Hardening up to 1 year. Hardening - water procedures for children of the first year of life. Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect

When a child is born, it enters a new environment. Nature endowed the baby with many different adaptive and protective mechanisms so that he could survive and begin to develop in this environment. So, for example, a child has thermoregulation mechanisms that prevent overheating and hypothermia. By wrapping up a child, creating greenhouse conditions for him, we "deprive" these mechanisms of work. Having become unnecessary, they can gradually atrophy, and then even a light breeze will pose a threat to the child - a defenseless baby can easily get sick.

The body's endurance and its resistance to changing environmental conditions increase under the influence of hardening - with air, water, scattered sunlight: the child's immunity to various diseases increases, the mechanisms of thermoregulation improve; hardening promotes proper metabolism, has a positive effect on physical development child, on the adaptation of his body to new conditions of life. Hardening is the leading method of increasing the resistance of the child's body.

However, to obtain a positive effect from hardening, it is necessary to observe a number of general rules:

1. The systematic use of hardening procedures in all seasons without interruption.

Breaks in hardening lead to a weakening of the adaptive mechanisms that are formed under the influence of hardening procedures. Even in adults, after 3-4 weeks after the termination of hardening procedures, the developed resistance to cold is sharply weakened. In children in the 1st year of life, the effect of adaptation disappears in an even shorter time - after 5-7 days. As the conditions associated with the seasons change, the procedures must be varied without completely abolishing them. For example, a summer shower in winter can be replaced by dousing your feet.

Ensure systematic hardening procedures during all year round it is possible only if they are firmly included in the child's daily routine and are combined with the usual activities held at different times of the day (washing, walking, sleeping, playing, hygienic bath, etc.).

2. Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect

Hardening is based on the ability of the body to gradually adapt to unusual conditions. Resistance to low temperatures must be brought up consistently, but continuously. The transition from weaker hardening procedures to stronger ones (by lowering the temperature of air, water and increasing the duration of the procedure) must be carried out gradually. This is especially important for children early age and weakened children (premature, suffering from malnutrition, rickets, exudative diathesis or other allergic diseases).

3. Taking into account the age and individual characteristics of the child

4. Carrying out hardening procedures against the background of a positive mood of the child

Any hardening event should be carried out after creating a child good mood. Crying, the appearance of a feeling of anxiety or fear of hardening procedures should not be allowed. If by the time the procedure is performed, the child is upset with something, crying, it is better to postpone the procedure for another time or completely cancel it: it will no longer be possible to obtain a positive effect from this procedure.

5. Compliance with the temperature regime of the skin

During hardening, be sure to check the condition of the child's skin: the procedure can be carried out only if his nose and limbs are warm. If the child is chilled and already has vasoconstriction, it will not be possible to develop a positive reaction to hardening, only the opposite effect can be obtained. Overheating is also harmful: it increases the moisture content of the skin, which changes its thermal conductivity, as a result of which even moderate exposure to cool water or air can lead to significant hypothermia of the child's body.

air hardening

I way- ventilation of the room. Air hardening begins with this. The best way ventilation - through, it can be arranged in the absence of a child. The hardening factor when airing the room is to lower the temperature by 1-20 C. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes. In summer, the window should be open, the optimum air temperature in the room where infant, - +20-22 C. Studies have shown that with more high temperature indoors, the growth and development of the child is delayed.

II method- a walk, including a dream in the air. It is advisable to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In the summer outside the city, it is advisable to take food, sleep, gymnastics, and games into the fresh air. It is useful to walk at any time of the year, just do not forget that you need to dress according to the weather. Don't wrap the baby! Children from 2-3 weeks of age in the cold season at an air temperature not lower than -5 ° C should be taken out into the street. The duration of the first procedure is 10 minutes, in the future, the walking time should be increased to 1.5-2 hours and walking twice a day. In the warm season, walks with a child should be daily, 2-3 times a day, between feedings for 2-2.5 hours.

