Winter's Here

Babies are sensitive to temperature changes because they are small (less quantum of heat), and higher surface area per unit weight-(lose more heat). Their airways are exposed to more cold air than adults because babies breathe three times faster than adults. So if you kept the fan on on say setting 1 on your regulator, it is like setting 3 for the baby! Such exposure may lead to pneumonia at worst, but babies keep crying from midnight to dawn, for some mysterious reason-you think. As temperatures dip outside,room air cools and babies get their ears filled with secretions-that stretch their ear drums, that have a branch of vagus nerve travelling over it-it causes excruciating pain in both ears. 

The solution is using warm and moist air for the baby to inhale-the best way of doing so is to use steam inhalation- using a steamer, under a thin sheet while breastfeeding- 20 total minutes, with not more than 5 min at a stretch, with breaks and you being in to feel if its too warm!

I would suggest that except for the smallest babies within a week of birth, in this season, DO NOT SUSPEND BABY BATH for now.

For room heating, at night, the blowers and heat radiators burn oxygen, airways dry out and trigger dry cough, something the little one cant candle. The modern solution is using Oil Filled Heaters now freely available in most electrical superstores. A workaround is to use a large mouth pail/thali of water in the room with a room heater. 

Time also to get some warm wear for the baby, and instead of 5-6 layers, that obstruct breathing by making the chest tight, you could use high quality warmers, and jump suits. 

Winters are also a time of weak and insufficient sunlight causing vitamin D Deficiency sooner than later. When sun is shining warm and bright, you could let the baby be oiled in sun naked -but away from direct draft of air. 

Moms would do well to take enough essential oils-as sesame seeds or flax seeds aprt from dry fruits, nuts and chikki of jaggery and peanuts.

Happy winters!