01/24/2026
Sharing this post from Hiawassee Dam Fire Dept
𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐓
Blankets are not recommended as they can be a smothering hazard in the crib. So keeping a baby warm if the power goes out can be a challenge.
Keep one room warm for everyone to sleep in with an alternate heat source like a fireplace, wood stove or space heater. Cover windows and stuff towels over cracks in doors.
Keep the crib in the center of the room, away from doors and windows.
𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙. 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮.
Add booties, mittens, a sleep sac and a hat to baby rather than blankets. A breathable hat is the best kind, so heat can escape if baby is getting too warm. Small babies can be swaddled in a blanket but once they are big enough to kick, the blanket can come loose and become a smothering hazard.
(Check baby for overheating periodically 1-2 times per hour. Sweat or dampness on the neck, chest or back, flushed cheeks and rapid breathing may be signs baby is too hot.)
Have lots of snuggle time for baby to get good and warm next to you. You can carry baby in a front carrier for warmth from your body. Swaddling also keeps baby warmer as long as it's not wrapped too tight.
Keep the baby dry, change them often. Wet skin is cold skin.
Check baby often for pale skin, cold skin temperature and mottling or discoloring. See the photon the right. Pink mottling is an early sign, darker or blue mottling is a very late sign of being too cold. Babies muscles may seem stiff and breathing slows down if baby is too cold. The baby's back and tummy should feel warm to touch. A temperature below 98 puts baby at risk of hypothermia. You need to increase your warming efforts or seek warmer shelter.
If baby is cold, he/she may not show interest in eating. Check temperature of hands and feet and warm the baby with snuggles to see if you can then get them to feed better.
Warm the crib sheets and mattress with a hot water bottle periodically. Don't use super hot water. Remove the hot water bottle and check the temperature of the bedding before setting baby down. 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙩. If you don't have a hot water bottle, heat some dry rice grains and put them in a sock and use that. Chemical warmers like HotHands can also be used. Do not ever put these items on the baby.
If it's really cold, you can wrap these warming items in a towel and leave it near baby's feet for warmth. Only do this if absolutely necessary. For safety, baby should sleep with nothing in the crib.
Check the baby often for pale skin, cold skin temperature on back and tummy, and mottling or discoloring. See the photo. Pink mottling of skin is an early sign, darker or blue mottling is a very late sign of being too cold.
Sneezing or being fussy can be signs baby is cold.
Check baby for sweating. Damp clothing will make them cold later on. Remove layers when baby is in a warmer environment.
If you cannot keep your home above 50 degrees, you probably cannot keep baby warm. Think about evacuating to somewhere that has heat.
𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙗𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙮𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙖. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙧.
The elderly, chronically ill and some disabled people are also more susceptible to hypothermia. The warming efforts can be used for them as well, but of course you can also use blankets.
https://www.romper.com/parenting/7-hacks-to-keep-your-baby-warm-when-the-heat-goes-out-23593?fbclid=IwY2xjawPg9hFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFqNTBTSUVLc1ROanFCb0dwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHo7d1RgnyORyWVNDUcffpb0s-TxNdLdcPFY8dTWebu2-dC-gPEoX_Pm_gNUh_aem_n99n_ymqNh9LAovhbAh_qQ
https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/keeping-your-baby-warm-in-winter
Get tips on how to safely keep your infant or baby safe and warm when extreme winter weather hits.
