It is very important to take babies out for frequent walks, even in winter. Fresh winter air strengthens the baby's immunity, helping to avoid many diseases. In order for the walk to bring only benefits, you need to properly prepare for it.
Winter walks with a baby
It is possible to arrange short winter walks for a child from two weeks of age. At the same time, the first such walk should last several minutes, and the temperature outside should not be lower than minus five.
You should not walk with a baby if the temperature is below minus fifteen, since small children lose heat too quickly in such conditions.
With babies aged from a month in winter, you need to walk from an hour to an hour and a half, unless, of course, the temperature has dropped below minus ten degrees. It is worth starting with twenty-minute walks to accustom the child to a low temperature.
Microbes freeze in the air at a temperature of about minus ten degrees, which makes it virtually sterile. However, there are also carriers of viruses - people with whom you have to communicate in confined spaces such as a store, elevator or public transport. To protect your child from viruses, you can turn to antimicrobial oxolinic ointments.
You should forget about walking if there is a strong wind or high humidity outside. In such conditions, the cold is perceived much sharper, so hypothermia can come much faster.
Should you wrap your child up?
If the temperature outside is not lower than a comfortable enough minus ten degrees, do not wrap the child in a hood over a warm hat, since such double protection from the cold can cause an unpleasant greenhouse effect.
Scarves are also not as useful for babies as parents would like them to be. In the neck area there are a number of important arteries, if they are overheated, they expand, too much blood rushes to the head, and the legs and arms can become very cold from lack of blood circulation.
In the most severe frost, do not cover your child's mouth with a scarf. Even a baby's breath that is not too strong will moisten the fabric of the scarf, it will freeze, and the child will have to breathe very cold air through it.
To understand if the child is cold, it is enough to feel his neck under the collar from the back. If the area is cold, wrap the baby in a blanket or go home and change them warmly. If your skin is warm and dry, you are fine. If it's hot and sweaty, your child is overheated, so you better go home. Pay attention to the child's cheeks too. If they are very pale, you should go home, as the child is cold. However, do not be intimidated by a healthy blush - pink cheeks indicate that everything is in order.
