Warmer for a newborn from colic: which one to choose

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

The problem of colic is very acute in newborns, especially in boys. Due to the immaturity of the intestines, babies in the first months of life often experience severe pain in the tummy area. At the same time, mothers are looking for all possible ways to alleviate the condition of the crumbs. Well in this situation, a heating pad for a newborn from colic helps.

It is not always necessary to immediately resort to modern medications - they do not always live up to expectations. It is worth remembering the experience of grandmothers, who in such situations applied a warm heating pad to a sick tummy.

Varieties of heating pads and their principle of action

The principle of operation of such devices is quite simple - when the body is heated, the vessels of the organ expand, blood flow arises, which helps to cope with pain - the discomfort disappears. In addition, a warmer for a newborn from colic will help to rock the baby faster, even if the baby has not encountered this problem.

If our grandmothers had a rather limited choice - they applied either a warm ironed diaper or a rubber heating pad itself, then the modern baby products industry offers a wide range of heating pads for newborns. These products will appeal to both functionality and aesthetics.

In addition to rubber, warmers for newborns are:

• with filler (usually with cherry pits);
• gel;
• electrical;
• saline.

Each type has its own connoisseurs and advantages. Judging by the answers on the forums, mothers prefer either rubber products or heating pads with a filler, which are made in the form of a soft toy.

Advantages and disadvantages of a rubber heating pad

The old, proven by generations, rubber heating pad has advantages:

1. it is soft - it can deform to the shape of the body;
2. it is reliable - it has a tight cover;
3. and most importantly, it retains heat well;

There are also disadvantages:

• over time, it cracks, hot water can leak out of it onto the baby;
• there is a high probability of not calculating the required temperature.

In addition, standard rubber heating pads have a fairly large volume and weight, so you cannot put it on top of the baby's tummy, unlike other types. And its area is equal to the entire body of a baby, and with full contact with it, the risk of overheating increases several times.

It is important to remember that a heating pad, like everything warm, can be applied to the body only when you are sure that the source of pain is colic. If there is the slightest doubt about this, it is better to consult a pediatrician so as not to provoke a deterioration in the condition.

All subsequent models of heating pads are just a modification of the rubber one.

Cherry Pitted Baby Warmer

1. This is one of the most aesthetically pleasing types of heating pads.
2. Manufacturers disguised the practical device as a soft children's toy or pillow.
3. It is made of fabric, often natural (linen or cotton), for which mothers love it so much.
4. Inside contains a filler - cherry pits - also an environmentally friendly product.

The rules for using a cherry pitted warmer for a newborn are simple:

• The pillow is placed directly in the microwave for a few minutes, where the cherry pits reach the required temperature.
• Further, such a device will be able to warm the baby's tummy up to 2-3 hours.

It is worth noting the fact that cherry pits in the fabric develop fine motor skills of the baby's hands, he will gladly play with such a heating pad and it will not be lost without doing anything.

The disadvantage that many mothers emphasize on the forums is the fragility of warmer toys for newborns. The fact is that not all manufacturers have provided a fastener on the product, with which you can remove the filler, and the cover itself can be washed. Washing the cherry pits together with the cloth threatens to prevent the filler from drying out and mold to form in it.

But since such a heating pad can be sewn on your own, and cherry pits are quite available in the summer, you should provide a removable cover with an interesting print or applique. When making with your own hands, you need to make sure that the filler is completely dry.

Electric Colic Warmer: Precautions

1. To get rid of colic, such a device must be used extremely carefully, the level of its temperature must be checked every minute. It is very easy to overheat a baby, and the consequences can be dire. Constant maintenance of the temperature regime due to the connection to the network makes the device indispensable for heating the crib or playpen in which the baby will lie.
2. The main disadvantage of an electric heating pad is its dependence on an outlet - you cannot take it for a walk, and you cannot walk around the room with a baby in your arms. Therefore, judging by the reviews of mothers, such a device for getting rid of newborn colic is used less and less.

Salt heating pad for newborns

• This is the most interesting instance from the point of view of the mechanism of operation. It is a heating pad, sealed plastic, inside of which there is a safe saline solution.
• A certain "button" floats inside this liquid - a catalyst of action.
• When you click on it, a chemical reaction occurs.
• The salt heats up and gradually crystallizes.

Advantages:

1. The biggest advantage of a salt heating pad is that it reaches a temperature of no more than 54 degrees. This is a safe mode in which the baby is not threatened with overheating or burns (which cannot be said about other types of this device).
2. In addition, the heating pad will maintain this optimal temperature for up to 4 hours. You can take it with you on any trip or for a walk and turn it on at the right time, which cannot be said, for example, about a product with cherry pits.
3. After the heating pad has completely crystallized, it must be boiled in water for about 10 minutes to bring it back into working condition.

Disadvantages:

• The main disadvantage of a saline heating pad for newborns from colic is that by taking it "unsuccessfully" in order to move it from place to place, you can inadvertently start the heating mechanism, and again you will need to boil it.
• This device is not used as a toy.
• Mothers need to make sure that the sealed edge does not hurt the baby's delicate skin upon contact. Therefore, all heating pads, and especially this type, are advised to be wrapped with a soft cloth or diaper.

Colic gel warmer for newborns

The peat gel used in these baby heating pads is an environmentally friendly filling material. For the top, manufacturers usually choose cotton materials. Sometimes, together with the gel, you can find its combination with other materials:

1. cherry pit;
2. cereals;
3. the most interesting combination is herbs.

Lavender or chamomile helps to relax the newborn, his mood for sleep. But you need to be careful with herbs - not all babies will equally like one or another scent. Lavender has a fairly intense scent and can cause overexcitation in some cases. Gel warmers are also often disguised as fun toys.

Therefore, when choosing a heating pad for colic in newborns, the main principle must be taken into account - safety. The tightness of the packaging should be checked at the stage of purchase, which is best done in a pharmacy, and at home you need to monitor the temperature itself, preventing the baby from overheating.

And most importantly, if the heating pad does not help in the fight against colic and the baby cries all the time, you need to stop using it and consult a pediatrician.