How to walk with a newborn in winter

Walking in the fresh air is a prerequisite for the harmonious development of the child. They contribute to the development and maintenance of immunity, good sleep, appetite. You need to walk with your baby regularly, regardless of the time of year, but in winter, young mothers are most often afraid to go out with their newborn, for fear of harming his health.

We take a walk in winter with health benefits

Staying in the fresh air in winter has advantages over walking on warm days. Cold air is much cleaner, and even during the spread of infectious diseases, it is almost impossible to get infected from other people on the street: viruses are not able to live at low temperatures and in high humidity. By the way, that is why with the beginning of the heating season it is very important to often ventilate the room and try not to warm it above 20 degrees.

Winter walks also contribute to the formation and strengthening of the immune system, activate metabolic processes in the body, improve the sleep of the newborn.

But as soon as the thermometer goes below 0 ° C, the young mother has doubts about the safety of winter walks. The fear that the baby will fall ill due to hypothermia is so great that you have to give up staying in the fresh air before the onset of warmer days.

However, because of unreasonable doubts it is not necessary to deprive the child of the benefits that winter walks carry. The main thing is to approach them responsibly.

Winter walks: when and how much

A newborn baby can be taken out to fresh air on about 8-9 days of his life. The first walk, especially winter, should not be long. The kid is just adapting to this world, so do not overload his body.

In winter, the first outbreak of a newborn in fresh air should be limited to 10 minutes on the street. The next day, this time can be increased by 5 minutes, and so gradually bring it 40-60 minutes. Then you can add a second, and even a third walk with the same duration. By acting in this way, you can bring the total time the child is in the fresh air to 1.5-3 hours a day, which is sufficient in the winter.

Of course, such a walking mode is not entirely convenient, because mother and baby will have to dress and undress several times during the day, but it will help to avoid the risk of hypothermia and provide the child with enough oxygen.

The main factor determining the length of time a child is outdoors is, of course, the weather. On warm days, children can walk almost all day, but in winter the total duration of walks is reduced to 1.5-3 hours a day. In the event of a drop in air temperature below -10 ° C, it is better to refuse a walk.

However, in some regions with a high level of humidity or windiness and higher temperatures do not contribute to prolonged exposure to fresh air, therefore, focus not only on the readings of the thermometer, but also on the climatic features of the area in which you live. So, in Sochi, because of the increased humidity, a temperature of -5 ° C is more difficult to tolerate than -15 ° C in Irkutsk.

Dress correctly

When preparing for a walk, do not forget about a very important rule: first, the mother dresses, and then the baby, otherwise the child runs the risk of sweating while still at home, which can lead to a cold.

Although young mothers are usually afraid of overcooling the baby, overheating is no less dangerous for the crumbs. Therefore, try to be guided by the "plus one" recommendation, i.e. dress the baby like yourself, but adding another layer of clothing.

Swaddling and careful wrapping before a walk are undesirable, because this prevents the child from moving. In addition, the baby, "tied" in arms and legs, will shiver much faster.

The child's face should always be open. Cheeks and nose during the walk can be cool, this is normal. If the face of the newborn turns red, his cheeks and neck are hot, then he is most likely hot, and the next time you should put on a little easier. But the unusual pallor and a cold surface of the skin in the neck indicate that the baby is cold.

When choosing clothes for a walk, first of all, put on a baby’s cotton long-sleeved bodysuit and romper: the natural fabric absorbs sweat and allows air to pass through well. The next layer may be a suit or jumpsuit on the fleece. Then the baby can be put on in outer clothing: an envelope or jumpsuit on the insulation.

Do not forget to protect the baby's head from the cold, as well as the arms and legs. Just put on a thin cotton cap and a warm hat on your head. If the outer clothing of the baby is equipped with a hood, then put it on.

When buying a jumpsuit for a baby, try to get the model in which the child’s arms and legs do not look out. Then you do not have to wear extra mittens, socks and shoes.

Do not rush to buy popular membrane overalls. Yes, they keep heat very well and are very thin compared to regular outerwear. But the membrane is suitable for those children who are already actively moving for a walk: running, jumping, climbing around the playground. A newborn lying motionless will most likely be cold in her.

Balcony or street

If for some reason the mother is unable to go out with the child, you can use the balcony as an alternative, putting the crumbs to sleep in the stroller. While the newborn is sleeping, you can do household chores or devote time to taking care of yourself.

Such a dream can be equated with a walk, provided that your balcony does not go to a busy and busy street. Otherwise, the very purpose of “balcony” sleep - finding a child in the fresh air, becomes unattainable. Better to sleep in the house than in the gassed air. In addition, you must be sure that no foreign or dangerous objects from the street, roof, upper floors will get into the balcony and the stroller.

It is safe to leave the child alone during sleep until he begins to sit down, hold on to a support, or kneel. The kid who has mastered such skills can fall out of the stroller, because the cradle design usually does not include seat belts.

Do not miss the time the child wakes up, this can help the baby monitor. Of course, if you will be in the whole dream of a child in a room from which there is direct access to the balcony, you will not need it, because you will hear the baby as soon as he wakes up. However, if you plan to spend time, for example, in the kitchen or cleaning the bathroom, a baby monitor will still be needed.

Do not deprive the child of walks in the winter. Clean air remarkably saturates the newborn’s body with oxygen, which is necessary for the harmonious development and proper functioning of the baby’s body. Observance of simple rules will allow you to get the maximum benefit from walking on cold winter days without risk to the baby’s health.

Video: how long and under what conditions you need to walk with a newborn