going for a country walk in this cold weather with baby

[mamacoffee]

Hi

After a couple of weeks of illness we're suffering cabin fever, dh suggested we go for a nice country walk this weekend and im desperate to go but am so worried about my 6.5m baby and 2.8 yo ds getting ill again.

I can wrap them up warm it's just toilet trips and nappy changes im worried about bc then I dont know how to keep them warm, national trust loos can be coooollld!! Ds us usually ok but the baby seems to pick up bugs more easily :(

Any advice? I'm not sure where to post this but hoping someone out there can offer some advice!

Go! Being out in the (cold) fresh air or lying on a chilly changing table won't make them ill.

Getting chilly won't make them ill. Get out in the fresh air - its lovely out!

i guess you're right, the cold in itself is not a problem...but aren't there more bugs around this time of year? i want to go but i also don't want to face another couple of weeks of illness

You catch bugs from other people. Going out into the fresh air is the best way not to catch bugs.

So we should go out and avoid all civilization! I like the sound of that!! I think we'll go for it

Having had two winter babies, i can honestly say there's nothing better than taking them on a winter walke. The fresh air will knock make them sleep really well.

Just make sure you all wrap up really warm.

Go out. We managed to get out on the moors and in the woods alot over Christmas and it was glorious. Wrap up warm, sensible footwear and emergency biscuits. You won't catch bugs outside away from people.

Definitely definitely go! I have no scientific evidence but I reckon fresh air knocks my LO out (5 mo) and natural daylight (wherever the sun is!) is much better than artificial light indoors. Wrap up obviously. As pp said you don't catch a cold from being cold. Take a flask of tea and sarnies/snacks and you don't have to be in contact with anyone of you don't want.

A lovely walk on a fresh day with a flask of tea - one of my favourite things! Enjoy :)

I don't want to sound harsh but can I ask are you in the UK? If so it's not that cold..honestly! Don't forget all those Mums out there who live in much colder climes, they still take their babies outside. As they say there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing.

Thanks everyone we're looking forward to a lovely walk tom, have taken out the warm walking gear and the flasks already!

Yes we're in the UK, not looking forward to the cold spell predicted for the weekend, but hopefully we'll be wearing the right gear, I have some lovely warm lined walking trousers :)

We recently moved back to the UK from Germany where we had a lot of snow and temps well below freezing (-14 and lower). I took DD out for air every day last winter - she was born late September so from being tiny to being 6-7 months very cold walks were a daily staple as we have a dog who has to be walked.

In Germany it's normal to bundle kids up in weather appropriate clothes and go out, even when it's -25.

WRT illness - DD is now 15 months old and in that time she has only had two very minor colds. One cold last summer in Germany, one a couple of weeks ago in the UK. (She also had norovirus in the UK but that's solely down to someone having poor hand hygiene dirty sods so not a "bug" that is just in the air).

She never had a single illness during the coldest times of the year. Bugs don't like the cold. They like warm (they need warmth to thrive) and moist and people who don't practice good hand hygiene. Regular fresh air, ventilation and hand washing will keep most bugs at bay - no matter what time of year it is.

Thanks everyone, we had a lovely time and will definitely be doing it again!