How to temper a child at home

Many moms and dads dream long before the baby is born, how they will be kindly treated, run with it in the mornings, become tempered with the crumb, actively develop physically and mentally. But, unfortunately, statistics show that only a small part of conscious parents fulfill their plans. Often we feel sorry for waking up a child early in the morning for a run, we are afraid that he will get sick from cold water when dousing. Paradoxically, but with such actions we do not protect children's health, but on the contrary, we make the baby’s body greenhouse and vulnerable. Any temperature differential or external exposure ends with a cold, and sometimes more serious illnesses.

It is important to understand that young children get sick and this is normal. The body of the child is faced with a huge number of viruses, fungi, bacteria and other infectious pathogens.This is how a person’s immunity is formed - he learns to resist external factors. Therefore, to completely eliminate the disease (especially ARVI) is simply impossible. But how these colds will flow depends on the parents. Why does one child have a cold by all means ends with bronchitis or sinus, and another kid gets off with only three days of transparent snot? It is all about two factors - the method of treatment and the state of immunity of the child. Everyone has long known that it is not necessary to fight with a simple virus, it is enough to provide cool, humid air, give the child plenty of fluids and flush his nose with salted water. But how to strengthen the body's defenses? An important and sometimes the main factor in building strong immunity is hardening. Today we will talk about how to properly harden the child.

As the famous motto says - “The sun, air and water are our main friends!”. Indeed, hardening is based on three main pillars - solar, air and water baths. But each of the procedures requires special attention and knowledge of many nuances.

Sun baths

Mild sunshine is incredibly beneficial to health, it is no wonder that babies from the first days after birth are recommended to walk in the sun. With the help of ultraviolet, vitamin D is synthesized in human skin, which is so necessary for building strong immunity. However, remember that vitamin D is produced only in the first half of the day, until about 10-11 o'clock in the afternoon. Therefore, it is necessary to walk with the child in the morning. It is not necessary to expose the baby in direct sunlight, just walk with him on the street, you can even be in the shade. After all, ultraviolet light is refracted many times and will certainly reach the skin of your crumbs.

Older children need sunbathing too. However, it is very important to keep the middle ground here, because sunburn is a very unpleasant and dangerous phenomenon. Begin solar hardening in the summer, with the arrival of the first warm days. You should not be in the direct rays of the scorching sun, try to sunbathe before 11 am or after 15-16 pm. So you can avoid aggressive ultraviolet. Do not forget to wear hats - kerchiefs, caps and panama, which will protect children's heads from sunstroke.If you have just come on vacation, do not rush to expose the delicate, unprepared skin to the sun's rays - try to cover your shoulders, back and face for several days. Otherwise, sunburn and spoiled vacation will be guaranteed.

If you go to the sea, try to spend more time on the beach - the sea air is very good for the health of the respiratory system. When the baby gets used to the sun, you can let him go for a walk in his panties. Offer the baby more often to walk barefoot, but first make sure that there are no glasses and spines in the area that can injure the delicate skin of children's feet.

Air baths

This is the easiest, but at the same time the most risky tempering method. He is to teach the child to low temperatures. You can start this tempering literally from birth. Teach your baby to stay in a cool room for a while - first 5 seconds, then 10, gradually increasing and increasing this time period. It is best to take air baths before bathing - after bathing, the body is warmed and it is unwise to expose it to cold air.

In addition, air baths - it is also a regular airing of the room, especially if the room is hot and stuffy. Ventilate the room often, every couple of hours. The temperature in the room should be 18-22 degrees. If the baby freezes at the same time, it is better to put clothes on him, and not to put a heater. The fact is that the radiators dry the air very much, the nasal mucosa suffers - dry crusts appear in the nasal passages. In dry air, dust and allergens rise, causing coughing and other reactions. In the winter period, when the heating system works on “Hurray”, it is necessary to put a humidifier on it or to constantly put wet linen on radiators.

Pay attention to the hardening of the air in the process of walking. This includes a moderate amount of clothing. After all, kids are more sensitive and painful to overheating, rather than to supercooling. Therefore, you do not need to crumble a baby One simple rule should be followed - babies should wear one layer more, children over one and a half years old - one layer less than themselves. Small children practically do not move, so they should be worn a little warmer.For example, put on a thin T-shirt and a light blouse? And the baby add another layer in the form of fleece overalls. But kiddies older than a year and a half need, on the contrary, to dress easier, because they are constantly in motion, they are not afraid to freeze, but it does not cost anything to sweat.

