properties. Winter air allows you to normalize metabolism, hormonal levels, and also strengthen the nervous system. Cold lowers cholesterol and improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system. That is why being in the fresh air is recommended for all family members, regardless of age.
Fresh air is very beneficial for a child. But when it comes to frost, you need to be very careful. Parents often report that their infants have become hypothermic or sweaty outside. This is due to the fact that he is not dressed correctly.
You need to be very careful when choosing clothes. This will determine how pleasant the walk will be. And most importantly, it will protect the baby from diseases.
A properly dressed child will feel comfortable and will not cause concern to the mother. This way, both mother and child will enjoy the walk.
When should you start walking your newborn in winter?
If in the summer many people walk with the newborn immediately after discharge, then in the winter doctors advise waiting 10-14 days, and lactation consultants even more - they recommend staying at home for the first 5-6 weeks. After all, babies still have unsettled thermoregulation, and temperature differences indoors and outdoors are much higher than in the summer.
The duration of the walks is determined by your desire and ability. The main thing is that the child is dressed correctly: not wrapped up and not cold. And to be able to feed him .
General standards and requirements for preschool educational institutions according to SanPin
The activities of preschool educational institutions are strictly regulated by a list of rules established by the chief state sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation.
The list of instructions is approved by a resolution of the said official in the form of Sanitary and Epidemiological Rules and SanPiN Standards.
This SanPiN was adopted in 2013, but periodically undergoes some changes and additions.
Regarding walks, the document indicates advisory, not mandatory requirements. Nevertheless, the management of kindergartens tries to follow the advice of the country's chief doctor as closely as possible.
There are no rules in SanPin dedicated to time in the fresh air. Standards for the process of organizing walks are found in various sections. But regarding the organization of the kindergarten territory, the rules are quite clear.
Strict guidelines have been established regarding the level of landscaping (at least 50% and at least 20% for special densely populated areas and regions of the Far North), the level of air purity, and distance from noisy roads and highways.
The responsibility of the administration of the institution has been established to allocate play areas, areas for physical education and places for walking. At the same time, according to the sanitary doctor, public gardens and parks can be used for these purposes. The sites must have a dust-free coating that is harmless to children. It's best if it's grass. Each site should have a canopy or veranda for shelter from bad weather and precipitation.
How long should you spend in the fresh air?
In accordance with the requirements, walks in kindergartens should take a total of three to four hours daily. Moreover, this time interval is set without indicating the age of the students.
Therefore, this recommendation applies to all groups. SanPiN clarifies that the mentioned period must be divided into two times. Most often, children walk in the gardens in the morning and evening.
Temperature
Walks are provided all year round, both in warm and cold seasons. The rules establish advisory ranges for permissible temperatures. The document does not prohibit the organization of walks at temperatures above or below the established ones, since this norm is advisory.
Educators are required to objectively assess weather conditions and make decisions about going outside with children in accordance with what is happening outside the window.
At what temperatures are children not allowed to go for walks?
The maximum permissible temperature for walking in kindergartens is not established by the current SanPiN. Section XI of the document, or more precisely clause 11.5, states that in winter, when the air temperature is below -15ºC, the time spent outside must be reduced.
There is no talk of canceling the walk. The maximum permissible positive temperatures are not mentioned at all in SanPiN.
It is worth noting that in the previous edition of the rules from 2010, the doctor set temperature limits below which preschoolers were prohibited from walking. At what temperature should children not go for a walk? Thus, for children under four years of age, walks were prohibited in windy weather at temperatures below 15ºC, and for older children (5-7 years old) at minus 20ºC and below.
Educators have the right to independently determine the possibility and duration of spending time outside. The climate zone and the property supply of the garden are taken into account, that is, the presence of covered heated verandas. It should be noted that teachers are trying to play it safe once again and not go out for a walk on frosty days.
Other weather conditions
As noted above, the rules do not limit preschoolers from walking depending on weather conditions. The document does not contain a ban on outdoor activities, even in the presence of wind or precipitation. The decision again remains with the teacher.
Expert opinion Domina Valentina Aleksandrovna – teacher Teacher at a children’s development center, mother of three children
However, as in issues with temperature conditions, teachers are quite objective in assessing bad weather and try to stay indoors in case of strong winds of more than 7 m/s and rain. Among other things, the teacher assesses the condition of each child, the level of warmth of clothing and shoes and makes a decision regarding an individual pupil.
