The return of a mother with a child from the hospital is a joyful event for every family. Along with joy, parents face many questions about caring for an infant and organizing the daily routine. The main question is how to walk with a newborn in winter, so as not to harm the baby.
Walking in the fresh air has a beneficial effect on the health of mother and child
The benefits of walking in the fresh air
According to pediatricians, in the newborn's daily routine, a significant place should be devoted to outdoor walks, as they have a beneficial effect on the baby. As a result of walking, the immune system is strengthened, the night's sleep becomes strong, the level of vitamin D, which is necessary for the prevention of rickets, rises.
It is also useful for a woman to stay in the fresh air, since her body is saturated with oxygen, her mood improves, and physical recovery after childbirth is underway.
At what age to start walking with a newborn
According to pediatricians, the sooner the baby is in the fresh air, the better for his health. Therefore, healthy babies can be prepared for the first walk within a few days after discharge from the hospital. It is recommended to start walking with the baby on the fifth day after returning home.
Council. For everyone, the recommendations for when to start walking with a newborn in winter may not be the same. Much depends on the characteristics of childbirth, the well-being of the baby and the indicators of his physical development.
General rules for a winter walk
Some parents are wondering whether to walk with babies in winter, as they are afraid of a cold. Any specialist will say that a walk in any weather will only benefit a small child. However, before going out for a walk with a newborn, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules for walking for winter:
- It is important to dress the infant correctly. The dress formula is considered ideal: up to year +1, after year -1, that is, the rule on the number of layers of clothing. If an adult has two layers, then the baby is insulated by one layer more, for a grown up and actively moving baby, clothes are reduced by one layer.
An important rule for winter walks is to dress your newborn correctly.
- The rule about the length of the walk is equally important. The very first exit is up to ten minutes at t minus 5 degrees. In the following months, the time gradually increases to 1-2 hours. If the thermometer dropped to minus 15 degrees, instead of one long walk, you can go outside for a short time in the morning and in the evening.
- Mothers do not always care about protecting the baby's face and lips. Due to the fact that the face is not covered with warm clothes, it needs protection from frosty air and wind. The cream is applied to the baby's cheeks and nose half an hour before going outside, and the mouth is treated with a hygiene product right before the walk.
How to dress a baby for a stroller ride
Three mandatory protective layers of clothing on babies are recommended by pediatricians to be distributed in this way:
- the first layer - diaper, slip, cap, socks;
- the second layer is a light overalls with closed handles or a blouse and pants;
- the third layer - a warm windproof overalls with closed arms and legs, a winter hat, a scarf.
Note. According to experienced mothers, the most comfortable clothes for a baby on a winter walk is a transforming overalls, which retains heat well and protects the back. In addition, the jumpsuit easily turns into a baby envelope.
Often mothers are interested in whether the baby should be wearing a hat. Pediatricians advise to wear a thin hat in the warm season, and a warm hat and a light cap in cold weather.
An extra blanket is used to keep the stroller warm. Topponchino (soft mattress) will be a good help, since its function is to maintain a constant temperature of the surface with which the child comes into contact.
An ideal outfit for walking in winter is a convertible jumpsuit
How to tell if your baby is cold or hot
The main thing when walking with a baby in winter is to check if he is cold. To do this, it is customary to touch the baby's nose, but it has already been proven that this method of testing is unreliable. To find out whether the baby is not cold or sweating, mom warms her hands and touches the back of the head just below the neck. Cooling can also be determined by the child's restless behavior or pale cheeks and redness of the nose.
In what cases you should not walk with your baby
Despite the importance of walking with a baby, there are times when you should not temporarily go outside. The reasons may be unfavorable weather conditions, the state of health of the baby, recently transferred vaccinations.
Weather for walks
In winter, when the frost is below 10 degrees, it is not recommended to go outside with a baby if he is not yet 2 months old. At an older age, you cannot walk if the frost is stronger than 15 degrees.
Heavy snow, wind, blizzard are also an obstacle for walking even in the absence of frost. It is enough to take the baby out to the balcony for a while, dressing him warmly.
Child's condition
If the child was born prematurely or fell ill immediately after the hospital, then questions about the walk are resolved only with the pediatrician. Most often, premature babies are allowed to walk after the baby has gained the desired weight. In the case of a cold, they walk when the child's well-being improves.
Important! A contraindication to walking is a fever in a child. With a runny nose and cough, doctors recommend that you go for a walk, but dosed. Modern pediatricians believe that fresh air clears the baby's upper respiratory tract, and the nose begins to breathe.
Other cases
The walk may be canceled if the baby has recently been vaccinated, since immunity is significantly reduced after vaccination. The condition of the baby determines how long the forced quarantine will last, usually no more than three to five days.
If the baby has recently had ARVI, it is necessary to wait until the child's condition stabilizes. In addition, pediatricians advise to spend a couple of days at home after suffering a cold, even if the condition of the crumbs has returned to normal. Then start with a short exercise, gradually increasing your walking time.
You can start walking with a sick child when his condition returns to normal
The duration of the walk depending on the temperature
One of the questions young mothers ask is at what temperature can you walk with a newborn baby in winter. Pediatricians answer that the duration of the walk is influenced by the air t. For example, if outside from 5 to 15 degrees of frost, then the walk is 10-30 minutes, depending on the age of the child. It is forbidden to walk with babies at temperatures below -15 degrees.
Council. For a start, you can breathe fresh air with your baby on the balcony. The child is placed in an insulated stroller for 10 minutes. This method allows a young mother to recover in the first days after the hospital and not carry a heavy stroller.
Walking table in winter with a newborn
| Age | Temperature | Duration and number of walks |
|---|---|---|
| First exit | Up to - 5 degrees | 10-15 minutes |
| Week 1 | Up to - 5 degrees | 20 minutes |
| 2 weeks - 1 month | Up to -10 degrees | 30-40 minutes 2 times a day |
| 3 months | Up to -15 degrees | 1 hour 2 times a day |
| 6 months | Up to -15 degrees | 1.5-2 hours 2 times a day |
| 12 months | Up to -15 degrees | 1.5-2 hours 2 times a day |
According to Dr. Komarovsky, the weight of the newborn affects the length of time it remains in the fresh air. So, for example, if the weight of the child is 3.5 kg, the walk is possible at t air from +16 degrees, if the weight is 4.5 kg, then the walks start from 0 degrees. You can walk for 2 hours or longer, as fresh air increases the amount of vitamin D in the child's body and activates its functions.
Where is it better to walk with a newborn
With a small child, it is better to walk in places where there are no crowds of passers-by. Breathing fresh air is healthier away from cars and roads. An ideal place for a walk with a baby is considered to be a forest, park, reservoirs, where there is less gas pollution and more clean air.
One more point must be taken into account when choosing a place for walks: not all children sleep peacefully on the street, some are frightened by various noises, shudder from sudden sounds. Such kids should be taught to walk first in uncrowded places, then move on to noisier streets.
For walking with a baby, it is better to choose a park with clean air.
How often walks are required
Often parents are afraid that in the fresh air the baby is exposed to negative factors: noise, wind, frost. However, pediatricians claim that this is beneficial for the child, as the immune system must gradually adapt to new conditions. Therefore, from daily walks, the health and psyche of the baby will only be stronger.
When asked how long to walk with a baby in winter, most children's experts advise adhering to this rule: the amount of time a baby spends on the street should be at least 4 hours by the year. It is better if this time is divided into walks in the morning and evening, so that the baby does not get tired.
If you follow all the rules and recommendations of experts, then walks will benefit the child and a lot of pleasure for parents in any season.
