Contents
- 1 The winter birth list
- 2 Winter birth list: clothing
- 3 Winter birth list: purchases for bedtime
- 4 Winter birth list: products for walking
- 5 Winter birth list: what to bring to the hospital
Preparations for the arrival of a baby are always very exciting. The first purchases, the gifts, the little shoes and the soft dresses will drive any expectant mother crazy. At some point in the pregnancy the big moment arrives: to organize your own birth list. A newborn's layette cannot be improvised. The risk is to end up with a series of useless things and without some fundamental products. And we are here to help you out.
Let's start with a very important element for the creation of any birth list: the presumed date of birth. Knowing when our baby will be born - week more, week less - helps us to have a clear idea of what we will need. There is a big difference between a birth in January and one in the middle of August! MyModernsParents offers you its advice for ad hoc purchases, season by season, so that you can be ready, at any time of the year. Let's go straight to the heart and start talking about the winter birth list.
The winter birth list
An assumed date of birth between December and the end of March leaves no room for great choices: our little one has to stay warm. Every new mother, especially if she is in her first maternity experience, wonders how to deal with children. What if she feels hot? What if, on the contrary, she is cold? Is he too covered? Or overdone?
Very often a newborn's little hands and feet have a lower temperature than the rest of the body. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're feeling cold. One way to understand this is to touch the back of the neck: if it is hot then the baby is fine. Even the lips reveal if the baby is suffering from the cold, in particular if they take on a color between purple and blue. In these cases, it must be weighed down.
Newborns do not have perfect thermal regulation. They can therefore also feel hot. In general, when there is a nuisance caused by a non-ideal temperature, the alarm signal is crying. If the neck is very hot or if the baby is sweating, you have probably covered it too much and needs to be relieved. Be calm: with experience you will become very good and you will understand immediately if there is something to change.
Winter birth list: clothing
In a newborn's wardrobe, if there is a garment that must never be missing, it is rompers. For the choice of the size you can rely on the weight and height estimates of the gynecologist, remembering, however, that the certainty of how much size your child will have only when he is born. In any case, some small onesie, 0-3 months, get it. Do not overdo the quantities because, especially at the beginning, the growth of children is very fast. And also because it is a classic little thought given to the newcomer. You will receive several.
Usually chenille rompers are a favorite and are great for a winter birth list. Chenille is a very soft and rather heavy cotton. It will surely keep your baby warm. The onesie are both whole and broken. The former are ideal in winter because your feet are covered too and you don't need socks and shoes. Of course, you are spoiled for choice on colors: go beyond the very classic pink and blue and indulge yourself.
Alternatively, you can choose the wool rompers, just as warm and a bit more elegant. The important thing to take into consideration is that wool must never be in contact with the skin: that of newborn babies is so delicate and thin that it could even become irritated by rubbing with the wool. Pay attention, for example, to the neck.
One solution to the problem are baby bodysuits. The best fabric for the winter period is warm cotton. It is still a natural fiber, but a little more consistent than plain cotton. If you live in very cold areas or in any case when you go out, choose long-sleeved models. They are a little more "unpleasant" to wear, but even in this case it will be enough just to do the hand and you will be very good. At home (and, as we will see later, in the hospital) opt for the short sleeve. The open front bodysuits are very comfortable: they can be worn in an instant.
If you want to guarantee the baby more warmth, buy turtleneck bodysuits, that is, with a high collar. With this item of clothing you can really rest assured that your baby will not feel cold in the slightest. Not everyone, however, tolerates it well. So before you stock up, buy one and test it out to see how it goes.
Winter birth list: purchases for bedtime
Before we talk about sleeping purchases, it is essential to remember that when they sleep, babies should not be too covered or too warm. These are two of the fundamental rules for the prevention of cot death. The room temperature, for example, should be kept around 20 degrees, therefore not excessive. In addition, the cot must not contain blankets or heavy duvets. Heat yes, but within the limits.