You send your child to kindergarten. What should you do and how should you act in certain situations that arise in this institution? You will find all the answers in separate articles on our website, and you will also learn about the rules and regulations in the preschool educational institution, including the requirements for ventilation, nutrition, the number of children in the group, filling out the morning filter (inspection) log and the air temperature in the room.
What is the lowest temperature at which you can go for a walk with your baby?
Here, too, everything is individual, or rather, it largely depends on your frost resistance and climate. Many people advise not to go outside with a child under one year old at temperatures below -10. But what should mothers and children do who live beyond the Urals or beyond the Arctic Circle, for whom the temperature is below -10 for 6-9 months of the year? Should I sit at home? So everything is relative..
Again, you just need to dress your child correctly, protect him from the wind and frostbite on his cheeks, and you can safely walk in any weather. Moreover, with terrible frosts and terrible colds, it is not necessary to trample snow for 3 hours at a time, but a 30-minute walk to a friend is pleasant for both the mother and the baby. I don’t think you should limit yourself to fresh air or communication due to low temperatures.
What weather is it like and how long should you go for walks with a baby under one year old?
In winter, walks with the child should be carried out twice a day in any weather. The walking time depends on the temperature conditions.
- In calm weather at temperatures down to minus 10 degrees, you can walk for up to 1.5 hours. So, the daily duration of a walk can be 3 hours.
- At temperatures from minus 10 to minus 15 degrees, it is advisable to reduce one-time going outside to 40 minutes. The daily duration of two walks, in such weather, can be up to 1.5 hours.
- At a temperature of minus 15 degrees, the walk should last no more than 30 minutes.
Of course, you should not go out in severe frost, snowstorms or especially strong gusty winds. If such a need arises, then you need to think carefully about clothing options for the child.
The main problems that make mothers avoid walking with their babies in winter
:
- the long process of dressing: first dress the child in several layers, then yourself, and don’t forget shoes, scarves, hats and mittens. And by the time she left the house, the mother was already tired, and the baby was overheated.
- fear of overheating or overcooling the child due to a large amount of clothing and a reduced opportunity to “touch” the child.
- inability to breastfeed in the cold. Newborn babies suckle almost constantly in the first months of life, and it is difficult to provide access to the breast in the cold and in a stroller. Hence the attachment to home and the inability to go out for a long time.
- trips with a child to shopping centers or (oh, horror!) to work, on a visit, to a museum, etc. are considered something incredible, because it’s a rare mother who will pull a stroller with a small child to the other end of the city. Don’t forget to include here the worries that you need to feed the baby and that there is a constant change in temperature (for example, a house, street, metro, street, friend’s apartment), i.e., as a result, the inability to properly dress the baby .
In fact, these problems have long been solved. And a modern young mother today does not necessarily have to bury herself in a social vacuum, change the pace and habits of her life, or sacrifice walks on bright winter days.
So, what is the necessary set for a young mother to remain mobile, have time to do everything that is planned and not freeze her small child?
Consultation for parents “Safe walks with your child in winter”
Anna Bekeykina
Consultation for parents “Safe walks with your child in winter”
Winter in Russia is long. In some regions, the cold lasts for six months. And, unfortunately, winter time for children is not only sleds, skates and fun. But there is also a high probability for the child to get injured. To avoid ending up in the hospital, just follow winter safety for children and teach them to your child.
Basic rules for safe behavior in winter :
• walk with your child - or send him for an independent walk if he is old enough - only during daylight hours;
• tell your son or daughter that you can only walk on open and well-lit streets; playing in deserted vacant lots can be dangerous;
• Explain to your child that snow and icicles are dirty, and if you eat them, you can get sick;
• when celebrating holidays, do not use pyrotechnics and explain to children that firecrackers and fireworks are a common cause of fires;
Rules of behavior on the street and on the road
Attention on the street and on the road is always appropriate. But especially in winter . In the cold season, it gets dark early: at dusk, visibility becomes worse, and the outlines of objects (for example, cars)
may be completely distorted.
