How to take your baby out on a windy day and avoid all problems

Autumn is here and we have already seen a drop in the temperature, this suggests that we are likely to witness some windy days outside. When it comes to taking your newborn baby outside in these conditions, it’s important that you dress them properly so that they are comfortable for the entire trip. Here are some aspects to consider:

Don’t believe that the wind causes ear infections

An old tale that some people seem to believe is that taking your little one out in the wind can result in them getting an ear infection – although this is not the case.

This is because the location of an ear infection is found behind the ear drum and way back in the inner ear. Therefore, external exposure like wind or even water will not affect this area.

Although some children will get ear infections, this is usually down to their family history and other factors like how much smoke they are exposed to – kids that are aged between 6 month and 2 years are more prominent to getting an ear infection.

If you’re cold, your baby will be cold too!

With that misconception out of our minds, let’s get down to the real stuff. First of all, it’s totally fine to head outside with your baby right away if you’d like to. However, many paediatricians advise that you keep newborns away from crowded places due to germs being prevalent in such locations. It’s best to delay that trip to a shopping centre, supermarket or a restaurant with your baby by a few months then!

Ed Glasser who is a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine commented: “Infants lose about 50 per cent of their heat from their heads.”

Babies tend to cool down much quicker than adults do and this results in it being harder to produce heat for them when it’s gone – keeping them warm outside is vital.

You need to make sure that your child is wrapped in more than one layer if you plan to go outside – you need to keep them protected, we recommend that you use cosytoes. Ensure they are wearing both thermal and waterproof layers to protect them from the weather elements, and check that their fingers, toes, ears, nose and chin are all covered but that they can still breathe easily.

When venturing off outside, make the duration short – don’t keep your baby out too long and if they look uncomfortable, make your way back inside quickly to protect them from any winds.

Your baby’s skin

The wind is very powerful and your baby’s skin is very delicate – this can lead to your baby having rosy cheeks.

Your baby’s hands and feet need to be protected as there is a thinner layer of skin there, use mittens and socks to make your baby more comfortable when going outside. A couple of top tips to consider is to change your infant’s mittens or socks if they get wet with a fresh pair.  This will avoid skin becoming irritated and apply some baby moisturising cream as soon as you spot any of your baby’s skin which looks or feels dry.

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