In the first 1.5 years of a child's life, it is recommended daytime sleep on air. At the same time, fast falling asleep, restful sleep, even breathing, pink color faces, lack of sweat, warm extremities upon awakening indicate that the child is dressed correctly, that is, is in a state of thermal comfort. When cooling or overheating, the child sleeps restlessly. Blueness of the face, cold nose, cold extremities are indicators of sudden cooling. Sweaty forehead and damp skin indicate that the child is hot.

III way- air baths. Under the influence of air baths, the absorption of oxygen increases, the conditions of heat exchange change significantly, the state of nervous system child - he becomes calmer, eats and sleeps better.

During the second half of the year - 2 times a day for 15 minutes, daily increasing the duration of the bath by 2 minutes.

During and after the air bath, the child should look cheerful, he should be in a good mood. Make sure that the children do not cry at this time and have the opportunity to move. Watch for signs of hypothermia: when goosebumps appear, you need to dress the child, stop holding an air bath, and further reduce its duration. It is always necessary to pay attention to the sleep and appetite of the child: their violation may be a sign of the adverse effects of the air bath.

IN summer period air baths can be combined with solar.

Hardening by sunlight

It must be remembered that the sun's rays are a potent remedy. Young children are not shown to be in direct sunlight, as well as sunbathing. Hardening should begin in diffused sunlight. The child is better off in the so-called "lace shade". At first, he should be dressed in a light-colored shirt at an air temperature of + 22-24 ° C. In the middle of wakefulness, the child should be undressed and left naked for several minutes, gradually increasing the hardening time to 10 minutes. On the head of the baby you need to put on a panama. It is useful that at this time he moves freely in the arena, on the playground, playing with toys.

In a good general condition, if the child tolerates well being in the lacy shade of trees, you can also expose him to direct sunlight, first for half a minute, and then gradually increase the time spent in the sun to 5 minutes. It is necessary to perform this procedure in the morning (before 10-11 o'clock) or in the evening (after 17). It is necessary to ensure that the child does not overheat. With reddening of the face, the appearance of irritability, excitability, it is necessary to take him out of the lacy shade of trees or from under the direct rays of the sun into the shade and give him cool boiled water to drink. If the child is weakened by diseases, hardening by sunlight should be carried out very carefully, under the supervision of an adult who is constantly nearby, it is also necessary to periodically consult with the attending physician or exercise therapy doctor, who allow and dose the procedure.

water hardening

One of the most effective natural remedies hardening is water. People who are not too familiar with hardening methods are often struck by the fact that washing and showering, which we have been accustomed to since childhood, can serve not only hygienic, but also healing purposes, but this is exactly the case. With the proper organization of water procedures, properly selected temperature conditions, a gradual increase in the time of exposure to cool water, the usual performance of uncomplicated actions of the morning and evening toilet can have an unexpectedly strong healing effect.

Tempering procedures are extremely useful for children of the first year of life, but with two reservations. Firstly, there can be no talk of any hardening until the end of the adaptation period. postpartum period(i.e. up to 1 month), when the child's body, which has experienced significant stress in the transition from intrauterine existence to life in the outside world, adapts to new conditions for him. Secondly, before starting to carry out hardening procedures with your child, you must always consult a doctor.

For children of the first year of life, water hardening procedures can be local (washing, rubbing) and general (hygienic baths, wiping and dousing, and sometimes showering). At the same time, for hardening, you can use both daily hygiene procedures - washing hands before eating, washing feet before going to bed, regular bathing, and various games with water. The effect of water hardening is based on a gradual decrease in water temperature and an increase in the procedure time.

You can start hardening with the usual washing of the child. The initial temperature of the water should be close to the temperature of the skin of the exposed parts of the child's body - approximately + 28-26 ° C.

The next step in hardening with water should be rubbing. You can start with water at a temperature of + 34 ° C and gradually (by 0.5-1 ° per day) reduce the temperature to + 26-23 ° C within 10-15 days.