Of course, possible dangers are not a reason to lock yourself at home until the summer. Explain to your child what is needed:
• return home immediately if it suddenly gets cold outside or the wind noticeably increases;
• stay away from the roofs of houses from which icicles or snow blocks may fall;
• cross the road only at a pedestrian crossing, having first made sure not only that there are no cars, but also that there is a good view of the road - due to snow drifts, it is easy not to notice an approaching car;
• do not walk along the edge of the sidewalk or stop near the road;
• choose not too crowded places for very active entertainment, for example, snowball fights, so as not to accidentally injure small children or elderly people;
• always be in touch with your parents , and if an emergency arises, call your mom or dad immediately.
Advice to parents . Attach a reflective element to clothing or a backpack - so the child will be visible to drivers even in the dark. You can make your son or daughter even more visible to road users with the help of bright clothes.
Winter on the pond
Reservoirs during the cold season are a place of increased danger for both children and their parents . If you still need to go to a body of water, follow proven safety :
• going out on the ice alone is dangerous, but walking on a frozen body of water in a large group is also risky. The safest way to move on the ice of a reservoir is at a distance of 5-6 meters from each other;
• test the ice for strength with a stick, not your foot;
• it is dangerous to go out on ice covered with snow - it is easy to miss cracks and dips;
• avoid going out on the ice if it starts to rain, strong wind, or snowstorm;
• if the ice cracks under your feet, immediately return to the shore, preferably lying down, following the tracks already left.
Advice to parents . Teach your child that if the ice does fall underneath him, the first thing you need to do is loudly call for help. Then, if possible, grab onto the ice, try to get to the surface and, lying down, get to the shore. Explain to your child that it is very important not to make sudden movements and stay afloat, even if you couldn’t get out right away.
Ice and icicles
Discuss with your child the possible dangers of ice: let the boy or girl remember that you need to be especially careful on the road - on a slippery roadway a car will not be able to stop instantly.
Tell your children that they need to avoid frozen puddles, stairs and slopes - there the likelihood of slipping is higher than on a flat road. Show your son or daughter the correct technique for moving on ice: in small steps, with emphasis on the entire sole.
Every time before a walk , remind your child about the dangers of playing under the roofs of multi-story buildings, where there is a high probability of falling icicles. For small children who really want to taste everything, tell the whole truth about icicles: that by licking an icicle, the baby not only risks getting sick, but also ingests chemical waste and bird droppings.
Advice to parents . When buying winter shoes for your child , choose one that will slip minimally - with microporous soles.
Walking in winter : what you need to know
A safe winter walk begins at the door of your home. Prepare for going outside with your children in advance:
• feed your child a nutritious meal - much more energy is spent in cold weather than in warm weather;
• make sure that the child is fully dressed (fastened the zippers, put on a hat and mittens)
before you walk out the door;
• explain that during play you should not push other children too much, especially those who are younger and weaker;
• warn your child about the danger of jumping into a snowdrift, where anything can be hidden: fragments, debris, sharp stones.
Advice to parents : Teach children to fall correctly: on their side, bending their knees and trying to soften the fall with their hands. Tell them that falling on your back or forward on your hands can lead to serious injury.
How long to walk with a child in winter
Table-memo for parents about the duration of a winter walk with a child at an air temperature of at least -15°C:
Age of child Duration of walk
Up to 1 year 1-1.5 hours
1-2 years 1-2 hours
2-4 years 1.5-3 hours
More than 4 years 2-4 hours
It would be reasonable to shorten the walking if the temperature outside drops below -15° C. It is better to divide the total walking with a child under 4 years old into 2-3 separate trips outside, for example, in the morning, afternoon and evening. For children with a cold, it is better to refrain from walking during the height of the illness and reduce the time they spend outside when the child is already on the mend.
To what temperature do they walk with children in winter?
Pediatricians recommend walking with babies under 6 months at an air temperature of at least -6° C. With older children, 6-12 months, you can go outside if the thermometer shows -10° C. With a child over a year old, long walks are acceptable - longer than 1 hours - walks at an air temperature of at least -15° C, if the baby walks well and moves actively on the street. Active children over 5 years old can walk even at -20° C, if it is sunny and windless outside.
Advice to parents . When setting the minimum permissible air temperature for a walk with a child , take into account the characteristics of your region. Children will tolerate even a fairly low temperature with low humidity more easily than a higher temperature, but also with high humidity.
