In the cold winter (and now spring!) months, it is important to think about how you are going to keep you tiny baby warm when you are outside. Tiny babies don't have the fat reserves to keep themselves warm and like all babies, tiny or not, they are unable to self regulate their temperature, for example by shivering. So it is up to the loving parents to keep them the right temperature.
Here are some tips for keeping your little mouse cosy, but not too hot when you are outside.
Fitted clothes. - clothes that are well fitted keep in the warmth naturally generated by the body much better than loose fitting clothes.
Layers - These are great, as they can be removed or added to when the baby gets too warm or cool.
Hats - Babies loose a lot of heat from their heads, so when you are outside it is important that a tiny baby wears a nice fitted hat when it is chilly.
Be sensible! - No matter how wrapped up a tiny baby is it is probably not advisable to be outside for long periods in the extreme cold weather.
Check your baby regularly to ensure that he or she is not too hot or cold. You can do this by feeling the back of his or her neck or tummy. It is normal for a baby’s hands to feel colder than the rest of their body.
There is lots of information about this on the wonderful bliss website. Or ask your health visitor too as they are often a wealth of information.