Need Help: Cold Climate, Poor Heating...

[Lizbiz]

Hi Mamas,

I live in China and will have a new baby girl! very soon (due beginning of January)... I plan to cosleep with her and my husband in a very small full-sized bed. We did this with our first (when living in the US) - but DS was born in August.

So... with DS we just used very few covers and heated the room as necessary as the fall season turned cooler. When DS turned 2 1/2 months or so - he moved to a bassinet next to my side of the bed and thus there was no issue during the colder winter months.

Here's our situation now: We have pretty cruddy indoor heating in China - especially where I live. Last year, my husband and I zipped our down sleeping bags together and slept in a million layers with winter hats on (no joke). Our son was in so many layers he could barely move in his own crib, but we all stayed warm! Obviously, this situation would be dangerous with a newborn between us.

A lot of people here use a sheet-like electric heater (not an electric blanket, but an electric mattress pad that heats you from underneath. This seems like it might help in our situation - where I'm not wanting to use so much bulk on top but need to stay both warm and accessible for nursing. But, is it safe for a newborn? I'm totally clueless. I would think if we are comfortable and there are no obstructions, then the additional heat would do us all good. I plan to have plenty of thick jammies for her (like down-padded jammies), and for myself - well, I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm sure we'll also use a space heater near my side of the bed to keep me warm when night nursing.

So.. any feedback on the electric warmer idea or other ideas? I'm trying to be ready for this winter, because I just hate the cold!

(Funny, because I actually come from a colder climate than I now live in... but living in a lesser developed part of the world makes winter here pretty rough living!)

Thanks for your suggestions!
Liz

[zensven42]

My first reaction to a heated pad is no, but here all our electric pads have warmings not to sleep on them due to possible burns. It just sounds bad to me. I can not say for sure. I can say that here in ND where it got down to
-60 F w/ windchill -38 without, that we use an oil filled electric radiator in our bedroom. It doesn't use much energy to heat one room, stays cool enough to put your hand on it if you stay at 1000w or below, and you can leave it on when you sleep without fear of fire or burning anything. I sometimes dry towels on it even and they do not burn. Here is an example:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...761&sa=title#p

I use this brand. We use it on the 500w setting and never turn it up past 4 on the dial it heats so well. I hope this helps

[calpurnia]

where do other people put their newborns to sleep in winter? in bed with the electric blanket on?

[Rubber Ducky]

Styrofoam

If you can find a large piece of styrofoam to cover your bedroom window at night, it keeps the wind from coming through and keeps the room insulated a lot better. We did this when we lived with poor insulation and I can say it was a lifesaver

[Louisep]

I don't think you should use any heating device in the bed. Over heating is a possible cause of SIDS.

I second the idea of an oil radiator. They're awesome.