The right clothes
What you need to know when dressing your children for a winter walk :
1. Don’t dress your child too warmly “just in case”
- overheating is no better than hypothermia.
Put on your son or daughter the same number of layers of clothing as you would put on yourself, or one layer more if you are going for a walk with a baby under one year old .
2. Choose loose clothing that does not restrict movement.
3. Make sure that the first layer of clothing on the child is made of synthetics or wool. Cotton gets wet quickly on a sweaty body and dries very slowly.
4. Put your child in shoes that fit properly - in tight shoes, your feet run the risk of frostbite.
5. In winter, it is recommended to wear mittens on your hands - they retain heat better than gloves. If the child is small, sew an elastic band to the mittens so that the baby does not accidentally lose them.
Advice to parents . Try to maintain a temperature in the apartment of 18-20° C. This way you can avoid a sharp temperature difference between the street and the house, and the child will catch colds less often. Humidify the air in your apartment using a humidifier or just a damp towel on the radiator. If the air is too dry, the airways become dry and children get sick easily.
Winter fun and children's safety
Each winter fun has its own characteristics. But there are also general safety during children’s games that will be useful for your child to know:
• you cannot take off your hat and scarf, even if there is a deceptive feeling of warmth or other children consider the clothes “unfashionable”
;
• tell your child that if he feels that he is freezing or gets his feet wet, he needs to immediately return home and immediately change into dry clothes;
• if for some reason a frozen child cannot immediately enter a warm room, let him not stop moving to stimulate blood circulation;
• any games should take place away from the roadway.
Skiing, snowmobiling
Skiing and snow scooters are one of the safest winter activities . Under adult supervision, children learn to ski from the age of 4-5.
Safety rules for young skiers and their parents :
• for skiing, choose a not very steep hill, preferably in a park or in a place where there is no traffic;
• wear a protective helmet on your child if you plan to ski on public slides where there is a risk of colliding with other skiers;
• dress your child in a bright suit - so he will be visible on the slope;
• if the child has never skied before, first just teach him how to ski;
• a beginner skier does not need ski poles; without additional support, he will quickly learn to maintain balance.
Advice to parents . When heading out on the slopes with your child, bring extra gloves, water and a snack.
Snow scooters are similar to sleds, with skis instead of runners. Well managed, but require their own security :
• choose a smooth slide for riding with your child without large obstacles (rocks, trees)
on the descent;
• show your child how to control the snow scooter using the steering wheel and brake;
• help lift the snow scooter to the top of the slide if it is difficult for the child to cope independently.
Advice to parents . Snow scooters weigh on average about 6 kg; it will be difficult for a preschool child to control them. Starting from primary school age, children handle snow scooters quite confidently.
Ice skating: behavior on ice
The main condition for safe skating is the choice of a specially equipped skating area. You can put your child on the ice for the first time at the age of 3. Other rules of conduct on ice:
• always wear a protective helmet, knee pads and elbow pads on your child;
• to go to the skating rink with a beginner skater, choose a time when there are few other people on the rink: relative desertedness will help avoid injuries;
• try to always be nearby to help the child if necessary;
• for the first time on the skating rink, limit yourself to walking from one edge of the skating rink to the other with a side step;
• teach your child the technique of falling correctly: grouping and falling on your side.
Advice to parents . Choose skates that are half a size larger than your child’s shoes.
Slides: safety
When choosing a slide for your child to ride, pay attention to its safety . There should be no roads or bodies of water near the hill. If you are taking a small child for a ride, then a crowd of active teenagers on the slide is also a potential danger.
What children and parents - safety precautions on the slide in winter :
• remind your son or daughter that politeness is good everywhere, and on the slide too: let the child give way to the younger ones and follow the skating line;
• monitor your child’s ride, especially if he is still small and there are many other children on the slide;
• children under 5 years old are allowed to ride only on gentle slopes;
• put on non-slip shoes for your child before going up the hill;
• allow your child to ride only on a skating device - an ice skate, a cheesecake, a snow scooter, but not on his feet or squatting.
Advice to parents . If your child is under 5 years old, do not buy him a trough-shaped ice skate - such skating devices are quite difficult to control.
Sleds, ice skates and tubing: what you need to know
Sleds, ice skates and tubes are equally well suited for sledding, but differ in some characteristics, including the degree of safety . The safest device for descending is a sled; tubes are the most difficult to control. Ice boats are good for their lightness and low price, but they are a little inferior to sleds in terms of safety - it is more difficult to control an ice boat than a sled.