Wiping is performed as follows: with a terry cloth mitten moistened in water or a terry towel folded several times, the child is wiped with quick movements: the first week - only the upper half of the body, and after a week - the whole body. The directions of movement during rubbing should be as follows: the child’s hands should be wiped from the fingers to the shoulders, the chest in a circular motion clockwise, back - from the middle of the spine to the sides, legs - from the feet up to the pelvis, stomach clockwise, buttocks - without pushing them apart. Each movement is repeated 2-4 times.

Along with rubbing with ordinary cool water, wiping with a solution is useful. sea salt(1 teaspoon per 1 glass of water).

The hardening method proposed by Swedish doctors has proven itself well: a terry towel is moistened with “sea water” (1 tablespoon of sea salt per 1 liter of water, water temperature + 22 ° C) and the child (starting from 6 months) is lowered after sleep by 2-3 seconds on a towel; the child "jumps", "dances". Without wiping their feet, they move on to other elements of the toilet. After 2 weeks, if the child feels well, you can increase the load: the child is lowered for 2-3 seconds on a damp towel, which is first placed in plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator.

After a wet wiping, it is necessary to rub the child's skin until it turns pink and dress him.

Attention: those areas of the skin that are subjected to rubbing and subsequent rubbing must be absolutely healthy - if the skin has diaper rash, any rashes, etc., this procedure should be postponed.

After 2-4 weeks of systematic rubdowns, you can proceed to dousing with water (it is better to discuss the temperature regime with your doctor). It is necessary to start pouring from the legs, then the buttocks are attached to them, then the chest and stomach, and end with pouring the left and right shoulder. This procedure can be started from 9-12 months (and even earlier in more hardened children).

Of the local douches, dousing the legs is recommended first of all. Such procedures have not only local, but also a general effect on the body, and this is due, in particular, to the fact that cooling the feet is one of the possible ways to stimulate the activity of the adrenal glands, which play important role in the adaptation of the body to adverse conditions and in the functioning of the human immune system. The hardening effect of this procedure can be due either to a gradual (by 1 ° per day) decrease in temperature, or to the use of contrast douche. In the latter case, the feet are first doused with warm water (+36°C), then cold (+24-20°C), and finally warm again (+36°C). This method is recommended for children who are often ill or suffering from allergic reactions, since they have a tendency to spasm of capillaries (small vessels).

Foot baths (“trampling” in water) are very useful. You can start them from a temperature of + 35 ° C. This procedure is carried out as follows: water is poured into the bath slightly above the level of the ankles. The child must walk through the water (with or without your help) 5-6 times. Then water is poured 2-3°C colder. After the bath, wipe the child's feet and put him to bed (feet can not be wiped).

Attention: do not pour cold water on the feet or “trampling” in water if the child has cold feet! The temperature of the skin of the feet should be several degrees higher than the temperature of the water.

This hardening option is also possible: general dousing with cool (+ 28-22 ° C) water after a hygienic bath.

A potent hardening agent is a shower, as a rule, they resort to it when the child is already one and a half years old, however, the exercise therapy doctor may prescribe it earlier for any reason (often a shower is prescribed for lethargic children, especially with poor appetite).

And in conclusion - water hardening does not cancel other types of hardening (air, sun) - airing, walking, sleeping in the air should be carried out regardless of water hardening procedures.

Hardening is the leading method of increasing the resistance of the child's body. When a child is born, it enters a new environment. Nature endowed the baby with many different adaptive and protective mechanisms so that he could survive and begin to develop in this environment. So, for example, a child has thermoregulation mechanisms that prevent overheating and hypothermia. By wrapping up a child, creating hothouse conditions for him, we "deprive" these mechanisms of work.

