Signs of a possible cold baby can be easy to spot, and therefore quickly rectified. Cold babies have a tendency to wake frequently in the early hours of the morning, between 3am and 6am, which is actually when the temperature outside drops and we hit the coldest time of the day. Cold babies may also be very wriggly in their cots – you might find them in all sorts of different positions in their bed, back up against the cot bars, wedged into the corners, possibly lying on their tummy, with their little bottoms up in the air and their arms tucked in underneath their bodies.
What you need to ensure is that everything on the bed and any clothing that your baby is wearing is made from natural fibres or very breathable material – nothing synthetic or polyester. Synthetic material doesn’t breathe and therefore can cause your baby to sweat, leading you down a path of confusion because a baby that is too hot will sweat and we want to be clear in our mind that your little one is dressed appropriately for the weather.
Remember, there is no right or wrong, and every child is different. What we often forget is that as adults, we have the ability to regulate our body temperature by pulling the doona up ourselves, snuggling closer to our partner or putting on an extra layer of clothing. Our wee little ones cannot – so we need to do this for them!
Always be comfortable with what you are dressing your baby in. If you perhaps read this article and some of the symptoms flag to you that you may have a cold baby, just go steady with adding layers. Don’t rush to throw a heap of extra layers on them – perhaps start with a warmer sleeping bag and go from there.
About the author
