Dr. Komarovsky about walking with a newborn in winter
It is said that children born in winter grow stronger and healthier. It’s hard to say whether there is a sound rational grain here, but it’s known for certain that parents of winter children have more reasons for excitement, because it’s important not to allow a deficit vitamin d, and also with the child it is necessary to walk, but after all on the street - a frost or snow slush! Yevgeny Komarovsky, a pediatrician and author of numerous books on children's health, tells how to walk with newborns who were born during the cold season.
Walking - naturally
For a person, life under the roof is a necessity that appeared over time, when civilization began to conquer natural inclinations, Komarovsky said. Adults will name 150 reasons why a roof over their head is necessary for them. The child does not know any reason, he is closer to nature, and the requirements of a civilized society are alien to him. That is why a child, even born in the cold season, can and should be walking.
There are always more viruses and bacteria in the room than on the street; there are no sunshine at home (the light through the window does not replace them). Fresh air and sunlight baby get only outside. According to Komarovsky, walking with a child should also be taught to parents. After all, the fear of carrying out a child in the winter in the cold, fear that he will breathe the frosty air and get sick, is still firmly seated in the heads of moms and dads.
All parents should remember that at the time when the child breathes fresh air, his lungs and bronchi are freed from house dust, which accumulates in the respiratory organs.
The upper airways are also cleaned and moistened, which reduces the risk of contracting a respiratory infection. All karapuz body systems begin to work more intensively, because a small body needs to maintain energy consumption (in low temperature conditions, for example).
Rules walks with a newborn
The first walk with a newborn is a special event for the whole family. Komarovsky advises not to delay with this, and to start walking on the 10th day after discharge from the hospital. The duration of the first air outlet is not more than 10-15 minutes. But the next day, you can make two exits for the same time. Gradually, by the month a child should spend as much time outdoors as his parents can afford and the weather conditions have established.
It is very good to immediately identify the place where the child will walk in the first few months.
It is not necessary to carry a heavy carriage up the stairs, first down and then back, so that for ten minutes I can ride a toddler down a busy street where various people walk, including ORVI carriers and flu.
Most preferably walking in the winter on the balcony. If there is no balcony, then in the yard of your own house. If this is not possible, choose quiet places for walks, where there is not a large crowd of people, in the winter these are parks and squares. Riding on the streets can only be caused by an urgent need - you have to get to the clinic, you have to go to the pharmacy or the store, but there are no helpers.
An important question is how to dress a child, especially in winter. Do not be afraid of wind, snow, frost, because a healthy child, who is also properly dressed, will not feel the slightest discomfort from the walk. This, however, does not mean that you need to carry the baby on the street in any frost.
Komarovsky advises to remember a simple rule that allows you to quickly figure out whether to walk today or not. For each month of the child's life - minus 5 degrees, but not lower than 15 degrees for any baby. Thus, if a child is 1 month old, then you can walk with him at minus five, and if it is two months, then already at minus ten.
Universal advice how to dress a crumb does not exist. To understand whether you did it correctly, you can only after returning from the first walk. If the baby is sweating, flushing, the next time you need to reduce the amount of clothing. Cold is the fear of all adults without exception. But, according to Komarovsky, frozen children are found hundreds of times less often than children who are carefully recollected. Understand that a child is hot, simple - he starts act up, cry, turn out of clothes, does not want to enjoy a walk and refuses to sleep on the street.
Children have a completely different metabolic rate, and therefore, where mom and dad freeze, children normally, and where the adult family members feel warm, the child gets hot. Therefore, it should be worn a little easier than that required by my grandmother. From sweating diseases more than from mild hypothermia.
If the child is sick
The immunity of the newborn is far from perfect, and if the mother is breastfeeding, the protection is somewhat higher than that of the artificials. Quite often, after discharge from the hospital, the baby gets sick. Parents at this moment do not allow even the thought of possible walks.
Yevgeny Komarovsky argues that only high temperature can be a contraindication for breathing winter air. If the heat is not, go with your snotty toddler for a walk without a shadow of a doubt.
If, after several walks, the baby has a wet cough, do not be afraid, this is a very positive change in his condition, indicating that the mucous membranes of the respiratory system began to moisten, the baby began to cough.
Whether walks with newborns in the winter are useful, see below in the program of Dr. Komarovsky.