To obtain a positive effect from hardening, it is necessary to observe some general rules:
1. The systematic use of hardening procedures in all seasons without interruption
2. Interruptions in hardening lead to a weakening of the adaptive mechanisms that are formed under the influence of hardening procedures. Even in adults, after 3-4 weeks after the termination of hardening procedures, the developed resistance to cold is sharply weakened. In children in the 1st year of life, the effect of adaptation disappears in an even shorter time - after 5-7 days. As the conditions associated with the seasons change, the procedures must be varied without completely abolishing them. For example, a summer shower in winter can be replaced by dousing your feet.
3. It is possible to ensure systematic hardening procedures throughout the year only if they are firmly included in the child’s daily routine and are combined with the usual activities held at different times of the day (washing, walking, sleeping, playing, hygienic bath, etc. d.).
4. Gradual increase in the strength of the irritating effect
Hardening is based on the ability of the body to gradually adapt to unusual conditions. Resistance to low temperatures must be brought up consistently, but continuously. The transition from weaker hardening procedures to stronger ones (by lowering the temperature of air, water and increasing the duration of the procedure) must be carried out gradually. This is especially important for young children and debilitated children (premature, malnourished, rickets, exudative diathesis or other allergic diseases).

Sunbathing hardening
The sun and air in combination with swimming have a beneficial effect on the body.
However, in order to ensure the maximum healing effect and not cause harm, it is necessary to follow the rule of using solar radiation in the summer - it should be used carefully.

In pursuit of a tan, you can damage your health, because the healing effect of solar radiation appears at doses that are not
cause intense skin pigmentation. Improper use of the sun can lead to overheating of the body (heat stroke) and sunburn on the skin. The first signs are dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath.
The human body is affected not only by direct solar radiation, but also diffused, so sunbathing can be taken in the shade.

Morning hours are favorable for solar procedures:
in the south until 11 o'clock,
in the middle lane up to 12 hours,
you need to take them 1.5 hours after eating,
After sunbathing, dousing with cool water (+ 16-18 ° C), and then good rubbing is useful.

Therapeutic effect:
cause positive changes in the nervous, respiratory systems, musculoskeletal system;
improve metabolism;
increase the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood;
improve the composition of the lymph;
have a beneficial effect on the activity of the digestive system and the function of the pancreas;
increase the overall tone of the body, its resistance to infections;
have an anti-rachitic effect (under the influence of sunlight, vitamin D is formed in the body, which is necessary for the normal development of the skeletal system).

With any hardening measures, it is necessary to take into account the age and state of health of the child and the individual characteristics of his body. With age, the load should be gradually increased. The weaker the child, the more carefully one should approach the hardening procedures, but it is necessary to harden it! If the child does get sick, consult a doctor if it is possible to continue at least some procedures with a reduced impact force; if this cannot be done, you will have to start all over again after recovery.
Carrying out hardening procedures against the background of a positive mood of the child.
Any hardening event should be carried out after creating a good mood for the child. Crying, the appearance of a feeling of anxiety or fear of hardening procedures should not be allowed. If by the time
the procedure, the child is upset with something, cries, it is better to postpone the procedure for another time or completely cancel it: it will no longer be possible to obtain a positive effect from this procedure.

During hardening, be sure to check the condition of the child's skin:
the procedure can be carried out only if the nose and limbs are warm. If the child is chilled and already has vasoconstriction, it will not be possible to develop a positive reaction to hardening, only the opposite effect can be obtained. Overheating is also harmful: it increases the moisture content of the skin, which changes its thermal conductivity, as a result of which even moderate exposure to cool water or air can lead to significant hypothermia of the child's body.

air hardening
I way- ventilation of the room. Air hardening begins with this. The best way to ventilate is through, it can be arranged in the absence of a child. The hardening factor in airing the room is to lower the temperature by 1-2 ° C. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to ventilate the room 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes. In summer, the window should be open, the optimum air temperature in the room where the baby is located is + 20-22 ° C. Studies have shown that at a higher temperature in the room, the growth and development of the child is delayed.