Water hardening

This is the most extensive and, frankly, the most pleasant kind of hardening. Few of the kids do not like to swim, splash and splash. Sometimes there are kids who do not like water, but in most cases it is associated with fears. Often parents are guilty of these fears - when they immerse the baby in the uncomfortable temperature of the water, when they throw the child into the water without support, hoping that he will learn to swim on his own. Remember that you need to teach to water carefully and without violence, then the baby will love to swim for a lifetime.

1. Cold water. Hardening in water is a gradual training to lower temperatures. As soon as you brought the newborn baby home, you should only bathe it in warm water. Until the navel has fallen off, the water should be boiled - sterile clean.When the navels fall off, you can use warm water from the tap, and slowly accustom the body to various microorganisms, because the baby can not grow in a sterile environment. At first, the water temperature should be comfortable - not hot or cold - about 36-37 degrees, like body temperature. Over time, you can reduce the water gradually by one degree every 3-5 days. But not immediately, but add cold water in the process of taking a bath. That is, today you bathe your baby at 36 degrees, gradually add cold water and reduce the temperature to 35 degrees. After five days, you also start at 36, but lower the temperature to 34 degrees. So over and over again, you can reach 30 degrees, children older than a year can reduce the water temperature to 28-26 degrees. But all processes must be gradual!
2. Bathing Many moms feel sorry for their children and believe that they will freeze in such cold water. In fact, a child in cool water just starts moving more to warm up. Cool baths and nourishing food are the best means for a long night of sleep of the child. To give your child the opportunity to move more in the water, put a swimming circle on his neck, some models can be used as early as a month.Such a pleasant adaptation will significantly improve the process of bathing - the baby can calmly swim, easily moving around the entire perimeter of the large bath, and the mother does not need to stand crocheted, keeping the baby in the water.
3. Rubdowns If you have not quenched your baby since early childhood, and now he is constantly sick, you need to start doing it gradually and very, very carefully. Take a terry mitten or washcloth, rub it legs, hands, back and tummy baby. After a couple of days of such manipulations, soak a sponge in warm water and repeat the procedure. Gradually, the water for wetting the washcloth should become colder and colder. After wiping, let some moisture remain on the skin - the baby dries, hardening works, immunity is formed.
4. Douche. This method of hardening is not for wimps - it is suitable only for children older than two years. Its essence is that you need to pour warm water, and then gradually reduce the temperature less and less. Experienced parents are tempered with babies at any time of the year. When douche do not touch the head - it is important to know. If the baby is not yet ready to douche, you can teach him to wash his feet in warm and then in cold water. After that, carefully rub your feet and heels with a towel and put the baby to sleep.

Toddlers rarely follow parental advice, but almost always follow their example. Therefore, you need to show the child hardening on their own experience. Drench with water and wipe with a wet towel - the child will surely repeat after you.

Cold hardening

In the summer start to harden ice cream. First, give the child an ice cream in a melted form, like a medicine, 1-2 spoons each - it should be absorbed, not swallowed. Gradually, the amount of eaten ice cream can be increased, then you can not wait until it is completely melted. When the baby gets used to the ice cream, you can give him to suck on the ice pieces.For taste, you can freeze cubes not just water, but fruit juices. First, give the child small pieces of ice, gradually increase the size of portions and the time they are held in the mouth. You can prepare your throat for cold simply by rinsing. Teach your child to gargle with warm water first and then cold water. With a gradual decrease in temperature, there will be no harm, the throat mucosa will be able to adapt and harden. All these methods of cold hardening of the throat are suitable for older children, after three years.

How to start hardening

Many parents complain that they can not begin the process of hardening, because the baby is constantly sick. If you have never quenched a child at all and he is quite painful, it is better to start the process in the summer when the risk of catching a cold is minimal. Be sure to consult a doctor before hardening - he must give consent to the procedure. Begin tempering with more simple and gentle methods - air and sun baths, gradually introducing more and more new procedures. Make sure your baby is accustomed to this water temperature before you decide to lower it by another degree.

Remember that tempering is a regular and permanent procedure. Only with daily rubdowns and air baths can you strengthen the immune system and achieve a good result. All procedures should be voluntary - only in agreement and mood of the baby. Good immunity is not only hardening, but also a varied diet, frequent walks in the fresh air, competent sleep and wakefulness. Follow the simple rules of hygiene, and diseases your baby will not be afraid!

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