How to make ice skating safe :
• for smooth ice slides, simple oval ice cubes with one handle are suitable, for snowy slopes - plate ice cubes or trough ice cubes with two handles and recesses for the feet;
• do not use ice cubes in the shape of a plate or trough on ice slides - on a slippery surface such ice cubes become uncontrollable;
• for ice skating, choose only smooth slides, without springboards, to avoid back injury.
Rules for safe sledding :
• if the child is under 5 years old, choose a slide without a steep descent;
• remind your child that during the descent you need to hold on to the sled firmly with your hands;
• tell your child that you cannot sled while standing, lying down or sitting against the movement.
Precautions when riding cheesecakes
(tubing)
:
• slides that are not too steep are suitable for tubing - the tubes are light and a child may not be able to control them;
• explain to the child that the collision is on a cheesecake
with other children can lead to injury - let him roll on the tube when the risk of colliding is minimal;
• be close to the slide if you come to ride the cheesecake
with a small child.
Advice to parents . A child can learn to operate an ice cube at the age of 3, a sled at the age of 4, and a “cheesecake”
- from 6 years old.
Frostbite and injuries: first aid for a child
Parents often think that only careless adults can encounter frostbite and injuries. This is not true: doctors note that every winter children from wealthy families who were not careful enough during walks . Learn to provide first aid for frostbite and injuries - and if necessary, you will be able to help your child in an emergency without panicking.
First aid for injuries
If a child falls and hits himself, the first thing to do is take him to a quiet place and ask him where and how it hurts. If you feel well and have normal movement of the limbs, a bruise is possible, which is treated with rest for the first two days, and then with warming up . In any case, monitor your child’s condition: if your health worsens, consult a doctor.
Don't hesitate to call an ambulance if:
• the child hurt his head;
• you suspect that the child may have a dislocation, sprain or fracture;
• the child complains of abdominal pain.
Do not undress the child and do not apply a splint to avoid frostbite in addition to injury. The exception is severe bleeding, which must be stopped with a tight bandage while waiting for the doctor.
Signs of frostbite and first aid
Frostbite, contrary to popular belief, occurs not only in the cold, but also when the air temperature is near zero, if there is a strong wind outside.
Signs of frostbite:
• the affected area of the body loses sensitivity;
• the skin turns red and there is a tingling sensation;
• if measures are not taken in time, blisters appear.
If you notice signs of frostbite in a child, immediately take him indoors. Place the affected part of the body in warm water, then rub the skin to restore sensitivity.
What to do if your tongue gets stuck in the cold?
If a child, despite warnings, still licks iron or other metal, take immediate action:
• calm the child so that he does not twitch and damage his tongue;
• pour warm water or other liquid over your tongue;
• if there is no liquid, breathe on the victim’s tongue, placing your palms to your mouth.
Winter safety is very important . But children will always remain children. Try not to turn explanations of safety rules into boring notations : act unobtrusively, using cartoons, fairy tales and themed games.
Here is a list of useful cartoons for children, after watching which you can discuss with your child the behavior of the main characters, their actions in dangerous situations and mistakes that could cost them their lives. Be sure to keep the list for yourself and share it with other parents ! Let's take care of our children together.
And here's the answer:
1. Change the stroller to a sling, and the issue of mobility is solved.
In a sling you can simply walk, go to visit and travel on public transport, you can attend exhibitions or run from home to your car. At the same time, when walking in a sling, it is much easier to control the baby’s temperature, because you are in direct contact with him.
The most ideal option for walking in winter with a newborn is to walk in a woolen or cashmere sling. Such slings consist of a mixture of wool and cotton or cotton + silk, which allows the mother to put much less clothing on the child, because such a sling itself warms.
2. Remove a million unnecessary layers of clothing from your child and get thermal underwear and a fleece underwear.
The main idea of winter “outfit” for children is thoughtful layering. The principle of three-layer winter equipment was borrowed into everyday children's life from athletes and travelers, whose clothes should be comfortable and warm even in extreme conditions. For comfortable walks, the child wears a membrane overall (or jacket + pants) as the top layer, which does not get wet, is not blown out and removes excess heat if necessary.
