Newborn babies need warmth for several reasons, especially in the cold season. We explore these reasons and give you tips to keep baby warm!
Why babies need warmth
Imagine baby in your belly: he has been comfortably warm for 9 months in a reassuring environment. Then, he comes into the world and undergoes several shocks at the same time: he loses the warmth and comfort of the amniotic fluid to go out into a foreign world, with strong lights, foreign voices and above all, a sudden drop in ambient temperature.
In addition, the infant is not able to regulate its temperature, so it cannot retain its body heat so necessary for its emotional as well as physical development. The baby being very sensitive to temperature changes and not being able to warm up on his own needs his parents to keep him warm.
The infant needs warmth, but don't overdo it either. If baby is sweating, his skin turns red or he has small hot spots, he is too hot. Ideally, the room temperature should be between 20 and 22°C. If baby is cold, cover hima light blanket without wrapping it too much. As a general rule, if you're comfortable, baby should be too.
How to fill the heat need
There are many things you can do to meet baby's warmth needs from birth. The goal is to reproduce as much as possible the comfort and security that baby felt in your belly during pregnancy.
- Immediately after delivery, it is advisable to stick baby to your chest, preferably skin to skin, to stabilize his body temperature and keep him warm.
- Upon returning home, continue to practice skin-to-skin contact when you can.
- Rock baby as often as you want. Not only does it help him keep his body temperature and feel good, but it promotes the parent-child bond.
- You can also practice carrying to keep baby close to you when you go about household activities.
- Some babies like to be swaddled in a blanket like when they were cramped in the womb.
- If it's a little cold, make sure baby is dressed warmly. If necessary, mittens, booties and a hat can be worn to prevent heat loss.
- During the night, use an overnight bag that will keep him warm.
- If baby does not like to sleep alone, you can practice the co-sleeping which will help give himcomfort, security and warmth during the night.
To sleep, a baby's room should have a temperature of 18° to 20° only. Overheating the room would significantly increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. An overnight bag will keep him warm.
