Winter Care For Babies: Some Helpful Tips

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Cold and harsh winters call for extra care, especially for babies. Temperature drops and cold, blowing winds can make them feel extra chilly. Their small bodies use maximum energy to maintain the body heat which leads to their immune system being compromised. Their skin also tends to get dry in cold weather. Whether you keep your baby indoors or clothe them warm for some fresh air outside, taking a few measures can keep them safe and healthy.

Adequate care and careful diet, lifestyle, and massage choices can help infants or newborns sail through winters safely. This article will dive into useful baby care practices during winter to keep your baby warm and comfortable.

1. Important Dietary Changes

Mothers know the importance of breastfeeding. Since breast milk contains antibodies required to build a strong immune system, it is important to continue breastfeeding even if the baby has started weaning and is consuming semi-solids. Consult the pediatrician if you are considering making changes to your baby’s diet. A few nutritious dietary tweaks during seasonal changes can help keep a baby healthy. Whether mashed or semi-solid, vegetable or meat purees can be fed lukewarm. Since warm foods can soothe the body, you can feed your baby nutritious soups with pureed or mashed vegetables or chicken as per your preference. (1).

2. Layer With Warm Yet Light Clothes

Cold weather calls for a good bundle-up. But it does not imply over-layering that will weigh their little bodies down and make them fussy. Instead, consider thin fabrics that also help keep warm, like silk and lycra, which are good insulators. You may layer a cotton tee with a thicker, soft, and knitted layer. This will also ensure minimum layering to keep the outfit breathable. When going out with your baby, use a baby carrier. The baby will feel cozy and warm, thanks to the parent’s body heat combined with the light layers that the baby is wearing.

3. Give A Nod To Infrequent Baths

Hygiene plays a crucial role in baby care. However, changes in the season do require some special bath routines (2). For example, bathing a baby every day during harsh winters may make them feel colder. Try alternating between warm sponge baths and occasional full baths in winter. Lukewarm water sits comfortably with your baby. You can gauge the temperature with your wrist or elbow.

4. A Reliable Humidifier

When the temperature starts dipping, people use various ways and means to maintain a warm environment. That includes installing heaters, using portable heaters, and clothing babies with thicker apparel. Winters tend to make the skin dry, and combined with heaters, it can deprive the room of moisture. This is where humidifiers step in. They can help maintain appropriate humidity levels and prevent the air from becoming dry and affecting your baby’s skin. Humidifiers keep the air well-regulated. The right moisture level can also help prevent dry mucus from forming.

5. Mustard Oil Massages

Warm oil massages are a must, and an age-old practice that has transcended generations. A gentle oil massage contains many benefits like regulating the flow of nutrients and oxygen in the bloodstream, improving better breathing, and also lessening crying or fussy behavior. Back then, our grandmothers used to go through the process of extracting mustard oil from seeds and mixing with other spices before heating it. Also referred to as kachi ghani, this cold-pressed oil retains the properties of the ingredients. However, the process is time-taking, and overheating the oil can lead to the loss of its natural efficacy.

Mustard oil is convenient, effective, and has antibacterial benefits. The Himalaya Mustard Massage Oil is formulated specifically for your baby’s massage sessions and is infused with pure mustard oil that evokes nostalgic memories. It is a unique blend of oils and herbs that has many benefits. Some of the ingredients are:

• Aloe Vera – Helps moisturize baby’s skin.
• Mustard – Traditionally believed to relieve skin disorders and itchiness.
• Olive Oil  – Provides nourishment and makes skin soft.
• Winter Cherry – To improve muscle tone.
• Country Mallow – For strengthening muscles.
• Vetiver – Gives a soothing effect.

Apart from the benefits listed above, regular body massages of babies can regulate better blood circulation and help enhance the overall growth of babies. Himalaya’s wisdom of tradition and promise of purity make this non-sticky mustard oil safe for your baby. This clean and natural oil is clinically tested, scientifically developed, and free of synthetic colors, parabens, or mineral oil.

WHO states that an infant’s thermal control of the body is limited because of low insulation, as compared to adults who are better at retaining body’s heat (3). Therefore, the onset of winter means extra protection and care for babies. However, making some lifestyle changes and following precautionary measures can help your baby stay healthy and sail through winters like a breeze.

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