The second layer is fleece, which retains heat.
The last, basic component is thermal underwear. It maintains a comfortable body temperature and serves to remove moisture.
Thermal underwear will allow your baby to maintain the optimal temperature, and when moisture appears on the body, to remove it outside. This eliminates the possibility of hypothermia and overheating. A fleece overall will additionally retain heat in severe frosts.
3. Carry your baby in a sling jacket!
Babywearing jacket is a brilliant invention for young mothers:
- There is no need to torment your child with long dressing times - one or two layers of clothing, a hat-helmet, socks-booties and off you go.
- Mom also doesn’t need to “pack” much, which reduces the time it takes to get ready to go outside.
- You can safely breastfeed your baby in a babywearing jacket and sling! This opportunity allows you not to limit either the time or geography of your movements with your baby.
- The babywearing jacket can always be unzipped indoors, so you can easily visit museums and travel on public transport.
4. And a few more words about frostbitten cheeks.
Protect your child's face from chapping in severe frosts. In order to avoid frostbitten cheeks of young children, who already have very delicate skin, you can use special creams or oils. The cream should be applied 15-30 minutes before leaving the house so that the water contained in it evaporates. Babies walking with their mother under a sling jacket in severe frost, wind and great dampness should be covered with a baby hood located on the sling insert to protect the child’s face from frostbite or chapping.
That is, you can smear the baby’s cheeks ahead of time, put thermal underwear and fleece on him, wrap him in a woolen sling, dress mother and baby in a sling jacket and that’s it! Go ahead, take a walk - breathe in the fresh air, catch the sun's rays on your face and crunch the snow under your feet!
What clothes do you need for walking in winter?
- lightweight, not restricting movement;
- warm, but not hot;
- windproof;
- consisting of several clothes so that if necessary you can take something off, for example, when visiting a store;
- covering the neck and ears, but not making a packaged “mummy” of the child.
A baby who cannot walk should be dressed warmly. You need to cover him with a blanket in the stroller. As soon as the baby is on his feet, let him stomp in the snow and show interest in this white miracle. Let him fall in the snow, let him be surprised or cry. This is knowledge of the world.
By walking on their own, children generate more energy and their blood circulation flows faster. They are hot. Mothers should carefully monitor the behavior of their child, not to miss the moment when he becomes cold. If your child is active, it is better not to overdo it with clothes.
Experienced mothers advise: if the child will walk lying in a stroller or sitting on a sled, put on one layer of clothing on him more than on yourself; if he will run and move actively, then one layer less if you are going to calmly walk around with your child. snowy streets, wear as many layers of clothing on him as you do on yourself.
Pediatricians warn: until the age of three, a small person cannot tremble and chatter his teeth from the cold; his body has not yet formed a sufficient layer of fat for thermoregulation. It is the mother who must monitor the exchange of heat in her child’s body and respond in time to temperature changes.
READ ALSO: how to dress a child for a walk
Think for yourself, decide for yourself:
Walk the old fashioned way:
1. Mom packs:
11 pieces of maternal walking equipment: 30 sec. for each = 5.5 minutes.
2. Packing the child:
- sliders - 1 min.
- light vest - 1 min.
- light cap - 1 min.
- suit-undersuit - 2 min.
- wool socks - 1 min.
- shirtfront - 0.5 min.
- Warm suit - 1 min.
- warm hat - 1 min.
- fur booties - 0.5 min.
Total = 9 minutes.
At this point, the child is already sweating in the apartment, and you still haven’t left, because you still need to load the child into an envelope and into a stroller, and run out of the entrance. We grab the child, stroller, envelope: + 3 minutes to exit the entrance with the elevator. = Mom spent 18.5 minutes, dressed for -20C and definitely sweating. = The child spent 11 minutes dressed for -20C and most likely sweated.
Walking with children 9-12 months.
This age is good because babies begin to walk. Many of them no longer tolerate strollers, and it is simply impossible to seat them there. Now you must lead the baby by the hand through the creaking snow, be prepared for small falls into the snowdrifts and make sure that the baby does not eat the snow.