II method- a walk, including a dream in the air. It is advisable to spend as much time as possible outdoors. In the summer outside the city, it is advisable to take food, sleep, gymnastics, and games into the fresh air. It is useful to walk at any time of the year, just do not forget that you need to dress according to the weather. Don't wrap the baby! Children from 2-3 weeks of age in the cold season at an air temperature not lower than -5 ° C should be taken out into the street.
The duration of the first procedure is 10 minutes, in the future, the walking time should be increased to 1.5-2 hours and walking twice a day. In the warm season, walks with a child should be daily, 2-3 times a day, between feedings for 2-2.5 hours.

III way- air baths. Under the influence of air baths, oxygen absorption increases, heat exchange conditions change significantly, the state of the child's nervous system improves - he becomes calmer, eats and sleeps better.

For children of the 1st year of life, air baths begin with swaddling. It is useful to leave the child undressed for a while with each swaddling and changing clothes. It is necessary to undress and dress the child slowly. The air temperature during the air bath should gradually decrease to + 18-20 ° C. The time of air baths should be gradually increased, and from the age of one month the air bath should be combined with massage and gymnastics.
During the first six months of life, it is recommended to carry out air baths for 10 minutes 2 times a day. You need to start with 3 minutes, adding 1 minute daily. During the second half of the year - 2 times a day for 15 minutes, daily increasing the duration of the bath by 2 minutes.
During and after the air bath, the child should look cheerful, he should be in a good mood.

water hardening
Experience shows that a one-year-old baby who can swim is real. First, children learn to swim underwater, then little by little they begin to float on the surface. Hence the conclusion: in order to teach a child to swim, he must first be taught to dive.

A word to supporters of early sailing. Here are their arguments:
1. Swimming improves health, and the ability to hold your breath underwater
develops lungs.
2. Early swimming is a guarantee that the child will not be afraid of water and will not
sink if accidentally dropped into water. Statistics show that
children drown (many children!) every year, and 78 percent of the time they
choke in shallow water bodies and even ordinary puddles, not being able to
hold breath.
3. After swimming, children sleep soundly. Swim with your baby and sleep at night
calmly!
4. Diving - good way rinse the nose and treat a runny nose.
5. Swimming with parents in the pool is a great vacation for the whole family. The baby is immersed in water immediately. If the mother talks to him and explains what is happening, the baby feels more confident. Of course, he won’t understand the words, but his mother’s friendly intonations will certainly reach him.
Some babies like to swim on their tummy, others on their back. Start the procedure with what the baby likes best.

Tempering newborns is an effective, efficient, time-tested way to strengthen the health and immunity of a small person. The high adaptability of infants allows you to start the hardening process from the first days.

The mechanisms of adaptation in newborns are very developed, in other words, the baby is born hardened. Creating greenhouse conditions - constant ambient temperature, sterile food, lack of air movement - disables innate adaptation as unnecessary, and after a month the baby begins to sneeze from the slightest draft. It is only necessary to support the natural data of the baby, creating a contrast of temperatures and the presence of positive contact with nature, that is, to carry out hardening procedures and walk with the child in any weather.

The essence of hardening and expected results

The hardening process consists in a constant dosed change in environmental conditions. Natural natural factors are the best helpers in hardening. The process can be carried out everywhere during dressing, bathing, sleeping, gymnastics. It is not necessary to set aside a special time for hardening. All procedures should naturally fit into the daily routine.

hardening together with exercise, which is carried out regularly, leads to amazing results. The work of the body is activated, while improving:

disease resistance;
adaptive mechanisms;
circulation;
metabolism;
psycho-emotional state;
appetite.

Regular hardening will be an excellent prevention from colds. A hardened baby develops faster. He begins to sit down, crawl, walk and talk earlier than his peers.

Important hardening rules

Before starting hardening, you should contact your pediatrician for advice. He must examine the baby to make sure there are no contraindications.

Hardening should not be started if the child has:

respiratory disease;
decompensated heart disease;
lowered hemoglobin ();
increased temperature;
increased nervous excitability;
severe exhaustion;
there is a violation of the gastrointestinal tract;
sleep disturbed.

