Winter months bring colder temperatures – and the possibility of winter storms or hard freezes.
For parents of infants and babies, it's always important to do what you can to keep them warm. But as we face the coldest months, taking extra precautions is a good idea.
June Hu, M.D., Neonatologist and Medical Director of the Fetal Evaluation and Treatment Alliance Center (FETAL) Center at Children's Health℠ and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern, offers several tips for how to keep babies warm and safe in winter.
How can I keep my baby warm in winter?
When winter temperatures dip or meteorologists are predicting extreme weather, take these steps to keep your baby warm.
Tip #1: Layer your baby up
Dress your baby in multiple layers, including socks and a hat. A good guideline is to have your baby wear one more layer than you're wearing. Why? Because babies, especially newborns, lose more body heat, have less body fat to retain warmth and are less able to regulate their temperature compared to adults.
If you're headed outside, put a warm hat on your baby. Hats do a great job preventing heat from escaping from your baby's head. Make sure your baby also wears warm socks or booties that won’t fall off easily.
Tip #2: Use a body carrier
"Parents can use body carriers – like slings, wraps and front packs – as another way to provide extra warmth for babies," Dr. Hu says.
In addition to providing warmth, body carriers also allow parents to bond with their babies, and free up hands for other tasks.
But while keeping your baby close to your body when you're awake can be great, Dr. Hu cautions families not to co-sleep in an effort to keep their baby warmer at night.
"Co-sleeping is known to increase the risk for sudden infant death syndrome and accidental suffocation," Dr. Hu says.
Tip #3: Embrace warm space
If you're worried about how to keep your baby warm at night, check to see that your baby's crib is in the most consistently warm part of the room – away from drafty windows or heating vents. Being near a drafty window or heating vent can create uneven air temperatures.
Tip #4: Use fitted sheets and sleep sacks
Loose blankets in a baby's crib are not safe because they can lead to suffocation. Instead, use fitted sheets on your crib mattress and put your baby in a sleep sack to help create warmth and insulation.
Sleep sacks come with thermal overall grade (TOG) ratings – the higher the TOG rating, the warmer the fabric. For example, a TOG rating of 2.5 is ideal for room temperatures 61-68 degrees Fahrenheit, while a TOG rating of 1.0 is ideal for room temperatures between 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tip #5: Swaddle your infant
Swaddling your baby – while they are awake or asleep – can help keep their arms, legs, hands and toes warm. It also creates a sense of comfort and safety for some newborns. But be mindful not to swaddle your baby too tightly as it can cause complications.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends babies can be swaddled for up to 12-20 hours per day in the first few weeks of life.
Tip #6: Keep generators outside
"If your family relies on a generator when temps dip, make sure the generator is outside and at a safe distance from your home," Dr. Hu says. "Carbon dioxide emitted from generators can be harmful to a baby's lungs and brain."
Tip #7: Warm up the car outside
The fumes from a running car can be very harmful for a baby's developing brain and lungs.
If you want to warm up your car before you or your baby get in it, Dr. Hu tells parents to do it outside – not in a closed garage.
"Even if you have the door between the garage and the house closed while you're warming up a car, the fumes collecting in the garage or drifting into the house can be strong enough to be harmful," she says.
Preparing for extreme winter weather or a hard freeze warning
If power in your area goes out or is expected to be out because of a winter storm, Dr. Hu recommends that parents of infants consider going to a warming center – or to a friend or family's home with heat.
"With small infants, it's best to do everything you can to keep them warm because they're just a little more fragile," she says.
Be sure to stock up on warm clothes, diapers, wipes, baby food, formula, medications and water in the face of an extreme winter weather advisory.
"It's also always a good idea to know where a few flashlights are and to keep extra warm blankets and gloves in your car," Dr. Hu says.
These additional resources may also help you and baby stay warm – and best prepare for extreme winter weather:
- do214.com: Dallas metroplex warming centers and resources
- Weather.gov: Stay up-to-date on storm and hard freeze warnings in DFW
- Knowwhat2do.com: Make a plan for winter weather
- Ready.gov: Protect yourself from winter weather
- Usa.gov: Get help for the cost of heating bills
What's the ideal temperature for a baby's room in winter?
According to the AAP, the ideal temperature for a baby's room is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
How can I tell if my baby is too cold?
It's common to think that you can tell if a baby is cold by feeling their hands and feet. But a better way to know if a baby's core body temperature is too low is to feel the skin on their tummy or back.
"To check if your baby is warm enough, the skin on their tummy or back should feel warm – not too hot or too cold," Dr. Hu says.
When is it too cold for my baby to go outside?
While you might be wary to go outside with your baby on unusually cold days, the AAP says it's safe for newborns to go outside in temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero.
"As long as your baby is bundled up well, you can safely take them out to get much-needed sunshine and fresh air," Dr. Hu says.
Learn more
Children's Health is here to help keep your family healthy and safe this winter. Check out more winter wellness articles designed to help you navigate cold weather and sick season with kids.
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