One of the classic fears of mothers is that the baby will discover himself while he sleeps and, consequently, become cold. It's something that happens, unless you have little angels standing still all night. An increasingly popular solution is the sleeping bag. This is a bag with straps in which to place the baby at bedtime. The arms and head remain free, but the whole body is covered. The materials with which it is made are different and also the padding is more or less heavy, depending on the season in which to use them. In winter, those a little more padded and perhaps lined with fleece are preferred. Sweet dreams guaranteed to mom too!
Another purchase you can make for your winter baby list are flannel sheets for the cot. It is a very warm fabric, made of cotton or wool. If you decide to use them, do not overdo it with blankets and duvets because they already provide more warmth than traditional sheets. Also in this case, evaluate the reaction of the child: he may be annoyed or, on the contrary, adore them.
Winter birth list: products for walking
Let's immediately dispel a false myth: it is not true that children have to stay indoors in winter. Neither do babies! If you think the cold makes you sick, know that it is absolutely not the case. You just need to be well equipped to deal with low temperatures, but otherwise there is no contraindication. And we help you buy the right products.
Let's start with the so-called eskimo, which is nothing more than a whole duvet in which to "slip" the child for walks. It's padded, just right heavy and warm. There are various models with different fabrics, with the feet covered or not. Virtually everyone has a hood, often lined with wool or fleece. Get one that's waterproof for even more protection in rain or snow. Some guys also have mittens.
Two accessories you need to go for a walk in winter are a wool hat and a scarf. They are very useful for sheltering the head, ears and throat from the cold, especially when it is windy. Dry cold is not harmful, while wind can cause problems, for example, making your eyes water. Instead of the classic scarf, we suggest wool or fleece collars that are worn over the head, but do not over-constrain, avoiding accidents.
Another important protection from the cold temperatures of the period is the cover for the spacecraft. Many models have some kind of footmuff at the bottom, but it is not always padded. It is therefore worth adding a blanket. Choose the material you like best: wool, cotton, but also flannel. It is lighter than wool, but the yield in terms of warmth is great, so it is a perfect alternative.
Winter birth list: what to bring to the hospital
So far we have listed a number of accessories that are useful every day, in the normal routine with a newborn. A separate mention deserves the layette for the hospital, that is, everything that needs to be worn for the birth. Let's skip over generic products (for example those for hygiene, diapers, bathrobes etc., which we have talked about WHO), but we focus on some others more specifically suitable for the cold season.
Here, too, we start from an assumption: in most hospitals, the heating is "on the ball" in winter. Let alone therefore in the maternity wards where there are very young children, as well as their mothers. It is therefore not the case to leave home "armed" with excessively warm clothing. On the contrary, everything has to be lighter.
Starting with the cotton bodysuits. Very heavy ones are not needed in the delivery suitcase. And even long sleeves could be a useless surplus. Prefer those in cotton and short sleeves. You will see that they will be more than enough. Bring only one in warm cotton and long sleeves to use on the day of discharge to go home. Here, too, cotton leotards will suffice.
Also lighten the rest of the clothing. Choose split chenille rompers, i.e. two-piece, shorts and t-shirt. They are generally the most requested by midwives and nursing homes because they allow faster and easier "dress changes". The two-piece onesie will allow you to keep your little one warm, but without making him sweat. There are two models: those with covered feet and those that keep them uncovered. In the latter case, remember to buy baby socks. You can choose them in cotton, chenille or wool. And it does not matter if they are thick: shoes are not needed for now and, if you wear them, it is only for your habit.
There is always a cover on the hospital birth lists. You use it when you take the baby out of the crib, for example to breastfeed him, or simply while he sleeps. Always keep in mind the heating on practically 24 hours a day. So buy a lighter blanket than the one for the carrycot. In cotton it will be fine, while wool could be heavy and therefore overheat the little one.
Another item of clothing to use immediately after childbirth is the hat, used in any season. This also doesn't have to be too heavy to not bother the puppy. On the market there are many types, patterns and models. Some are really nice.
