How to keep a newborn baby warm

My grandchild is almost three weeks old. The weather in Hanoi is very cold, so I put on a warm coat and two thick blankets for him, but his body is very hot. Is this the right way to keep him warm? (Quynh Lien, Hanoi)

Reply:

The immune system and respiratory system of newborns are still weak. In the early stages of life, babies do not have the ability to regulate their body temperature. If exposed to very cold weather, their sensitive bodies are susceptible to diseases such as pneumonia and respiratory infections.

Maintaining a stable body temperature for your baby is essential. However, many families tend to keep their baby too warm, dress them in lots of warm clothes, and wrap them tightly in thick blankets, causing the baby to sweat a lot and get cold again, affecting their health.

To keep your baby warm in winter, keep in mind the following principles.

4 warm - one airy

The four parts of the child's body that need to be kept warm at all times include the hands, feet, stomach, and back. Children should wear socks, gloves, and several layers of soft, breathable clothing instead of one thick layer.

Keep your child's back warm enough to avoid sweating, which can cause the sweat to seep back into the body and cause a cold. In the same weather conditions, children should wear one more layer of clothing than adults.

The baby's head should not be covered with a hat that covers the fontanel continuously. Keep the baby's head ventilated when the room temperature is warm, when the baby has a fever or when sleeping. The baby only needs to cover the fontanel when it is cold, the room does not have two-way air conditioning or heating, after bathing or when going outside.

Parents should put hats to cover the fontanel and dress their children warmly when going out. Photo: Freepik — Parents should put hats to cover the fontanel and dress their children warmly when going out. Photo: *Freepik*

Soft, stretchy clothes

Parents should choose socks, gloves, and clothes for children made of soft, stretchy cotton to help children feel comfortable. Clothes should be absorbent, avoid rough, stuffy materials because they can easily cause skin rashes and irritation.

When taking care of children, parents need to regularly check the sweat on the child's back and hands and feet to dry or change clothes.

Keep the room clean and airy

The room temperature should be maintained stable to help the baby and mother feel comfortable. The family should keep the room clean, turn on the fan to ventilate if the room uses air conditioning, ensure the necessary humidity. If using heating devices, do not use them continuously. Avoid letting the wind blow directly into the baby's sleeping area. At night, do not wrap the blanket too tightly and thickly, only put two layers of clothes on the baby when sleeping.

Note when bathing

During the cold season, your baby should be bathed in a closed room with warm water at 33-37 degrees Celsius in the late afternoon or evening. You should only bathe your baby 2-3 times a week, limited to 5-7 minutes. Parents should bathe from the feet up to the body to help the baby adapt to the water temperature. After bathing, wrap the baby tightly in a towel and gently dry.

Mothers should breastfeed their children enough and clean their nose and throat according to the doctor's instructions to help keep their respiratory system clear and clean. Diapers should be changed immediately after the baby urinates or defecates. When the baby has symptoms of a cold with symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty breathing or any other symptoms, parents should take the child to the hospital for examination and treatment.

MSc. Dr. Trinh Thanh Lan
Neonatal Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

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