Preparing for Winter

[Deleted User]

us older ones are of the generation that were brought up cold ie in cold rooms as babies. Hardly any of us got the likes of asthma so don`t worry about the temperature because cool is better than warm as long as baby is well wrapped up. In those days we wore wool and that probably helped. Acrylic and the likes are not as effective

Bitsy_Beans

Glamazon wrote: »

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My worry is that OH and I can quite easily put layers on and snuggle under a blanket but I will worry about the baby!

Your HV will frown on baby wearing a hat in the house it is also wrapped in a blanket, due to SIDs and overheating. They recommend baby's nursery should be between 16-18 degrees but I always found that too cold with my two :eek:
For night time I can recommend growbags, OK as newborns they don't move but as they get older they can kick of blankets etc but with a sleeping bag they stay nice and toasty.
Don't bother buying cotton cardi's. They just don't do the job. If you have people offering to knit you stuff snatch their hand off for it. Acrylic wool isn't as good as real wool but it's a darn sight warmer than cotton.

My biggest issue in our house is a mystery draft that blows down the stairs. My neighbour has the same issue and we think it must be the design of the house. My stairs come directly into the lounge (no door and I can't fit on either) so only option is a curtain across the doorway. Really don't like the idea of this but don't have any other suggestions. Just cannot find out what causes this draft. As we have laminate too it's going to be cold at floor level.

Bitsy_Beans

debtfreein4years wrote: »

Planning on getting a slow cooker so that i can make lots of filling comfort food but want to know if they are safe to leave when no one is home during the day? also going to get (when i can find one) a popcorn maker for cheap semi nutritious snacks.

They are perfectly safe to leave all day. that's one of the uses behind a slow cooker

slm6002

thanks for all of the new ideas. its crazy how quickly the cold weather is aproaching. I have still got all of our warm blankets from last year and we got the cavity wall insulation done a few months back (cant wait to see how well this works). We also had our heating mended so that all of the radiators now work - even the bathroom so will be better getting out of the bath! Only thing left to do is make some curtains and blinds for the kitchen and back doors - again we were busy earlier this year and had new windows and doors - this ment attached blinds also went and now need replacing.

keep the good ideas coming please

downshifter

debtfreein4years wrote: »

also going to get (when i can find one) a popcorn maker for cheap semi nutritious snacks.

You don't need a popcorn maker. If you just cover the base of a saucepan (which has a lid!) with oil, heat it and then half cover the base with corn. Put the lid on quick and when you hear popping take the pan off the heat and shake it. When the popping noise stops carefully take the lid off, it will probably be overflowing anyway. Be careful in case there's an odd corn that hasn't popped - you don't want hot corn hitting your hand. Tip corn into big bowl and munch! Easy peasy. You can then use whatever flavouring you like or even go mad, and do a butterscotch or toffee sauce. Not exactly healthy though.

Make sure you have a lid or you will be clearing corn from around your kitchen for the next 5 years.

We've always made corn like this, the kids love hearing the popping noise and trying to guess when it's all done. Then they have hysterics when one pops in the bowl!

DS

rosieben

Gigervamp wrote: »

Ah, I see.

You can also get solar powered ones. Probably not great for using the phone for long, but may be ok for a quick emergency call.

solar powered is another good option

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Glamazon wrote: »

My worry is that OH and I can quite easily put layers on and snuggle under a blanket but I will worry about the baby!

I know it's easier said than done but I would'nt worry quite so much. Babies are much tougher than you think.
When I had my babies in the early 70s,we lived in a house with no heating except for a coal fire in the living room.
No insulation anywhere or double glazing.
In the winter we used to get ice on the inside of the windows,the house was so cold.
All three of my babies grew up fit and well as did generations of children before them brought up in cold draughty houses.
I do find it strange though that all five of my grand-children who were brought up in centrally heated warm houses developed asthma as babies.
Something never before heard of in our family,so it makes you wonder if too much heat is bad.
Hats,mittens and soft wooly blankets that's much more healthy.

Bitsy_Beans

nickynoo08 wrote: »

Hiya all, I've been geting a few bits n bobs sorted for xmas too, got loads of fleece blankets, cardigans jumpers for us all etc, sorted out linings for curtains that need it but i'm stuck with one large problem. I have wooden french doors in my dining room and they let through one helluva draft. Ideally i'd love to replace them but i cant afford to till next year now so i need to draft proof them but not quite sure were to start. The main problem is down the middle where the doors meet and at the bottom. I've got some old fleece and pillows to make draft excluder but what to i do down the middle of the doors them selves? I dont think an extra lining would help much. Any ideas?

Are these the sort of doors which have a slight lip where one door sits inside the other slightly? You can buy foam stick on draught excluder to the lip so that when the door is shut it forms a tight seal where the draught would usually blow. I bought mine stuff from Homesbase

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=20001&partNumber=1830925&Trail=searchtext>DRAUGHT+EXCLUDER

Just cut it to fit your doors length, peel off the backing and stick it to the small lip of the door and presto instant seal!

If on the other hand you don't have a small lip only think I can think of is tacking a brush/rubber excluder down the edge of the door to keep the draught at bay. Gonna look pretty unsightly though

Olliebeak

Sorry about those Ikea delivery charges - I'm quite lucky in living fairly close to the Warrington branch and have a very obliging DS1 who works next-door to it .

I did pay £35 for my two sofas (a huge 3 and a 2) to be delivered - so it seems like a standard charge based on mileage - what a con! Considered it a bargain for the sofas though and they arrived by 10.00am next morning .

valk_scot

MRSTITTLEMOUSE wrote: »

.
I do find it strange though that all five of my grand-children who were brought up in centrally heated warm houses developed asthma as babies.
Something never before heard of in our family,so it makes you wonder if too much heat is bad.

Theory is that it's not so much the temperature, it's the lack if ventilation and the increase in soft surfaces ie fitted carpets. When we had lino and good air flow round the house (ie draughts) the dust mite population in the house was much lower.