Winter newborn

[Charlyfrog]

I am after answers as well as some much needed reassurance (also don't know if this is the right place to post so am happy for it to be reassigned )

Laying in bed last night I finally felt like it was winter as in the middle of the night, our house was almost icy cold! This then got me to thinking about how in the next 6weeks I am going to be bringing a new born home. Our first bubby was more a summer baby so I don't remember being so worried about the whole SIDS thing....but being winter, my thoughts really kept me awake worrying!

You'd think that I'd be more relaxed after having been there done that but I am so worried about how will I know how much to wrap bubby up (clothing included) - how will I know what is too much?!?!?.....it really is making my head worry a bit that I'll either under or over do it.......

We are having bubby in our room in a bassinet for the first little while so at least bubby will be right next to me but am still keen to hear thoughts....

Thanks heaps!

[Trillian]

Charliefrog, I loved my winter baby! It was just the best thing to snuggle up together and feed during the night. I did have a little fan heater on though. As for sleeping, our house is like a morgue sometimes LOL and I always worried abour her being too cold, but like Caro said, you just use layers and they are really good at keeping themselves warm. I wouldn't recommend using a beanie/hat etc at night though, just incase it came down too low on their face and I reckon it helps them self regulate their temps through their head. I did make sure that her little feet were warm enough though, cause her cold feet made me feel cold!

What is the heating like in your house? That makes all the difference as to how cold the house is at night.

[Lucy]

Charlyfrog.......sweets, do not stress!! The SIDS research indicates that over heated babies are more at risk than those that are a little chilly!

My son Charlie was a winter baby (born in July in a very cold Adelaide winter, in a freezing cold house!) and it was LOVELY!

He was in our room next to my side of the bed, and I had him in a singlet and a Bonds susit and then wrapped in a cotton wrap and a flanny wrap........but no hat.

We did have a colum heater but only used it to take the chill out of the room.

Breastfeeding was a dream: all cosy and snuggly.......

Make sure you have warm slippers and a cardi for night feeds. And a blanket for over your knees.........my knees always got chilly!

[~Raven~]

Isn't it funny? I could never imagine how to dress a summer newborn, so I know I'll have the same concerns if I ever have a summer bub.

Me too! I've never had a summer baby.

Mason was born in September, Angus in June and Caleb in August.

Don't stress. Just make sure you have a few loose layers and a bunny rug because they can be surprisingly hot and you may need to strip a layer off!
I had an oil filled coloumn heater in their room just to take the chill off and that was all. Made night time feeds more pleasant for me too!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I love my winter-man!

He slept in vest, sleepsuit, 2 cotton covers and a knitted cover in hospital, at home this went up to 2-4 knitted covers and a cot blanket as our room is not kept heated to 22 degrees.

Now he has his sleepsuit and sleeping bag, 1 cotton cover and 2 knitted covers, cot blanket and a fleece over the top if it's cold. I figure if I'm chilly when putting him into bed then he needs the fleece, if not then he doesn't (our bedroom is north-facing and in the UK, so it's rare that even DH and I can sleep in just a sheet).

Layers is the way to go, you can adjust them so easily depending on what the temperature is, or if it's colder at night when you go to bed you can easily add a layer.

[MelS]

Charlyfrog - I had the same situation. DD#1 born in Jan and DD#2 born in June. We have ducted heating so I used to leave the vent open a little bit and leave heater on all night on about 18. Grobag who make the brilliant sleeping bags, have an thermometer called the Grobag Egg, which glows red, blue or yellow to advise the temp of room. My GF bought one and said it was fantastic. I think you can order them online too. I agree with some of the other girls who used Grobags, they are the best and keep bubs very warm. I actually found it easier in the winter, rugging them up nice and snug!

[Mumma2three]

I was just the opposite. My winter baby was great, didn't worry at all, but summer petrified me and I was so worried she'd overheat. In summer you're still expected to wrap baby which I just worried about so much, but in winter, you can wrap and actaully feel that they will be warm (newborn is prob the one time you can get hands wrapped up too, so you know they're all snuggly). if it's freezing it is very unlikely they will overheat even if you have a few thick layers on. You can tell by their face anyway, and could see if baby was hot, but in the cold I doubt it. xo

[Charlyfrog]

Thank you so much ladies!! I really do appreciate your thoughts, advice and reassurance!!! I feel a little more calm and not so knotted up inside (what wasn't helping was MIL has a habit of telling and retelling the same tales over and over again as though she has never said it before - and whilst I know it is with all the best intentions, the story of my DH's aunty losing her 3rd bubby to SIDS in winter....etc, etc.....really isn't the reassurance I need right now! )

So thanks again!! MWA!!!

And the moral of the story is..........layers, layers, layers!!

[~Raven~]

Charly frog MIL's have a habit of saying the wrong things over and over

[ShootingStar]

Jesse was a September baby but it was still very cold. I too liked the snuggling factor!
You can always put bubs in a sleeping bag as others have suggested, but by the time bubs is rolling it will be warmer. Jesse was in sheets and blankets for the first few months until he started pulling them over his head to get to sleep.. then we switched to grobags. But if you just wrap him/her snug theyll still be too young to pull blankets over their head during the winter anyways. I dont think youll have much problems