Too Cold? Too Hot?
Many parents worry that their home will be too cold for their baby in January and February—but they aren’t sure what the right temperature is.
Jennifer Porter, who blogs as the Natural Maker Mom at Satsuma Designs, offers these tips for finding just the right temperature:
- Keep baby comfortable (just like Goldilocks) — in other words, not too hot or cold. Baby's temperature can fluctuate quite a bit so do a hand or foot test to see if they're warm or cold to the touch. In general, add one extra layer of clothing to baby as an adult would wear in the same setting.
- As outdoor temperatures drop and wind picks up, be sure to protect baby's head and hands from biting cold. Wear mittens and don a hat outdoors.
- If taking a winter walk, be sure that your stroller is equipped to handle the sidewalk conditions. Watch for ice and slippery patches. Add a safety strap to your stroller's handlebar and wrap this around your wrist to maintain control of the stroller on hills.
Living in heated dry air indoors for most of the winter makes your skin lose moisture and become dry, itchy, and flaky. Your baby’s skin is very sensitive, and it’s common for them to suffer from dry skin during their first winter.
TriDerma is a line of true skin care with a special baby care line. The winter months can severely dehydrate infants' sensitive skin, and TriDerma can help protect their skin so parents can prevent cracked and dry spots. TriDerma uses exclusive AP4® Genuine Virgin Organic Aloe Complex, which naturally contains over 200 healing properties, as well as handpicked botanicals. Their baby line care products include Eczema Itch & Dryness and Scar Block for Kids, but their Daily Healing Moisturizer and Aloe Healing & Cleansing Gel are parents' best bet to keep their infant happy and healthy. Their products are available online and on the shelves of most national retailers.
Safe While Sleeping
Lori Strong, a Certified Child Sleep Consultant and owner of Strong Little Sleepers, says that it’s important for parents to know about safe sleeping habits for infants during cold months.
“When it's cold outside, our tendency is to bundle our children up in lots of layers. When infants are sleeping, this puts them at a risk for suffocation and overheating. Make sure your child's bedroom is a comfortable temperature between 68 and 72 degrees. If you are comfortable in a room, your baby will be as well,” Lori says.
Indoor Hazards
During the winter months, children are inside most of the time. Sadly, every two weeks a child dies when a television, a piece of furniture, or an appliance falls on him. Parents should use these simple, low-cost safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's campaign to prevent deaths and injuries from furniture and TV tip overs.
The Commission's campaign says:
- During the long winter months, the house can become a playground for children, so it's important to anchor large furniture, televisions and appliances.
- Children will climb anything in search of toys or while attempting to play with décor. Avoid displaying or storing items in places where children might be tempted to climb.
- If a new TV was purchased during the holidays, install anchoring devices right away. If you are relocating older TVs to other parts of the home, secure the TV to the base product and secure the base product to the wall. Remember: some pieces of furniture are just not meant to have a TV sitting on them. If anchoring a TV to the wall is not an option, store heavier items on lower shelves or in lower drawers. Place the TV on a sturdy, low base, and push it as far back as possible.
Jennifer Chung, co-founder of Kinsights.com, a part-parenting community and part-online pediatric health record keeper, suggests that you:
- Be aware of the wind chill. Young kids can be safely outdoors when it is 30 degrees F or above, but make sure to dress them in layers and make sure they wear hats and mittens. Feel their hands and feet every half hour to make sure they’re not too cold if you’re out for a stroller ride or playing at the park.
- Keep emergency blankets in the car in case you break down in inclement weather. Also keep hats, gloves, and water in the trunk in case you have to be rescued. Use body heat and snuggle to keep baby warm and prevent hypothermia from setting in.
