Nobody told me how much faff there is between deciding to go for a walk and actually being outside the front door with a baby. Is that just me?
Finn’s four months now, and October in Dundee has gone properly baltic this week. Every time I get him into the pram I have the same wee argument in my head. Is he too cold? Is he too warm? Should a baby even be out in this? (I googled it at 3am, obviously.)
So I was glad to see Netmums cover this on 20 October. A paediatrician known as Dr Golly said in an Instagram video that a healthy newborn can go outside straight away. There’s no rule that says you have to keep a new baby indoors for a set number of days or weeks. He said the things to think about are the temperature, the sun, and where you’re actually going.
That’s reassuring, but it’s also a bit vague when it’s six degrees and drizzling. So here’s what the UK advice actually says, put together for dads who are about to do their first proper winter walk, or their first trip to the shops on their own with the baby.
Yes, you can go out
If your baby is healthy, fresh air and a walk are fine, and honestly they’re often the thing that saves your sanity in the first few weeks. Getting out of the house with a newborn is good for you as well.
The one big exception is if your baby was born early or has a medical condition. Netmums and Dr Golly both say to check with your health visitor, GP or the hospital team first, and that’s the sensible thing to do. Your health visitor will have heard the question a hundred times, so don’t feel daft asking.
Dress them for the weather, then undress them for indoors
This is the bit that caught me out. Babies can’t control their temperature as well as we can, so it’s tempting to wrap them up like a parcel and call it a job done.
The Lullaby Trust is clear that babies are safer a little bit cool than too hot, because overheating raises the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). So layers are your friend outside, but the important part is what happens when you come back in.
Take hats and outdoor clothes off as soon as you get indoors, onto a warm bus, into a shop or into the car. Even if it wakes them. Babies lose a lot of heat through their heads, and a hat on a sleeping baby in a warm room is exactly what you don’t want. The Lullaby Trust says the same about snowsuits and coats once the baby is in the car.
To check how warm they are, feel the back of their neck or their chest. Hands and feet are nearly always cold, so they don’t tell you much. If the neck or chest feels sweaty or clammy, take a layer off.
Coats and car seats don't mix
I genuinely had no idea about this one. A thick padded coat or snowsuit under a car seat harness means the straps can feel tight when they’re not, because all that padding squashes in a crash.
UK road safety advice (Warwickshire County Council’s car seat guide is a good, plain one) says take bulky layers off before you strap them in, and if they need warming up, put a blanket over the top of the harness instead. Thin layers underneath, blanket on top. Easy enough once you know.
The Lullaby Trust also says car seats are for travelling, not long sleeps. If they nod off on the drive, that’s fine, but get them out and onto a firm, flat surface when you arrive. And with young babies, avoid long drives where you can, stop for breaks, and if they slump forward in the seat, pull over and sit them up properly.
The sun still matters in winter
You’d think we could forget about this in Scotland in October. Not quite. The NHS advice is to keep babies under six months out of direct strong sunlight. The winter sun is low, so on a bright cold day it can come straight in under the pram hood. A sunshade or just turning the pram round does the job.
Think about where you're going
Dr Golly’s third point was about the place, and that’s the one I’d underline this month. A walk round the park is very different from a packed indoor place where loads of people want a cuddle and half of them are full of the cold.
Flu has started circulating earlier than usual this year (we covered that on Dadsnet this week), so it’s fair enough to pick quieter places for now, ask folk to wash their hands before holding the baby, and politely say no to the coughing uncle. You’re not being precious. You’re being a dad.
When to get help
The NHS says if your baby is under three months and has a temperature of 38C or higher, call 111. If your baby seems seriously unwell, for example floppy or struggling to breathe, call 999 or go to A&E. Trust your gut on that one.
The Lullaby Trust’s Baby Check app is also worth having on your phone. It takes you through a list of simple checks if your baby seems poorly and tells you whether it’s time to get help.
What we actually do now
Not a checklist from an expert, just what’s working in our house at the moment:
- Base layer, warm suit, hat and mittens for the walk, with a blanket in the basket in case.
- Hat off the second we’re through the door. Every time. Even when he’s finally asleep.
- No snowsuit in the car seat. Strap him in first, blanket on top.
- Neck check rather than hand check.
- Quiet walks rather than busy shopping centres until the winter bugs calm down.
Eilidh says I still overdo the layers. She’s probably right. But we get out most days now and Finn seems to love the wind in his face, which is just as well, living here.
Sources: Netmums on newborns going outside, the Lullaby Trust on cold weather and car seats, NHS advice on fever and sun safety for babies, and Warwickshire County Council’s car seat guide. If you’re worried about your baby, speak to your health visitor, GP or 111.
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