Worrying about heathing the house all day everyday with newborn

[whatamess100]

It's freezing in my house, it actually feels warmer outside. Last year was so horrible,cold and hard we like most ppl i had to layer up and we basically lived upstairs which was managable.

Is truth I'm skint, single parent expecting new baby in 2 weeks, just gone on mat leave so will get basic smp and uc, it will take a few months for that to level out. My gas and elec direct debit was 220 pm last year and i got into 400 debt because decemeber and jan was 300+ i refused to be cold over xmas. Debts paid and they have reduced it to 190 which is fine but im sitting her in a cold house layers up with me 7yr old thinking how on earth im going to keep the house warm constantly with a newborn baby.

I will obviously make sure he has the appropriate clothes on for the temp of the house but there's no way i can afford the heating on all day and night.

Anybody in the same position that has any advice?

When I had my baby and winter hit, we didn't heat the house all day. Just bundled her up in lots of layers!

Can you give any more details about house, like age build type/Windows etc.

Are you sure it's just cold and not damp? Rooms that are damp can feel colder and perversely then actually opening the window for short periods to clear damp may mean house actually warms up.

The energy companies have schemes, maybe apply for grants- are you in a union they have awards for members in though financial position

How would you feel about using a stretchy wrap sling so your body temperature regulates babies?

(Hopefully some if6 this helps but do want to take second to appreciate it sucks and shouldn't be situation for anyone with baby).

Can you heat one room?
Are you getting any CMS from the children’s dads?

Honestly it is better to have a newborn in the winter than an older child (even a 9mo). You can easily wrap them up, baby wear to keep them warm or put a hat on their head. As long as all of those things are reasonable for the temperature of your home. Just type newborn temperature and clothes on Google and it wil tell you the appropriate amount to wrap them up.

(Just read you have a 7yo, sorry thought you were a first time mum)

I was in a similar position last year, I baby wore a lot and it was fine.

We had a winter newborn and we heated just the living room during the day, then camped up and did all feeds, nappy changes etc in there.

Spend about £20 on a Gro Egg (which is a plug-in device that checks the temperature in your house). Only put the heating on when it turns blue.
It will mean you don't constantly have the heat on, only when the temperature is definitely too cold for the baby.

It was the best thing we ever bought and we saved loads over winter with our first newborn in a freezing badly insulated cottage in NI with very dicky oil heating that didn't work half the time because we knew when we needed to all hole up in one room with the space heater and when we just needed to grab another blanket.

That sounds rough OP!
Good suggestions above. Are there any “warm spaces” near you? My local library was one last year, they had tea and coffee and didn’t mind how long you stayed, you could find a comfy corner and do some reading for a few hours some days.

I've found a dehumidifier does help the rooms feel warmer by taking excess moisture out of the air... and an electric blanket keeps me cozy in evenings... would be ok for your older child but can't be used for baby.

Baby however will be fine in cooler temps.. just layer them up.

baby wearing where possible will keep you both snugly

It was minus 8c when dd was born.

Babies stay warm (and happy) on you. Feel their back and chest to test their temp.

It's more challenging when they're toddlers who won't stay still!

You can also warm a single room which is cheaper than a whole house - plug in heater. A dehumidifier can also help - damp air feels colder, as well as causing mould.

If you're really stuck, a walk to the library, community centre or cafe, or a big shop can get you warm. I used to spend half a day in IKEA, which is walking distance from my house.

Oh and clothes - vests for all, it makes a big difference. And tights or leggings under trousers.

Even if your library isn't officially a warm space, they will be happy for you to go there to read books to your baby and you could bring a flask of water. Also are there any playgroups near you which are a pound or so to enter and you can stay for a couple of hours? One near me is a pound and you get coffee and cake!

Also go for walks, just wrap baby up in the pram and the walk will warm you. You could keep baby tucked up in the pram when you get home too.

Oh yes shops are a good call, department stores often have rooms to feed babies or a shopping centre will have benches to sit on.

I had a newborn right before that horrible cold snap. We live in a Victorian house which was single glazed (it's double glazed now). Like pp I lived in one room. We just had the heating on an hour in the morning and an hour at night but also had an electric blanket that I'd snuggle under with baby. You're not meant to but I often kept a hat on baby when the room temp was below 10 (!!!). I put baby in woolen knitted cardigans too as wool helps regulate temp.

I used t go out of to 3 different baby and toddler play groups that I could easily get to a week. A nice brisk walk there with baby in a sling, 1.5hrs there. I was often last to leave - always did a nappy change in warmth there. That meant a good 3hrs no heating needed plus a nice cup of tea and snack for £1 plus company.

the library was also a good place to visit.

And yes to knitted wooden cardigans.

Woollen even!

Can you keep one room warm in the day and the bedroom at night?

The Dad needs to step up and quickly.

You had a partner and two horses last month.. I'm assuming the partner will be contributing and you're looking to sell your horses?

Keep all internal doors closed, I find my hallway and front door to be the draught in the house.

I have a 5 month old so I feel your pain OP. Heating is already on and I'm dreading 6 months of high bills. It's not just the heating, it's drying loads and loads of baby washing.

Lots of layers, vests, babygrows, socks, hats. The babygrows that have the little sleeve you can put over their hands have helped my daughter because her little fingers get cold (even with the heating on!)

We went for a drive earlier and blasted the heating up, both nice and toasty coming back into the house.

Partner has gone and family is taking over the horse side of life.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

That's a good idea!

Also have you contacted housing authority?

Remember the prices have come down so the bills will not be as high as last winter.