What you need to know about walks in this case:
— buy winter overalls in which the child will be comfortable to move, squat, and bend over;
- You also need to choose the right shoes. It is better if you opt for boots with a hard back. The shoe size should be equal to the length of the child’s foot + 1 centimeter. And one more tip: the size of the shoe should be measured not by the sole, but by the insole;
- walks at this age can be quite long, since the baby is actively moving and does not freeze. You can also purchase a sled that will bring special pleasure to your baby.
We hope that our recommendations will be useful to you, and that you will enjoy taking your little one on wonderful winter walks.
Result:
1. Nerves from getting ready and trying to go out as quickly as possible. 2. Mom is the first candidate for ARVI in the near future. 3. You can only forget about breastfeeding while out for a walk if you return home or go into any other room. 4. Of course, you can visit shopping centers/cafes/museums/exhibitions, but it’s inconvenient. Especially in small boutiques or narrow museums. Yes, and undressing and dressing is very dreary.
Or
How to dress a child in winter?
Simple rules for children of any age
Dress your child in layers: so that an air gap forms between the layers of clothing.
But there should be no more than three layers:
Clothes should not be too tight: there must be a warming layer of air between the layers.
Do not focus on the child’s nose and cheeks: they may be cold, but this does not mean that the child is cold.
To understand whether a child is cold or not, it is better to touch his skin in the neck or chest area.
A frozen child begins to cry, and then becomes uncharacteristically quiet and calm; the skin may become pale.
An overheated child becomes restless and ruddy. When undressing him at home, you will notice that he is wet.
If you yourself are cold, don't check to see if your child is cold (because he probably is) - just go home. Pay attention to whether the child's legs and arms are cold after undressing him. If it's cold, dress him warmer next time. If you are going to travel by car, then in the cabin it is better to take off the child’s jacket and cover him with a blanket or lower the air temperature to a minimum so that the child does not overheat before going outside. When indoors, remove your child's outer clothing to prevent him from overheating.
A few words about thermal underwear
Thermal underwear will prevent the child from sweating, overheating and, as a result, becoming hypothermic. In addition, it provides freedom of movement.
- Seams and labels in children's thermal underwear should face outwards.
- Buy thermal underwear by size, not by size.
- Wear only on naked body.
- Thermal underwear should only be worn outdoors; at home, the child should be changed into regular underwear.
Do not dry thermal underwear in a washing machine or on a radiator, do not iron, boil or bleach. Wash at a temperature no higher than 30°C.
There are three types of thermal underwear:
1 - Moisture wicking - (synthetic - made of polyester, microfiber, lycra or polypropylene). It is intended for active, sweating older children and is perfect for sports.
2 - Heat-saving - (natural - made of wool, cashmere; I note that merino wool not only warms, but also removes moisture, does not prick and is hypoallergenic). Suitable for young children, as well as for sedentary older children and for everyone else - in severe frosts.
3 - Combined - (synthetics plus wool and cotton in different proportions; the more synthetics, the better the linen removes moisture, and the more wool, the better it retains heat).
Technological option:
1. Mom, of course, packs first:
- nursing turtleneck for quick and timely access to the body
- thermal underwear-leggings
- membrane trousers
- thermal socks
- (for all this we will put 30 seconds as in the previous example, for the purity of the experiment) 30 * 4 = 2 minutes.
2. Packing the baby:
- thermal pants - 1 min.
- thermal body - 1 min.
- thermal socks - 1 min.
- thermal helmet - 1 min.
- We wrap the sling with added wool around ourselves in 3 minutes. Further:
- boots with a gore-tex membrane - for mom’s feet,
- gloves with membrane fleece fabric - for mom's hands
- hat - on the head
- Jacket - in one move for two
+ 2 min. And voila! = 9.5 minutes - mom spent getting dressed for going out into the cold, without sweating (at all!), because Thermal underwear is specially designed to prevent you from sweating indoors. = 9 minutes - the baby spent getting dressed for going out into the cold, without sweating, because... it is completely protected from both heat and cold by the properties of thermal underwear.
How to tell if your baby is cold
Previously, parents touched the baby's nose. It was believed that if it was cold, the child was cold. Touch your nose - it’s also cold, but you’re not frozen, right?
Dress your baby in as many clothes as you plan to dress yourself. Then you will know exactly how he feels! If you start to freeze, it’s time for you to go home! True, if you have a very sedentary toddler, a warm envelope in the stroller is a must.