To achieve the effectiveness of hardening, the following rules must be strictly observed:

Regularity. The procedures are carried out systematically, without interruptions for a single day.
gradualism. The temperature of the hardening medium (air or water) should change gradually, in small steps. A sharp drop to heat or cold will lead to psychological stress for the child, and even to illness.
Individuality. The reaction of the baby to the procedure should be carefully observed. With strong signs of discontent, inadequate reaction, hardening should be stopped. In order to avoid crying and discontent, it is necessary to distract the child with toys, songs, your smile and affection.
Cohesion. Hardening procedures should be carried out by the whole family. Pouring with the baby, you can not only set a good example for him, but also strengthen your body. Joint action also leads to the strengthening of family ties.

Moms take note!

Hello girls! After giving birth, she gained 11 kilograms and could not get rid of them. I tried to limit myself in food, but diets did not bring special results. I had to look for another solution. And I found it: (-15kg) I hope the information will be useful for you!

hardening methods

Among themselves, the hardening methods differ in the type of environment, the temperature of which changes.

air hardening

walks. They begin if the temperature outside is not less than 10 C. The first walk outside should last 15 minutes. Then the time spent on the street doubles each time. IN end result time the child walks about 2 hours a day.
Air baths. The baby is left naked at room temperature (22 C). Start with 30-40 seconds and increase gradually by 30 seconds per week. A child can receive air baths during gymnastics, feeding, massage, changing clothes, before and after bathing.
Sleep in nature is stronger and healthier. The child must be dressed in such a way that he does not feel discomfort. (Related article:)

water hardening

Begin the process of hardening with water from washing. For babies up to three months, the water temperature is 28 C, from three months to six months - 25-26 C, from six to twelve months - 20-24 C. The water temperature is reduced every two to three days by one degree.
Rubbing is the next step. They begin after six months with dry rubdowns with a soft flannel mitten. Wipe in the following order: arms, legs, back, chest and stomach until slight redness. After 7-10 days, wet rubdowns with water at a temperature of 35 C begin. The temperature is brought to 30 C, gradually reducing it.
First douches the baby is carried out from birth after bathing, while cool water should be poured onto warm skin. Water is taken at a temperature of 26 C. Having taken it out of the bath, they hold the baby on their arm with their backs up. Dousing starts from the heels, moving along the spine to the back of the head. The water temperature is reduced every five days by one degree. The lower limit is 18 C, although for some it may be lower.
Swimming for a newborn"habitual way of transportation" - for nine months he was constantly in the aquatic environment. Up to three months, the child's swimming reflexes have not yet died out, and teaching him to swim is quite simple. When bathing, simply support the baby under the head to allow him to move freely. After six months, you can continue learning to swim in the pool.

hardening by the sun

Sunbathing is essential for newborns. After all, only in the light in the body is the production of vitamin D, which is necessary for bone growth. The duration of sunbathing and their temperature as in air. One "BUT" - you should not take out the baby in direct sunlight.

Contrasting and intense hardening methods

Intensive hardening methods should be used with caution and only when the child's adaptive reflexes are already fixed. These methods are based on a short-term sharp change in temperature: dousing with ice water, dipping into an ice hole, walking in the snow. Do not engage in intensive hardening if the baby has chronic diseases.

Contrast hardening methods are based on rapid and abrupt temperature changes. These include contrasts:

rubdown;
foot baths;
bath and sauna.

The temperature difference during the first contrast procedure should be 4 C (40 and 36 C, respectively). After five days, the lower limit is lowered by one unit and the amplitude is adjusted to 23-26 C. It is necessary to alternate water 5-6 times per procedure with an interval of 20 seconds. Hot water should be the last.

Tempering infants is not just air baths and dousing with water. This is a natural way of life that should be the norm. Physical activity, proper and healthy nutrition, daily routine, sports and walks, tempering procedures. Everything for the newborn to grow up healthy and happy.

Hardening Komarovsky

1 to 3 months

* The air temperature in the child's room is 23ºС. Airing - 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes.

* Mandatory sleep in the air at an air temperature of -5 to 30ºС. The duration of sleep is gradually increased from 10 minutes to 2.5 hours.

