Safety first:

When it comes to keeping a baby warm in the winter, parents may be tempted to use heaters, lots of blankets and hot water bottles – but most experts warn against these items for safety reasons.

A baby cannot escape from a bed or cot to cool down and does not know how to remove excess clothing if she’s too hot, increasing their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (Sids).

Rather keep baby warm in a sleep sack, properly fitted for your child’s size, and without a hood. Some are even modifiable so they can safely grow as your baby does, says sleep consultant Petro Thamm.

Baby sleep sacks come in different “tog ratings” based on thickness – the higher the tog, the warmer the bag. Since South Africa’s climate is relatively moderate, a 2 or a 2.5 tog rating is generally sufficient for all seasons.

While heaters can initially help warm a room they should never be left unattended during the night or a nap as they could cause a fire. And don’t use electric blankets, hot water bottles or wheat bags for babies. Ever.