Someone once said about winter : “All you need are tea and warm socks.” However, when it comes to baby and winter, you’re certainly going to be needing much more!
In preparing your newborn for winter, start with long-sleeved babygrow that fits really well. Include socks and make sure that you have a well-fitting warm beanie to keep ears warm as well as mittens to keep baby’s hands covered and protected from the cold.
If you’re taking baby outside, be sure to cover baby’s stroller with a bunting bag and keep baby snuggled in a zip-up sweater or a Snug baby grow with feet and matching beanie, to keep baby warm, available in various colours from Baby and I Melrose.
Essential items to remember are :
- Babygrow, babygrow, babygrow! The top essential for baby during winter
- Socks and more socks
- Booties
- Mittens – be sure to have a good few on hand! Remember that babies always put their hands in their mouths and you don’t want baby to be wearing wet mittens
- Snuggly soft and warm beanie
- Swaddle or Sleeping bag
Even though winters here in South Africa aren’t that harsh, we do get some extremely cold days. For that reason, it’s a good idea to know how cold is too cold for baby? When your thermometer is reading single figures, or you feel that it’s too cold for yourself to be out and about, then you know it’s too cold for your baby. Should you need to take baby out, make sure that they are not exposed to the elements for more than a few minutes at time.
Of course going out requires so much more to be taken along to ensure that you are fully prepared for all eventualities during those cold winter days and nights. Whether you’re running to the shops or hopping on a plane, all parents will agree that a hands-free easy to carry and comfortable to use baby bag or backpack , is always going to win hands down! Consider a nappy bag backpack with a generous size to fit everything you need, such as nappies, wipes, a change of clothing and your own items, without weighing you down. The bag should feel comfortable to wear without sacrificing your style. Additional considerations include a changing station or pad, wet bag, easy-to-use zips, pockets (insulated and uninsulated), easy access, size, and overall value.
When dressing baby for the night in winter, we suggest dressing him or her in a swaddle or sleeping bag with a 1.0 TOG or 2.5 TOG rating. TOG stands for Thermal Overall Grade and is a unit of measurement for insulation and warmth of sleepwear and bedding. Put simply, the lower the TOG rating the lighter the fabric. The higher the rating, the more padded and insulated it is for warmth.
- 1.0 TOG is suitable for room temperature of 21°C to 24°C
- 2.5 TOG is suitable for room temperature of 17°C to 23°C
The easiest way to see if baby is too hot or too cold is to feel the nape of baby’s neck which will either be sweaty or feel cold to the touch. To tell if baby is warm enough, place your hand on baby’s chest. If it feels comfortable and warm to the touch, then baby is warm enough. Touching baby’s hands or feet is not ideal for determining whether or not baby is warm enough.
In preparing baby for the night, it can be very tempting to offer a soft warm blanket to help comfort baby for the night. However, blankets are not recommended until baby reaches at least 12 months old. This is because blankets can increase the risk of suffocation. Rather dress baby in one or two layers to sleep. Make sure that baby’s clothes do not have any strings or ties when putting baby down for the night and never cover baby’s head. Until baby can roll over by himself, use a swaddle or sleep sack to form one of those layers to ensure that baby is warm enough for the night.
Tips for keeping Baby warm on cold winter nights :
- Dress baby as we’ve explained above
- Set the room temperature to a comfortable – 20°C to 22°C
- Use a swaddle or sleeping bag
- Keep wind off baby
- Use a firm mattress (always)
- Wear baby to keep him or her warm
It is essential for perfect development that baby receives all the important nutrients from powdered milk formula. Baby and I Melrose has the perfect answer to this. The “Cool Twister” reliably cools freshly boiled water to the recommended temperature for food preparation. This is the only way to ensure that all probiotic nutrients are retained. And when your baby is hangry, it has to go fast. With the Cool Twister, you can prepare a bottle in just 80 seconds.
In order to maintain hygiene, cleaning and bathing baby is important. During the winter months, bathe your baby in lukewarm water on alternate days, particularly in the early days. On the other days you can just use a wet towel to wipe their body before changing their clothes. Doing this will reduce the risk of illness as well as help to retain moisture of the skin. Cold and dry air sucks away all the moisture from baby’s skin which makes it dry and flaky. A great way to keep the skin moisturized is to massage baby at least twice a day in the winter months.
So when looking for winter essentials for baby, Baby and I Melrose is the perfect place to look. We can’t wait to give you a shopping lifestyle experience and to serve you. Baby & I Melrose offers a unique experience as a Baby Boutique in South Africa. Check out our website https://babyandimelrose.co.za/
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