BABY CARE

Comfort Clothing: Your baby does not require any more clothing than an adult, so never over clothe or undercover him. Dress him according to the temperature. Your baby is warm enough if his hands are slightly cooler than the rest of his body. Some babies are allergic to certain    materials. Watch for rashes in clothing contact areas.

Outdoors: A fairly good rule to follow is to take your baby out whenever the weather is pleasant. Babies born in the summer may be taken out on a nice day after they are a week old. Babies born during the other seasons should be kept indoors for three or four weeks unless the weather is particularly balmy.

Contact With Outside World: Babies may be more vulnerable to common infection. Unnecessary contact with infected people should be avoided. Be careful especially (1) In the winter when people have more colds, (2) around children who frequently have upper respiratory infections (colds, etc.), (3) by avoiding crowds. All this requires judgment, common sense and some degree of tact on the part of the parents. Obviously people with infections should not hold or kiss the baby. If all else fails in your attempt to observe these precautions, you can “blame your pediatrician” for the rules and protect your baby at the same time.

Room Temperature: Try to keep an even, comfortable temperature in the baby’s room. On hot days, provide ventilation. On cold days, check your baby periodically to see that he is covered enough to be warm and comfortable.