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Navigating life at work and at home amidst loadshedding has disrupted daily routines and caused inconvenience for everyone, particularly for families with infants or young children as the winter chills set in.
Govender proposes practical tips and ideas for parents to ensure their baby’s comfort during load shedding.
Investing in battery-powered lights or rechargeable solar lights can turn load shedding from a major disruption to a temporary inconvenience, ensuring your baby doesn't wake up to darkness during power outages.
Lighting provides a comforting glow and maintains a sense of familiarity, as well as providing a well-lit environment for changing and feeding, contributing to parents’ peace of mind and your baby's comfort.
Keeping in touch in case of an emergency is important when you have a little one, and power banks are important as back up for charging mobile phones. For parents who use baby monitors, battery-powered alternatives are available to help you keep an eye on your little one even when the power is out.
Milk and Food Safety
The sterility of milk bottles and food containers cannot be overemphasised.
As the stages of loadshedding increase when the grid is overloaded, a quick, easy sterilising machine is worth considering, which steams and sterilises bottles in minutes and keeps them sterile for 24 hours with the lid on.
Make use of flasks to store hot water for milk as well as food preparations. Insulated bottle warmers help keep water warm when there’s no hot water or kettle.
Familiarise yourself with food safety guidelines and the life span for different food items. This will help you determine the safety of perishable items during power outages. Prepare and freeze individual portions of food in advance.
Use small food storage containers to freeze purees or soft foods like mashed fruits and vegetables. During load shedding, these frozen portions can be thawed as needed and consumed within the safe period.
Feeding and baby essentials:
Keep supplies of essential baby items such as diapers, formula, wipes, and medication. It’s also good to have a manual or battery-powered breast pump on hand if you are breastfeeding or breastfeeding warmers.
Having these supplies readily available means you won’t have to worry about running out of milk during loadshedding.
Quality Sleepwear
During this cold weather, when heating is challenging because of power constraints, layer your baby’s clothing and dress them in rompers to ensure they are warm. Sleep bags also help little ones regulate their temperature when sleeping, making them less likely to be disturbed by being too hot or cold.
Breathable, all-natural fibre fabrics are more comfortable. Ensure you also get warm blankets for additional warmth.
For newborns, swaddling is great for keeping them warm and recreates the familiar deep pressure of the womb, which helps to calm and relax the baby and prepare them for sleep.
Soothe and comfort your baby:
Battery-operated nebulisers are a reliable solution during load shedding. They provide uninterrupted respiratory treatment for babies who rely on nebuliser therapy.
Using a battery-powered nebuliser ensures continuous access to necessary medications and maintains respiratory health, even during electricity disruptions.
Babies can sense your stress and anxiety, so it’s important to remain calm during power outages. Comfort your baby with gentle words, soothing touch, and familiar objects like their favorite blanket or toy. Your calm presence will help them feel secure.
Parents can also use soothers that glow in the dark for easy location when the baby is fussy at night.
ISSUED BY GILLIAN GAMSY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS ON BEHALF OF DIS-CHEM BABY CITY
