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Baby Outdoors
The newborn should be kept warm or rewarmed if already cold, using a warming device or skin-to-skin contact with the mother, or another person if necessary. It is best to wait until the newborn has been rewarmed before transporting it. If a newborn is taken to hospital soon after birth, there is a real risk that it will develop hypothermia during transportation, and that this will make effective treatment at the hospital difficult or impossible. It is therefore essential that measures be taken to prevent hypothermia during transportation and that the baby be taken directly to the institution that can provide adequate newborn care. Skin-to-skin contact: the newborn can be lightly dressed; it should be held in position snugly with the person's clothes, covered with a blanket if necessary. If skin-to-skin contact is not possible, the fully wrapped newborn, wearing a cap, may be transported in the arms of an adult in a closed vehicle. Spending Time Outdoors It is such a fun to play with baby in the comfort of your own backyard. Making up games, splashing in the pool, or just enjoying the weather is a great way to spend the day. While you are outside having fun with your little one, it is important to keep safety in mind. The outdoors not only offers natural beauty, but also some potential hazards as well. Dress the baby with as many layers of clothing as an adult would wear for the outdoor temperature. A common mistake is overdressing a baby in summer. Camping and crowds should probably be avoided during your baby's first month of life. Also, during your baby's first year of life try to avoid close contact with people who have infectious illnesses. Sun Baby's skin is much more sensitive than adult skin and needs extra-special care. • Keep a baby under 1 year old out of the hot summer sun altogether. Dress them in light clothing and make sure the sun is not shining directly in their face. • Don't use a sunscreen with an SPF of 4 or more on a baby under 6 months old. Their tender skin may absorb the chemical in the lotion and be unable to eliminate it. • Use sun protection on overcast days, too. As much as 80 percent of the sun's radiation reaches the ground through the clouds. Plants Children don't always realize that while plants are pretty to look at, they are potentially harmful if touched or eaten. • Watch young children closely and tell them never to taste anything growing in the woods, especially leafs, twigs, berries, and mushrooms. • Learn what poison oak, ivy, and sumac look like and teach children to avoid them. • If your child develops a rash after contact with a poisonous plant, wash the area with soap and water and apply ice or a cool, wet towel. Apply a soothing lotion. Bites and Stings Insect bites and stings are irritating for everyone, but they are especially upsetting for children. • Choose an insect repellent carefully. • Protect your child with light-colored clothing and long sleeves and pants when they could be exposed to insects. • Ease the itch of bites by applying plain white vinegar, alcohol, calamine lotion, a bar of wet soap, or liquid from an aloe plant.
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