Many mothers think that it is cold in winter and they must wear very thick socks for their babies. In fact, the baby’s body is very different from that of adults. Thick socks do not meet the growth characteristics of the baby, and may affect the child’s development!
3 disadvantages of wearing too thick socks for babies in winter
1. Baby’s feet sweat a lot, thick socks aggravate sweaty feet
Little babies are “sweat feet”, because children are in a period of vigorous physical development and have a high basal metabolic rate, but the feet are where the sweat glands are most dense. Therefore, after the baby is in strenuous exercise and walking for a long time, foot sweat will be particularly many.
Thick socks are not breathable and will only increase the sweat of the feet. The baby’s feet are very likely to get beriberi or foot infections. If the socks are wet in winter, if they are not replaced in time, the feet may also get frostbite.
2. Thick socks don’t absorb sweat, making it easier to catch a cold when sweating
Thick socks will increase foot sweat, but do not absorb sweat. They are easy to get wet. A large amount of water will occupy the air in the fibers of the socks. Because of the lack of air, which is an excellent heat insulator, when the socks are wet, they will make the baby’s feet Chills, which causes a decrease in the resistance of the respiratory tract and catches a cold.
Thick socks and socks will also affect the sensory development of the baby’s toes and soles.
The baby’s feet do not have a heel, and the thick socks are easy to slide down and shift. When the baby walks, the position of the heel slips to the center of the foot. The baby wears slippery socks, his feet will hit the ground hard when he walks, and his posture is very awkward.
Several kinds of socks that are not suitable for babies
✘ The socks are too tight, the sock is too long
Babies’ feet are different from adults, their ankles are very short, and their calves are also very stubby. Therefore, too tight socks and too long sock tube will restrain the baby’s ankles and calves, affecting activity and blood circulation.
The elastic socks have a wider mouth so that they can be easily stretched around the baby’s ankle and will not be strangled.
Suggestion: Choose socks for your baby with a wider mouth and moderate tightness. The two fingers of an adult can be inserted into the baby’s ankle, and the hand does not feel strangulation. Such socks are suitable for the baby to wear.
Thick socks will cause the baby’s feet to be wrapped tightly, and too tightly wrapped in footwear and socks will also affect the blood circulation of the steps, which is also the reason why the body does not feel warm.
3. Thick socks affect baby’s tactile development and leg shape
If the baby’s socks are too thick, it will affect the ankle movement, and it will also easily cause pressure on the baby’s feet and legs and affect blood circulation.
✘ Too many thread ends
You can often see news on the Internet, saying that the baby’s socks thread entangles the toes, causing poor blood circulation, leading to ischemia and necrosis of the toes.
Parents should pay attention to whether the socks have too much thread when buying socks. Do not buy socks with too much thread.
Suggestion: Even if the socks have few thread ends, cut off all the threads, or turn the socks over and wear them, so as not to catch the thread that comes off the line again.
Always cut your baby’s toenails to avoid pulling out new sock threads.
✘ Pantyhose
It is difficult to put on and take off the pantyhose, which is not conducive to the child’s urination and defecation. If the action is a little slow, it may wet the panties and pantyhose, which may easily cause the child to catch a cold.
Pantyhose has poor air permeability and does not absorb sweat, which can easily cause inflammation of the perineum in children. Wearing on the baby’s crotch is also easy to slide down, restricting children’s activities.
Therefore, for non-special needs, infants and young children are generally not recommended to wear pantyhose.
✘ Acrylic, nylon, woolen socks
Such socks are not breathable and do not absorb sweat. After the baby has sweaty feet, it is not only smelly but also easy to slip;
The woolen stockings are very tight, which stimulates the baby’s delicate skin and easily triggers allergies. In addition, the wool may hook the baby’s feet, so it is not recommended to wear it to the baby.
Suggestion: preferred pure cotton material
Pure cotton socks have good heat retention, good elasticity and comfortable texture, which are the best choice for babies.
Try not to choose socks that contain acrylic material. It does not matter if they contain a small amount of Lycra, but the main ingredient must be cotton.
✘ Socks with too bright colors
Bright-colored clothing, in the process of dyeing and washing, it is possible to use substances containing formaldehyde.
The darker the color, the lower the safety factor. The baby’s nose and mouth are very close to the feet, and some babies will even eat their feet.
Suggestion: Baby’s socks should be given priority to choose primary colors or light colors.
How to choose the right socks for the baby?
Pure cotton socks are soft, breathable and sweat-absorbent, and are most suitable for babies to wear. Moms can check the material description of the socks, please look for socks with 100% or more than 90% cotton. Even in winter, cotton socks are still the first choice.
On the label of the socks, the ingredients indicate that they contain 95% cotton, and the baby’s socks must be at least 90% cotton. (Socks only contain about 30% cotton, not recommended for mothers to buy)
Should my baby wear socks in winter?
Generally speaking, babies don’t need to wear socks to sleep in winter.
Because babies have a strong metabolism, their body temperature is higher than that of adults, and they are especially prone to sweating. If parents blindly put on thick socks for the baby, the baby will have problems such as kicking the quilt, rubbing the socks, and disturbing sleep quality due to heat or discomfort.
Moreover, the baby’s little feet are wrapped in sweaty socks for a long time, which is very easy to breed bacteria and induce foot diseases.
If the indoor temperature is right, even if the baby sleeps barefoot, it will not easily catch a cold.
And bare feet are conducive to the return of venous blood, promote blood circulation throughout the body, speed up the body’s metabolism, improve the baby’s resistance and cold tolerance, and enhance the baby’s physical fitness~
However, nothing is absolute, and the same applies to the issue of wearing socks. It is suggested that parents should decide whether or not to wear socks for the baby according to the specific situation and the baby’s own needs.
So… the baby must wear socks in these situations!
1. When the baby is just born
The body temperature regulation function of newborns and premature babies is not fully developed. In addition, the body surface temperature is easily dissipated due to insufficient heat production. Therefore, the baby should wear socks to keep the baby warm.
2. When the indoor temperature is below 22 degrees
Whether or not to wear socks for your baby depends on the temperature. If the indoor temperature is below 22 degrees or even lower, it is best to wear socks to keep your baby warm.
However, if the indoor temperature is above 22 to 25 degrees, and the baby’s neck and back are warm, dry and sweat-free, there is really no need to superfluously wear socks for the baby.
Three, when in outdoor activities
If you take your baby out for a stroll or play, it is recommended to put on socks and shoes for your baby, because this is not only for keeping warm, but also to prevent the baby’s feet from being hurt by dust, bacteria, stones, etc.
4. When the floor at home is cold
If the floor of the home is tiled, even if the air conditioner is turned on, the floor may be very cool.
Especially for babies who like to crawl and walk around in the house with bare feet, it is best for parents to put on socks to keep them out of the cold. Of course, there is floor heating at home, and you don’t need to wear socks if you bake tiles and wooden floors warmly.
Baby wear socks—TIPS
● New socks cannot be worn directly
The newly bought socks should be turned over and cut off all the thread inside to prevent the thread from wrapping around the toes and causing ischemia or even necrosis
● Look at the front toe and heel before buying socks
If the joint of the toe part of the socks is not well sewn, it will be easy to wear. The baby is very mobile, so you should choose socks that have a good heel. Very heel-to-foot and comfortable.
If you find that the socks have lost their elasticity, the heels have become thin, there are holes, and there are obvious strangulations on the feet, they should be thrown away in time~