The nine months your baby spent nurturing in a warm and safe home are now over, and your baby is ready to enter this world. You might be excited to welcome your little angel but at the same time, you must realize that parenting is not without anxieties.
A lot of challenges are hopping to hug you and keeping the baby warm is one of them. Not to be afraid of you, but in case you didn’t know the babies who are not properly treated for winters are vulnerable to cold, cough, and flu.
While facing these challenges you no longer find winter nights with snowfall fascinating. Hold on! We have revealed some smart hacks for keeping the baby warm in a crib. But before breaking down the list of these hacks, you should know why it is important to discuss this issue?
Why It Is Important To Keep The Infant Warm
Is it really important to keep my baby warm at night? Or, Would my baby be able to maintain his body temperature on frigid winter nights? I hear you ask. Since babies can’t produce enough heat to keep themselves warm for a long time, keeping them warm is something that you can’t neglect as a parent.
Babies have a high surface area to weight ratio so they lose more heat to the environment as compared to adults. Additionally, other factors that lead to more heat loss in babies are:
Thermal regulation is inefficient in babies
Immature circulatory and respiratory system
Thin skin and less subcutaneous fat
When the baby’s surrounding temperature falls below 37°C they utilize their energy reserves and more oxygen to keep them warm. But they can’t rely on their energy reserves to keep themselves warm for a longer time.
Babies can’t rectify the issue themselves as their brain center for regulating body temperature is not developed enough to maintain their body temperature in winters.
So, you should be aware of the factors that help to keep your baby’s crib warmer.
You should check your baby’s neck and chest temperature to know if he is too hot or too cold while sleeping. A baby with rapid breathing, flushed cheeks, and a sweaty neck is warmer than a baby whose body feels cold to touch and has pale skin.
Babies spend most of their time sleeping in cribs. So it becomes vital to keep the baby warm in a crib or bassinet.
Position the Crib in Right Location
While setting the baby’s nursery you should pay heed towards cribs positioning.
Avoid keeping your baby’s bassinet closer to the heater, air vents, fans, and windows.
Keep it against the plain wall of the nursery and away from drafty windows that have curtain cords to avoid potential strangulation risk to your baby.
Preheat the Crib With a Heated Crib Pad
If there is cold outside then preheating the crib works best. You can use a heating blanket for the baby before laying out the baby. But be careful while putting the baby heating pad and make certain to remove it as soon as possible to avoid overheating and burns.
Keep the Crib Clear of Clutter
A loose blanket tucked under the crib’s mattress is a great practice to keep the crib warm while avoiding the risk of smothering hazards. A clean crib free of pillows and loose blankets is an ideal place for babies to sleep. Also, remove all pillows and toys from this area to avoid suffocation and SIDS.
Tips to Keep Baby’s Warm
How to keep the baby warm in a crib is a common concern that parents share. So parents are very conscious about their babies especially when their baby is born in winter. They cover their babies in the swaddle. Admittedly, many babies hate being swaddled. In such instances, it becomes tough for parents to keep the baby warm.
They keep searching for hacks on how to keep the baby warm at night without swaddling. Take a peek at these hacks to comfy your baby on winter nights and to enjoy a good night’s shut-eye.
Dress Up Your Baby Properly
The foremost option that can keep your baby warm is his appropriate dressing according to the temperature of the surroundings. Many parents are tempted to over-layer their babies and that’s insane. Why not try a wool sleep sack to maintain his body temperature. A great idea it is though.
Maintain the Right Room Temperature
According to a study, room temperature has an impact on the arousal rates of children. The research recommended that 69 – 75°F is the ideal room temperature where your baby should. At this temperature, the baby can get a safe and comfortable sleep. But do bear in mind that if the room temperature exceeds or decreases beyond this temperature it would put your baby at risk.
Preheating the Bassinet
Preheat the bassinet mattress before putting your baby in it. But make sure to avoid overheating the bassinet. The Baby’s extremities receive less blood flow than other parts of the baby so make sure to cover the baby’s hands and feet to keep them warm at night. Many times you can’t cover your baby’s feet and extremities so placing him in a preheated crib is a safe practice.
AAP Guidelines
Keeping the baby safe is the priority of parents. Many parents rush to Google to find tips related to the baby’s safety. If you’re concerned with your baby’s safety then you consider and follow the American Academy of Paediatrics guidelines to assure the safety of your baby.
According to these guidelines, you should allow your baby to sleep on his back and remove unnecessary objects including comforters, plush toys, and pillows from his crib. Also, it highlights that keeping the baby’s room at optimal temperature is crucial to avoid chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Avoiding bed-sharing and encouraging room sharing with parents are also notable factors included in AAP guidelines that are vital for a baby’s safety.
FAQs for How to Keep Bassinet Warm
The recommended room temperature is 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. It also depends upon the tendency of your baby’s body to tolerate the temperature. When you feel that your baby’s body is cold to touch you can add an extra layer of clothing to keep him warm. Otherwise, if your baby is sweaty it is wise to clothe him in one layer.
According to AAP safe sleep guidelines, babies need care while sleeping for at least the first year of their life. Therefore, it is not recommended to put a blanket in a baby crib during the first 12 months. After that time you can place a lightweight blanket without any loose string in his sleep space gradually.
Babies have delicate skin, and any warm thing if put in the baby’s crib for a long time can put your baby at risk of overheating. Therefore, you should avoid the heating pad, warm crib sheets, baby electric blankets for a longer time in his crib.
Conclusion
After gestating for 9 months in the womb when thrust into a different world, babies need tender care to keep themselves safe and warm. Cold temperatures can put your baby at risk of death.
Therefore, care should be taken to keep your baby warm. It does not require much effort or a lot of money to keep your baby safe and warm. When the weather takes a turn follow these guidelines to keep your baby snug and safe:
Dressed up him well in proper clothing
Don’t over-layer your baby with heavy blankets in winters
Keep the baby’s room well insulated and monitor the nursery room temperature
It's not easy being a mom! Kelley Johnson is raising three children (ages 1, 3, and 7) and teaching them to be good people. Kelly is passionate about helping mothers care for their families by finding the best products! She earned her bachelor's degree in English from The College of New Jersey. Kelly likes to read, cook, and parent outside of work.
