Having a winter baby will bring warmth to the season, but also some specific challenges. Vhi Midwife Support Service Manager Breda Crotty is on hand with tips on protecting them when the weather outside is frightful, ensuring your time together is truly delightful.

While we don’t often get extreme weather in Ireland, even temperate winters can bring conditions that aren’t best suited to a newborn. If your baby arrives in winter, there are some extra considerations for keeping them safe and sound as they brighten up your life in those colder, darker months. You’ll already have a lot swimming around your head as a new parent, so let’s sort through the most pressing scenarios and challenges, with tips on gauging how safe, comfortable, and cosy your little one is along the way.

Stocking up

Ensuring you’ve all the winter essentials is crucial, with an appropriate baby wardrobe being at the top of the list. Of course, they’ll grow out of clothes very quickly, but for the first few weeks of winter, it helps to have:

·    Enough daytime onesies (or stretch suits) for the week, along with sleep suits for bedtime.

·    Socks and booties if it’s particularly cold at night.

·    A couple of light cardigans. Wool or cotton is recommended over nylon.

·    A pack of vests

·    A wrapping blanket or shawl

·    Mittens, socks, booties, and a hat (cotton or wool) for the outdoors. Close-knit fabrics will prevent their fingers and toes from getting caught in their clothing.

Even in winter, light fabrics are better than heavy ones. My biggest tip for keeping them regulated is layering, which means being well-stocked with options and having clothes that can easily be added and removed depending on the environment.

A cellular blanket is also highly recommended for their cot. This is a light, cotton blanket with lots of little holes throughout to keep the air flowing as they sleep.. A baby carrier, or sling, will allow you to keep your child close to you – and warm – as you move around.

It’s also good for parents to have a digital thermometer. You can get these from your local pharmacy and your pharmacist will advise you on how to use it.

The right temperature

Newborn babies don’t have an automatic mechanism for controlling their temperature like we do. It takes a while for their system to adapt, so you’ll have to regulate it for them!

Dressing them appropriately is the main way of doing this. Take the multi-layered approach we’ve just discussed. A hat is hugely important for making sure they’re not losing heat through their head if you’re out and about. As soon as you’re back into the warmth of the home, take off their hat and extra layers .

To get a sense of how warm they are feel their tummy or back; A normal temperature range for a baby is about 36.4 degrees Celsius – this is where the accuracy of a digital thermometer can come in handy.

Keeping the home between 16 - 20 degrees Celsius will ensure it is comfortable for your child. If you’ve a habit of opening windows to get the air circulating, be mindful of your child’s location when you do it. So, if you want to get a fresh draft in the kitchen, just make sure you do it when the baby is cosy in another room.

When it comes to bath time, you’re aiming for warm water of around 36 degrees Celsius – a bath thermometer can test this. Don’t have the baby in the bath while you’re running it. Always double-check the water with your elbow rather than your hands, because the latter will adapt to heat. The water level should just cover their tummy when they’re lying down.

While your focus in winter may be on keeping them warm, there is still the risk of overheating. Dress them in lighter layers in the house and avoid over-wrapping them. This needs to be managed when they sleep, too, and the aforementioned cellular blanket is useful in this regard. Don’t tuck them in too tightly as they need to be free to wriggle and move a little bit. Make sure you’ve easy access to your child when they’re sleeping during those early days.

Heading outside

Obviously if its sub-zero temperatures or torrential rain, you’re not going to take your baby out. But, once you’re well-prepared, it can be good for both of you to leave the house on typical Irish winter days. Those mittens, hats and booties come into play here. As a rule of thumb, dress them in one layer more than you have on yourself. Stay mindful of the different risks winter can throw up. So, for instance, if there are leaves on the ground or a frost has set in, make sure you’re wearing appropriate footwear and are careful of your footing. Make sure that you know how your pram’s breaks work and that they are fully reliable. If you’re going on a winter car ride, take off their bulky coats or bodysuits when you put them into the car. As well as potentially making too warm once your car heating is on, these bulky clothes can make the seat’s straps less effective from a safety point of view.

Avoiding infection

A newborn’s immune system is not fully developed, so they don’t have the abilities built up to effectively fight infection during cold and flu season. Whether it’s the parental unit in the home, or you’re out visiting friends and family, it’s important for people to be conscious of hygiene when they’re handling the baby. Frequent hand washing with soap and water, for 20 seconds, should be the norm. The same goes for coughing or sneezing etiquette and other basic hygiene precautions. If there are other children around your baby, they might need some help or prompting to follow these. Contaminated surfaces can cause infections, too, with some viruses living on surfaces – like toys – for longer than two hours. When your baby comes into contact with them, they are likely to then touch their eyes, nose or mouth and risk infection.

Naturally, if a family member or friend either has an infection or suspects they might, they shouldn’t come into contact with the baby until they recover. But what if the parent gets sick? When you’re looking after your baby, there’s not a huge amount you can do. If you’re breastfeeding and catch a cold or flu, don’t worry – your baby can’t catch it themselves through breast milk. If your baby has cold or flu symptoms, or is just generally under the weather, get in contact with your clinical team for further advice.

In terms of the baby’s hygiene, there’s no need to bathe them every day in the winter months. Three to four times a week is plenty, with some smaller washes of skin creases and other crevices where necessary! Bathing can be a bit of an ordeal, with your whole day rotating around it. It’s a good idea to bathe them in the evening before their last feed as it usually helps them settle.

Winter skin care

Babies have more sensitive, delicate skin than we do, making them more susceptible to moisture loss during the cold, dry winter months. Dry skin can cause red, irritated, and flaky patches to appear on their skin. Rosy red cheeks are also a hallmark of this time of year. Moisturisers are effective in combating all of this, but you should avoid products that contain perfume or alcohol. They may only irritate the skin further. Similarly, avoid soaps that contain fragrances, detergents, or deodorants. When you’re outside, a plastic stroller cover will help shelter your baby from any harsh wind.

Dry lips can also be an issue. Drooling means their mouth area is constantly wet, allowing the skin to become irritated and crack. Luckily, there are gentle lip balms out there that are suitable for babies.

While sunlight can pose risks even in winter months, you shouldn’t apply sunscreen to babies under six months old. Just make sure they’re well-covered when out – not a problem in winter weather!

A sensible approach

So, having a winter baby does require a slightly tailored approach. Certainly, regulating your baby’s temperature and keeping them safe from infection will be two of your most pressing concerns. But the thought of minding a newborn in these darker months doesn’t need to be a daunting one. With the sensible, preventative steps we’ve outlined, and by keeping in contact with your team and support structure where necessary, you can get on with enjoying this most wonderful time of the year with your little one. 

Learn more about Vhi's Midwife Support Services, where our midwives continue to support you for six weeks after your baby's arrival.

This content is for information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice from your GP or an appropriate medical professional if you have concerns about your health, or before commencing a new healthcare regime. If you believe that you are experiencing a medical emergency call 999 / 112 or seek emergency assistance immediately.

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