How can I keep my baby healthy through weather changes?

The changing weather can pose a few challenges and bring along infections and allergies. While it's not possible to prevent your baby from ever getting sick, there are things you can try to keep her safe and healthy.

Breastfeed
Breastfeeding benefits extend well beyond basic nutrition. In addition to containing all the vitamins and nutrients your infant needs, breastmilk also helps your baby to fight infection.

Breastmilk contains antibodies that help to protect your baby against tummy bugs (gastroenteritis), colds, chest infections and ear infections. If you are ill, the antibodies in your breastmilk will help keep your baby healthy.

It isn’t a foolproof way to protect your baby’s health, but breastfed babies are better at fending off colds and other infections.

Your baby is likely to recover more quickly from illnesses throughout her first year if you breastfeed exclusively for the first six months, and then introduce solid foods under the cover of breastfeeding.

Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Keep immunisation up-to-date
Vaccines help build immunity and offer your child the best chance of protection from infectious diseases. They're one of the most important part of well-baby check-ups.

See our Immunisation Scheduler to know when your baby is due for her vaccine.

If your child is behind on immunisations or missed any vaccines, speak to your doctor for more advice.

Make temperature changes easier on your baby
As far as possible, avoid exposing your baby to sudden temperature differences.

Babies, especially newborns, cannot regulate their own temperature well and can feel cold or hot very quickly.

Keep in mind that no matter what season, it's important not to let your baby get too warm as she sleeps. Overheating your baby is linked to an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), otherwise known as cot death. Always follow these sleep safety tips!

Also, make sure your baby gets her massage and bath in a warm and comfortable area. There should be no draughts of cold air while you are massaging or bathing her.

If the electricity goes out often in your area, you'll need to plan ahead. Power cuts can throw up different challenges, depending on the season and you may be left without any heating or cooling. Learn more about how you can keep your baby comfortable during a power cut.

Dress for the weather
As the seasons change, the temperatures can vary a lot through the day. It could start out hot or cold and then cool down or get warmer depending on the time of day.

It is best to dress your baby in layers so that you can remove or add layers to keep your baby comfortable through the day.

See our helpful guide on buying the right baby clothes for each season.

Encourage healthy eating
If your baby is on solid food, make sure that she has well-balanced meals. A good diet can give her the vitamins and minerals she needs to help fight infections. It's even more important to make sure your baby gets enough vitamins and minerals if she is a fussy eater or is on a restricted diet.

Another way of ensuring a good mix of nutrients is to feed her food from all colours of the rainbow. For inspiration, see these slideshows on red, orange, yellow, green, purple and white foods. You won't need to give all the colours at each meal but ensure you have them all a few times each week.

Follow good hygiene to contain germs
No matter what the season, the best way to prevent infections is to follow proper hand hygiene.

It's also worth getting into the habit of washing your baby's hands regularly with warm soapy water. It's a good idea to start washing your baby's hands regularly once she starts crawling, because she'll likely start coming into contact with more dirt and germs. Also, clean the hands before eating (once she's eating solids) and when she comes home from daycare or an outing.

Hand sanitiser is useful if you don’t have soap and water at hand.

Clean surfaces that are touched often like tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, handles, light switches, toilets, and sinks.

Always cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and then throw the tissue in the bin right away. Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Recognise and manage seasonal allergies
Some children are more likely to develop allergies because they run in the family.

Seasonal allergies, such as allergic rhinitis or hay fever, are the body's reaction to airborne particles such as pollen or mould. This type of allergy kicks up at the times of the year when certain trees, grasses, or weeds are in bloom, or when mould releases its spores into the air.

If your baby has a history of respiratory problems, sinusitis and allergic skin conditions, she may be more vulnerable during the smog season. Find out what you can do to help your baby during poor air quality days.

Once you find out what your child is allergic to, try to keep her away from the allergen as much as possible. This isn’t always easy, but there are some steps you can take. Here’s how to reduce your child’s exposure to the most common allergens.

Take additional precautions
As viral infections, including colds and the flu, peak in the changing season, take extra care to fend off germs.

• Minimise trips to crowded or closed-in areas. Indoor playgrounds, malls, cinemas, museums, and other places where people gather in close quarters should be avoided. Germs spread more easily indoors.
• Stay away from sick people. To the extent you can, keep your baby away from sick children and adults.
• Check the "sick-child" policy. If your child is in daycare, crèche or playschool, know the policy on keeping sick kids away from healthy ones. Many facilities require a child with a fever, the flu, vomiting, diarrhoea, or an eye infection to stay home.

Getting sick is part of growing up and is the way that your baby's immune system will learn to fight off infections in the future.

Since your child may not be able to tell you what hurts, you'll need to pay close attention to how she behaves. Does she seem fussier, more uncomfortable, and sicker? In general, if you're ever concerned about your baby's health, it's always a good idea to speak to your doctor.


Reviewed by Dr Saroja Balan, BabyCenter India's expert paediatrician.


यह लेख हिंदी में पढ़ें: बदलते मौसम में शिशु के स्वास्थ्य का ध्यान कैसे रखना चाहिए?


Read more on:

• Caring for your baby in the summer
• Monsoon care for babies
• Keeping your baby safe in the winter