Many parents are afraid that the child will not freeze during a walk. But overheating a baby is just as dangerous as overcooling. How to dress a child for a walk in winter correctly?
Winter persistently reminds of itself. In many regions of the country, the first snow has recently fallen, and parents hastily began to get their children warm overalls and boots. The kids will have to walk in this ammunition for the next 3-4 months, and often even despite the fact that there will be a "plus" on the street. Many mothers and fathers are afraid of "freezing" a child, because hypothermia lowers the immune system and, welcome, a cold. In fact, children who are too warmly dressed are at greater risk of getting sick. How to properly and adequately dress your baby in the cold season? Pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky told about this on his website.
Why is it important to dress your child correctly?
You don't need to wrap your child up too much for a winter walk / istockphoto.com
In the course of many parents there is a "golden rule": to dress the child as yourself, plus one additional layer of clothing. Unfortunately, this rule often does not work for children. After all, "one extra layer" usually means a warm woolen jacket. As a result, a pink and hot toddler runs through the frost, which (attention!) Can get hypothermic faster and easier than a lightly dressed child.
The main organ of human thermoregulation is the skin, explains Evgeny Komarovsky. When in contact with cold, the vessels constrict, due to which heat is stored inside the body. If a person is hot, blood vessels dilate, releasing heat outside. When the heat has nowhere to go (for example, many layers of clothing prevent it), it condenses in the form of moisture, and the person sweats. At this moment, a light breeze is enough for wet clothes to “cool down”, and the body is instantly supercooled.
In children, the thermoregulation mechanism works worse than in adults. Due to this, babies overheat and "cool down" much faster. That is why it is very important that during a walk the child is not only not cold, but also not hot.
How to dress your baby in winter
Grudnichkov for a walk should be dressed warmer than yourself / istockphoto.com
Baby for a walk really need to dress a little warmer than yourself. After all, you have to actively move, pushing a heavy stroller forward, while he will lie or sit almost motionless. However, remember that "slightly warmer" is one additional layer of clothing, not thirty-one. And you need to choose the right clothes.
The first layer of clothing that comes into contact with the child's body should be exclusively made of natural fabrics (cotton or linen). Synthetics do not warm and do not give off body heat, so in them the child will sweat quickly, and when wet skin comes into contact with synthetic fabric, the baby may have an allergic reaction. For the same reason (due to allergies), it is better to choose undyed fabrics for underwear for children.
The second layer is knitted overalls, romper or sweaters. It is also desirable from natural fabrics, it is possible with a slight (no more than 30%) addition of synthetics.
The third layer of clothing is a woolen or fleece jacket or overalls.
The fourth is the child's outerwear. This "set" is designed for frost, and if there is zero or even more "light plus" on the street, feel free to remove the second or third layer of clothing. Believe that this will only make your baby more comfortable.
A separate conversation is woolen scarves or buffs, with which parents usually manage to wrap up the floor of the child's face. In this case, there will be little benefit from walking in the fresh air, because oxygen enters very poorly through dense tissue. For babies sitting in a stroller, scarves are not necessary. They are already well enough protected from the wind.
How to dress a child 2-5 years old in winter
Active kids will definitely not be cold during a walk / istockphoto.com
Children who are already moving confidently need to dress more easily than babies and, perhaps, even easier than themselves. While you are freezing on the bench, your child will actively rush around the site, and will definitely not be overcooled. Therefore, the best option is three layers of clothing. Natural underwear (thin raglan and tights), woolen or fleece jacket and outerwear.
If there is a "light plus" on the street, it is quite permissible to wear a T-shirt and a thick jacket made of natural fabrics (for example, fleece cotton) under the outerwear. It is desirable with a "throat" so that it is not necessary to wear a scarf on the child. In general, it is better to avoid scarves (as well as any laces and strings) on the playground - they tend to wind up on swings, merry-go-rounds and climbing frames, and represent a very real danger for children.
In addition to clothes, it is very important for active children on a winter walk the right shoes. Tight boots are a direct path to frostbite of the feet, warns Yevgeny Komarovsky. If air does not circulate in the shoes, the child's feet will freeze even in boots with natural sheepskin. Therefore, you should not buy close-up shoes for the winter or wear last year's shoes. It is better if it is half a size larger.
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How to dress a child for the weather: useful tables
10 tips from Dr. Komarovsky on how to strengthen children's immunity in winter
