Should I Take a New Born Baby Places When Its Cold Outside?

At first glance, the delicate stature of an infant can put fear into any new mother. Overwhelmed by questions, myths and conflicting advice can coincide with which protocol to follow and whom to believe. Worse, mothers who have winter babies sometimes feel they must hide until spring, but get out the snow shovels because we can bury this myth.

  1. Facts

    • Arm yourself with the facts behind the myth of cold-weather danger and an infant's development. According to Dr. Robert Shmerling's article on intelihealth.com, a fetus receives antibodies, proteins produced by the immune system to protect against infection, while in the uterus. After birth, the infant's immune system continues to develop for the first three months. RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, is particularly threatening to infants. Rsvinfo.com says RSV is the leading cause of pneumonia and plays a major role in the development of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. It is these facts that keep mothers in hibernation during those cold months when RSV and other viruses peak.

    Misconceptions

    • Learn the actual consequences that cold weather has on an infant's body. In past generations, mothers have bundled, wrapped and layered their children in fear of catching a chill. Thanks to advanced research, bundling and hibernation isn't a tradition we must pass down. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Jane Siegal explains on iparenting.com that the cold weather, itself, is not the culprit. A virus is caught when coming in close contact with an infected person, object or surface. The only threat cold weather presents to infants is lowering their body temperature. Musckids.com says an infant, especially premature or low-birthweight babies, cannot regulate their body temperature like adults can. The ideal body temperature for an infant is 97.7 degrees; if this drops the body starts using energy and oxygen to generate heat. Babies can use 10 percent more oxygen if the infant's temperature drops 1 degree, but this doesn't mean life stops if baby is born in winter. There is a simple solution.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Dress the infant appropriately to help maintain an ideal body temperature. Bundling isn't necessary and can make temperature rise above a safe level. Instead, a T-shirt, winter outfit, hat, socks and a full-bodied fleece sack or jump suit should suffice. Purchase a cover that fits over the top of the car seat to shield baby from the winter elements.
      Protecting infants from a virus includes hand-washing for those who want to hold or touch the baby; avoiding extremely crowded areas for the first three months; and considering breast feeding, which can boost a newborn's immune system.

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