* Air baths during swaddling and massage from 2-3 to 5-6 minutes. Air temperature from 22 to 18ºС.

* Washing. The water temperature is gradually reduced from 28 to 20ºС.

* Shared bath (water temperature 36-37ºС) lasting 5-6 minutes, followed by dousing with water at a temperature of 34-36ºС daily.

* Wet wiping with a mitten moistened with water (33-35ºС). Wipe for 2 minutes the handles from the hand to the shoulder and the legs from the foot to the knee. Every 2-3 days, reduce the water temperature by 1ºС and bring it up to 28ºС. Wipe each part of the body dry until slight redness immediately after a wet wipe!

3 to 6 months

The air temperature in the child's room is 20-22ºС. Ventilate 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes.
Mandatory sleep in the air at a temperature of -10 to 30ºС. The duration of sleep is about three hours.
Air baths during dressing, massage and gymnastics from 6-8 to 15 minutes.
Washing. The water temperature is 23-20ºС.
Wet wiping with a mitten moistened with water (33-30ºС). Wipe the whole arms and legs, then the chest and back. Every 2-3 days, reduce the water temperature by 1ºС and bring it up to 26ºС. Wipe each part of the body dry until slight redness immediately after a wet wipe.
General bath (water temperature 35-37ºС) lasting 5-10 minutes, followed by dousing with water (33-35ºС) daily.
In summer, stay under the scattered rays of the sun 2-3 times a day for 5-7 minutes.

6 months to 1 year

* The air temperature in the child's room is 18-20ºС. Ventilate 4-5 times a day for 10-15 minutes.

* Mandatory sleep (or walks) in the air at a temperature of -12 to 30ºС. Duration is about three to four hours.

* Air baths during dressing, massage, gymnastics and in separate periods of wakefulness up to 10-12 minutes.

* Washing. The water temperature is 22-20ºС.

* General douche. The child can stand or sit. First pour over the back, then the chest, stomach and, last but not least, the arms. The water temperature should initially be 35-37ºС. Then, every five days, reduce it by 1ºС and bring it up to 28ºС. After dousing the baby, rub dry until slight redness.

* Shared bath (water temperature 35-36ºС) for 5-10 minutes followed by dousing with water (32-34ºС) daily.

* In summer, stay under the scattered rays of the sun 2-3 times a day for 8-10 minutes.

If you regularly carry out at least some of the above procedures, this will already significantly improve the health of your baby. But do not expect miracles: all hardening programs are designed for a long time and you will not see the first results earlier than in six months. Your baby will be less prone to disease.

Good luck to you and, most importantly in this case, patience!

Shipulina E. V. infant swimming instructor, pediatrician

Hardening is the leading method of increasing the resistance of the child's body. When a child is born, it enters a new environment. Nature endowed the baby with many different adaptive and protective mechanisms so that he could survive and begin to develop in this environment.

So, for example, a child has thermoregulation mechanisms that prevent overheating and hypothermia. By wrapping up a child, creating greenhouse conditions for him, we "deprive" these mechanisms of work.

A word to supporters of early sailing. Here are their arguments:
1. Swimming improves health, and the ability to hold your breath underwater
develops lungs.
2. Early swimming is a guarantee that the child will not be afraid of water and will not
sink if accidentally dropped into water. Statistics show that
children drown (many children!) every year, and 78 percent of the time they
choke in shallow water bodies and even ordinary puddles, not being able to
hold breath.
3. After swimming, children sleep soundly. Swim with your baby and sleep at night
calmly!
4. Diving is a good way to wash your nose and treat a runny nose.
5. Swimming with parents in the pool is a great vacation for the whole family. The baby is immersed in water immediately. If the mother talks to him and explains what is happening, the baby feels more confident. Of course, he won’t understand the words, but his mother’s friendly intonations will certainly reach him.
Some babies like to swim on their tummy, others on their back. Start the procedure with what the baby likes best.