Signs of frostbite
Frostbitten skin has a pale bluish color. In a warm room, she weakly feels pain, touch, and warmth. When warming up, the pain returns and swelling appears. Severe frostbite can cause blistering. The body becomes lethargic, blood pressure and body temperature decrease.
Do not rub the frostbitten area with anything to avoid worsening the injury. The damaged skin is lubricated with Vaseline, and a clean, warm bandage is applied. Give the victim warm tea.
Why go out into the cold at all?
In winter I want to stay at home. It’s so easy to convince yourself that the child will be cold, he might get sick, but there is no sun and he won’t get vitamin D anyway.
“In fact, it’s enough to understand the general idea,” says GMS Clinic pediatrician Emilia Gavrilova, “you should strive to go outside regularly with your child. But you can not walk at all one day, and walk several times on another. If the roads are snowy, it’s snowing and raining, or you’re just not in the mood to go for a walk, you don’t have to force yourself to do anything, you can just sit at home for a couple of days.”
But winter walks are, first of all, hardening, a change of environment and new incentives for the child to develop. Cold air clears the nasopharynx of apartment dust. Walking also helps preserve vision, because on the street the eye muscles are trained when the child moves his gaze from a near point to a far point and back.
In winter, it is more difficult to move and more effort is expended due to increased weight and difficulties in moving outside. Therefore, even simple walking brings more benefits. And physical activity is the basis of a child’s health. Children who sit at home for a long time are more likely to get injured, because they have nowhere to put their excess energy at home.
“It is good for a child, even a very young child, to go for a walk both in summer and in winter,” reminds Emilia Gavrilova. — Even if the child is just lying in the stroller, during a walk he breathes fresh air, the sun’s rays fall on him and, while he is not sleeping, he examines the world around him at different distances (of course, if he is not disturbed by a blanket or raincoat thrown over the stroller) . Walks usually also help parents relax.”
If a child is sick without fever, walking will help clear the airways of viruses faster, and physical activity and the flow of fresh air will speed up recovery. Even if the child only sleeps outside, walks in the cold will still bring more benefits than the same sleep, but at home.
Of course, in a snowstorm or severe frosts it is better to stay at home, especially if the child is very small. Typically, pediatricians do not advise walking with children under one year old if it is colder outside -10 degrees, and from one to three years -15 degrees.
“At the same time, there cannot be any uniform norms,” explains Emilia Gavrilova, “for example, up to 0 degrees, walk 40 minutes a day, from 0 to minus 10 - 30 minutes, and so on. All these recommendations are artificially invented for convenience. To draw up a plan for walks in kindergarten or for pediatricians when they need to answer parents’ questions about walks. How much it costs to walk with a child in winter depends not only on the air temperature, because you can dress the child warmly, but also on the strength of the wind. The stronger the wind, the shorter the walk should be. Strong winds make your eyes water, your face becomes chapped, and your child freezes faster. If it’s windy outside, avoid open spaces: hills, embankments, bridges, and don’t carry your baby facing into the wind.”
The hardest thing is for parents of winter newborns; it is difficult to immediately determine when it is possible to go outside with a small child in cold weather.
“If the weather is comfortable, you can walk for a long time from the first day,” says Emilia Gavrilova. - But the more the air temperature differs from comfortable, the more gradually walks should begin. The baby needs to get used to temperature changes, and parents need to adapt: how to feed and change the diaper in advance, how to dress, how not to miss overheating or hypothermia.”
When walking, the main thing is that the child does not get cold or sweat. Often inexperienced parents believe that they need to dress their child as warmly as possible in winter, but overheated children can sweat and then freeze due to wet clothes.
“First of all, here you need to focus on age,” says pediatrician at the Fantasy clinic Maria Rudnitskaya. — In the first months of life, it is quite difficult for a child to determine whether he got cold during a walk or not. But if a child worries for no reason, takes a forced position to retain the maximum amount of heat, that is, curls up, then one can suspect that he is cold. This may also be indicated by a whitened nasolabial triangle and the appearance of white spots on the cheeks. In an older child, we pay attention to the temperature of the extremities and nose. The temperature in the neck area can also serve as a marker. If it is cold and damp, then it is best to take the child somewhere warm. It can also be noticed by changes in behavior or pallor of the skin. If the skin becomes pale and a wild, healthy blush appears, then it is better to take it into a warm place.”
