MS Tips for keeping the really Little one's Warm?

pnq06

My little bubba is due to arrive at the end of October and I was just wondering what tips everyone else has to keeping them warm?

I've obviously got lots of clothes and blankets but I live in a rented open plan, freezing cold house with storage heaters that don't really make much difference :eek:

Through the day it shouldn't be so bad cos I can monitor her warmth then add layers if needed but through the night I am worrying about her either over heating or catching cold on her chest....

Is there anything I can do to make her crib snuggly warm? I've been told not to use bumpers cos of the risk of cot death but the walls in our room are painted and so are naturally cold... Do you think it would be ok to tie cot bumpers on the outside of the crib? If not should I try and attach a blanket to the wall to keep the cold off?

Any help much appreciated

MERFE

Swaddling a baby will keep them snuggly, thats were you wrap the blanket round tight, I used a sleeping/grow bag with the youngest and it was great as couldn't kick it off can get these from ebay to be a bit more moneysaving, on really cold nights you can put a hot water bottle in the babies cot whilst you give her a bath then take it out about 15minutes before you put the baby to bed and make sure its not too hot but would warm the bed up nicely, also can put her vest and sleepsuit/pj in the airing cupboard so they are warm to put on when getting ready for bed, I agree it is worrying at night but they'll probably wake a few times at night for feeds for a couple of months so you'll be able to make sure the blankets on snuggly. These are just a few ideas if i think of anything else i'll add it, but mostly don't worry when my gran had kids she had no heating and hers were all fine, I do understnad though as we have storage heaters too and they are next to useless and spend alot of winter tucked up under a duvet on the sofa!

freyasmum

I was gonna say the sleeping bags are great. I still use them with my daughter. My mum looks after her whilst I'm working and I take her up in the morning in a sleeping bag and she's all snuggly and warm
I don't know if a blanket attatched to the wall would work? But like most things, you really have to try them and see what you think.
I can't help you with the storage heating problem, 'cause I don't have them

Just listen to merfe, with her good advice And if your baby is anything like mine she'l be up all night

And, one more thing... I don't think your wee angel will be able to overheat much in winter. It's freezing!

pnq06

Thanks for your replies...

I like the sound of swaddling- I'm gonna see if DP will swaddle me tonight if I can find a blanket big enough :rotfl:

I think I will invest in one of those sleeping bag things, I've heard such good things about them...

Also liking the idea of using a hot water bottle to warm up her crib Think I might pinch that one for me too :cool:

Your right freyasmum- I suppose its trial and error with the wall thing.. With our room being so small there's no room to move anything about so we're all lined along the wall which from experience last year let off bitterly cold drafts :eek:

PMSL I'm kind of prepared for the long nights awake, I've suffered with SPD most of the pregnancy so have missed out on loads of sleep already :rolleyes:

culpepper

Bubs lose most heat from extremities and so head,hands and feet are important. We used to dress my son in little baby socks and then a baby grow as the baby grow having feet of its own,stopped him kicking the socks off.
The used to have a sort of vest which buttoned underneath I think they were just called button under vests (onesies in the USA) which could be worn under the babygrow. It didn't matter so much if he managed to dislodge his covers as he was self contained :P
He had his crib in our room too as the three of us together in one room meant the air was warmer.

poohzee

:THugw thumbs up for the sleeping bags - our little girl is 2 1/2 now and that was all she had until she moved to her big girl bed. If you are going to use them - you'll need 2 - one in the wash on on the babe. Also - for younger babies you can buy specific swaddling cloths in toysrus and mothercare etc - which I am going to invest in soon as swaddling the babe when younger makes them feel safe and secure as they were in the womb. My next is due in Feb so good luck to you - make sure you get a blackout blind too and have blackout lining on your curtains. You can obviously just use normal blankets for swaddling but the swaddling ones for sale are easier to secure as I understand. HTH

Irisheyes648

Another one in favour of sleeping bags here:T I found them invaluable when my little boy was a baby he would not keep sheets/blankets on for love or money!!! You can pick them up really cheap on ebay they are quite expensive to buy brand new and they grow out of them so quickly. Make sure you have lined curtains for the nursery too as it keeps more heat in.

black-saturn

I was in a freezing cold house when I had DD1 and I found that I was wrapping her up too much. Babies don't need as many layers as you think and if they get too warm it's a cot death risk. They need about 4 - 5 layers on at night and this includes the nappy.

shimmigirl

keep a look out in sainsburys / asda / tesco - thats where I got my dd's and ds's sleeping bags from they work out about £12ish

tiamai_d

Health Visitors (now you know its not going to be good) don't like you to swaddle babies. Even though my youngest would only sleep swaddled up, and he is fine! Should add, that he was 7 weeks early and he did not like being touched for weeks! Swaddling recreates the womb and it was the only way to settle him in SCBU/NICU!

Sleeping bags are great!

All-in-one sleepsuits (the ones with built in mits that can be turned over to let hands free are my fave) dont bother with mits for tiny babies, they fall off, use socks instead, hats, and a few cardigans and thats all you need! Well for the first few weeks anyway.

Seriously though, babies tend to keep warm enough if they are well fed and loved.

Remember to start tummy time when you get bubs home and alternate which end of the cot she sleeps at every night! One night, toes to one end, next night, toes to the other end. Will make sure she has a nice round head all her little life. And tummy time is important for nice round heads and strong arms and legs fro crawling later on. (sorry, plagio-Mum, can't help myself)

pnq06

Thanks all for the replies...

So sleeping bags it is

tiamai_d I can't say that I've ever heard of tummy time

Good luck poohzee- I hope the pregnancy doesn't drag too badly like mine has :rolleyes:

Oh can I just ask, has any of you mummies ever heard of dream feeding?