Too Cold Or Too Warm, What Should A Mother Do?

At the early stages of a baby’s life it is difficult to ascertain whether it is too hot or too cold[cold symptoms] because they cannot talk.

A baby will show his or her discomfort by crying, but for new mothers this may only be something that can upset you because you are inexperienced in finding out what is wrong with the baby.

Relax, after checking whether the baby is hungry, or needs changing, or just needs soothing, see if he or she may be too hot or too cold.

baby careBabies cannot maintain their temperature when they are newborn and it can be a little difficult for them to stay warm or cool.

As a new mom you may find that there is advice given to you from all sides. As you face challenges and try every piece of advice, you will find what works for you and what doesn’t.

Your baby will dictate what he or she wants and it is simple to follow. If they do not cry, they are most likely very comfortable and you do not need to worry about their temperature.

The problem arises when the baby cries and you cannot seem to pacify them. When they are cold, dressing them in too many, heavy, and pieces of clothing can cause rashes because it does not allow their skin to breathe and can roughly rub on their sensitive skin.

crying babyToo much clothing can also cause heat rash because the sweat will clog the pores, especially in the skin folds, and produce little red bumps.

On the other hand, too little clothing and the baby can catch a cold, even in the summertime. You will find your baby shivering when he or she is too cold as well.

I have watched my sister-in-law struggle to keep her baby at the right temperature in the early days after his birth. The house temperature never seemed to be right.

Since she had him in the summertime, the air conditioner was on constantly, which was comfortable for the adults, but the baby seemed too cold.

Then when she stepped out for a walk, the humid, hot air caused the baby to fuss because it was now too hot. In the first few months, she came close to panicking because she just couldn’t seem to appease him temperature wise.

My sister-in-law eventually learned to spot signs for when the baby was too warm or cold. The baby would get red blotchy spots on his face and he would move about as if trying to rid himself of his clothes. She knew then that this was his way of telling her that he was too hot. His skin also felt warm and sweaty.

When he was too cold, his neck and legs were cool to the touch. She would place a little hat on his head so the heat would not escape and add a second blanket[baby blanket]. At night, when it was cooler, my sister-in-law would use hot water bottles, so that she could warm his crib area before he went to bed.

Do not worry about what other people tell you about too much clothing or too little swaddling. Listen to your baby and use layers of clothing and blankets rather than just using one thick outfit or padding.

Using layers is a helpful tip because you can add or remove layers according to your baby’s responses. Do not panic. You can do this. If you stay strong and focused and listen to your baby’s responses you’ll see that he or she can communicate their needs to you.

When you learn to read your baby you will find that mothering is not only easy but very rewarding. Cherish every moment you have together, in hot times and in cold ones.

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