HARMATTAN DESCENDS; KEEPING YOUR INFANT WARM

All Bing images

Slowly and surely, the blessed weather changes and Harmattan is upon us already. This season is characterized by dry, flaky and itchy skin, sore throat, cracked feet, numb fingers, runny nose and common cough. To all the Ummus and Abus, the concern is how to ensure that our babies do not contract any ailment that seem to constantly persist in this period. You will all agree with me that it's not a pretty experience when babies and infants develop colds and are in discomfort. As adults, we can adequately manage ourselves to ensure we are comfortable, same cannot be said of our kids, whose aim most times is to disengage themselves from the blanket used in covering them at night.

This post will highlight a few ways in which our infants can be kept warm and safe in the face of this challenging weather. Do remember that the information contained in this post does not in any way take precedence over the opinion of a qualified pediatrician, and if your baby shows signs of infection, hurry to the hospital.

1            Dress your baby appropriately. Unlike adults and older kids, babies aren't experts in regulating their body temperature. Therefore, in the face of very cold weather, the aim is to keep your baby warm and comfortable. Now, you should not be tempted to overdress your baby such that he gets hot, uncomfortable and develops rashes. The basic clothing when going out should include a cap that covers the ears and can be secured under the chin so it doesn't fall off easily, a warm jacket/cardigan, and cozy socks long enough to ensure that no leg skin is exposed to the biting cold. When babies are about to sleep, it's better they are covered in warm sleeping suits, or one piece items than leaving things to chance by covering them with a blanket. Apart from posing a suffocation risk, babies throw off blankets easily. Baby should be covered with a cap and possibly gloves, we know the temperature drops further when its dusk.

2            Moisturize baby's skin. To avoid the risk of your baby's skin drying out as a result of the weather as well as daily bathing with soap and shampoo, ensure your baby's skin is vigorously moisturized after each bath to seal in moisture and maintain his soft supple skin. There are different options to choose from, but our mothers vouch for the use of sheabutter and oliveoil combination any day. The process of moisturizing also serves as a massage which generates heat for the baby.

3           Humidify. If you have access to a humidifier, please purchase one for the house, or the room. At night when the temperature drops, the air becomes drier and breathing dry air at night makes the mucus membranes of the nose and mouth dry out, causing congestion and inflammation. This will cause serious discomfort as baby will wake up more often than usual at night which will result in a tired and lethargic baby in the morning. 

4          Hygiene. You can never go wrong with washing your baby's hands and ensuring he doesn't place his hands on dirty surfaces. Infections spread fast. Be on the watch.

May Allah protect our little ones for us. Ameen.

 

If you also have some fail-safe methods parents can employ in protecting their babies in this weather, please write them in the comment section. Thank you for reading, sharing and commenting!

Masalam.