A parenting expert has issued a warning to parents about the dangers of covering a pram with a blanket in the cold weather – and shared a number of tips to keep babies warm and safe
As the first few weeks of January usher in plummeting temperatures, a yellow weather warning for snow remains over vast swathes of the UK.
The chill can pose challenges for parents, especially those with tots in prams, as they navigate icy walkways and dim evenings.
Kiddies Kingdom’s parenting guru, Kirsty Carroll, has dished out five vital tips to ensure your nippers are snug and safe during frosty strolls in their pushchairs.
Kirsty points out a key error parents often make when trying to keep their kids toasty: draping a blanket over the pram. At first, it may seem like a smart move to ward off the cold, but it actually limits airflow, possibly making your baby too warm and at risk of overheating.
Essential tips for winter-proofing your baby’s pushchair
Keeping your baby warm
To keep your little one cozy, Kirsty advises: “Layer up on clothes, as this traps the heat to keep your little one warm. A good rule of thumb is to give your baby one extra layer of clothing than what you’re wearing.
“A snug base layer, insulated mid-layer, and weatherproof outer layer are ideal to shield them from the cold. Babies lose the most heat through the top of their heads, so don’t forget a hat! ”
Moreover, she cautions against covering the pram’s opening with a blanket, adding: “If tucking your baby in with a blanket, only ever go up to their chest, leaving their face exposed. A great alternative to a blanket is a foot muff, these are designed to fit into your pram or pushchair and sometimes have a harness for extra safety.”
Guarding against the weather
A rain cover is essential for winter outings, as it ensures your child remains dry, cosy, and shielded from chilly winds. Maintaining your baby’s warmth and dryness is crucial during winter, given that wet or damp clothing won’t dry swiftly and could expose your baby to hypothermia risk.
Reflective Gear
If your journey involves traversing dimly lit roads or traffic, then winter’s early nights can present safety challenges for parents with prams and pushchairs. To guarantee your and your child’s safety, Kirsty advised: “Stick to main roads and avoid routes without streetlights.
“You can also add reflective tape or reflective patches to your pushchair to increase its visibility in low light. Also, don’t forget to make yourself visible. Although they may not be the most fashion-conscious items, a reflective vest or sash could help protect you and your child.”
Trustworthy brakes
It’s vital to have the ability to brake your pushchair when necessary. Kirsty suggests choosing a pram equipped with practical, user-friendly brakes, adding that you should opt for a model where both wheels lock, minimising the chance of skidding on wet or icy ground. She further cautions that you should ensure the brakes are out of reach for any children.
Maintain clean and clear wheels
Wet weather often brings a muddy mess, rendering pushchairs a bit of a chore to steer. She suggested: “Wheels are thankfully very easy to clean, you can use a hose or pressure washer to remove any wet mud, or a stiff brush with warm water and washing up liquid to scrape off dry mud.”
But mud isn’t the sole adversary here; rock salt scattered on roads and footpaths during wintry times is known to erode strollers. Tackling this, Kirsty endorses frequent wheel cleaning bolstered by a spritz of silicon-based spray to maintain seamless wheel rotations.