Winter Newborn? Here's What You Need To Know!

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How exciting - you have a newborn baby! Congratulations on your new bundle. You're probably swamped with information right now from sources left, right and centre, so the last thing you need is to hear that winter is a tougher time to have a newborn.

You already know that a dry, fed and warm newborn is a happy one, but did you know that winter babies need that little bit more attention? You want to ensure that your baby stays warm and dry, and you want to make sure that they avoid as many germs as possible. The winter months are cold and germ-packed with bacteria that causes things like bronchiolitis and the flu. The last thing that you want to do is end up in hospital with a tiny baby struggling to breathe.

On the flip side of that, keeping your baby too hot will be a problem. You want them to be warm and happy, not hot and sweating in their clothes. A cold baby cries, but a hot baby doesn't make a noise and is at higher risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Finding the right balance isn't easy. Getting those extra heating oil tanks is a great idea, but you want to ensure that you keep the home comfortably warm, and you know how many layers to dress your baby in when you go out.

• Keeping Baby Warm At Night. The biggest question you have is how to keep your baby warm through the night without overheating. A newborn will be in your room for at least six months, and where you may have the heating on all night, you need to consider how your newborn is going to react to that. So, think about the room being between 18 and 20 degrees for comfort. A room thermometer can help you to ascertain the correct temperature so that you know how many layers to wear. The rule of thumb is that your baby should be in one more layer than you. If you're wearing a set of light pyjamas and you have a heavy duvet on the bed, then consider a vest, sleepsuit with mittens and a swaddle pod. Sleep nests are not recommended by the Lullaby Trust and no loose blankets should be in the cot. If you're worried, put a hand on your baby's stomach - not their hands or feet. This will tell you if their body temperature is stable or not.

• What About Going Out? Venturing into the cold? You need to ensure that your baby is warm and comfortable. Dress them in a vest and sleepsuit, then add a coat or snowsuit over the top, with a hat and mittens. Keep a blanket in the pram, too, if you're adding a coat, so that their legs are warm. If it's raining, don't forget the raincover on the pushchair to keep the wind and rain out. Snowsuits are usually the preferred option for new mothers as they can feel reassured that their baby is warm. When you come inside, remove the hat and all of the other layers - you don't want them to over heat.

• Car Warmth. When you are going out on a cold day, warm the car through first. Do not put a baby in a car seat while wearing a coat or thick snowsuit: they can overheat your baby and they're not safe to wear. Instead, keep a blanket for use in the car and have a hat on the baby with the blanket.