https://thenordics.com/trace/would-you-let-your-baby-nap-outside
This is not just a Nordic country thing, it’s all over northern Europe stretching as far as Russia to Scotland and Ireland and I assume the rest of Britain. My mother did this with my sibling and myself in the early sixties. It was common practice back then, I assume it still happens. We lived in an apartment up until I was about three years old. So children had to play down on the drying green in the courtyard back then. No supervision though! Older children would look after the younger children.
It’s a totally different world now, so babies should not be left unattended unlike the old days, because it is irresponsible and dangerous, anything could happen such as falling out of the pram, suffocating, stopping breathing or even someone taking the baby.
Fresh air and sunlight is very important in building up a healthy immune system in babies. Obviously you wrap them up warm and you don’t leave them outdoors for hours on end. Babies cannot regulate their body temperature, but parents dress their babies up warm for outdoors including woollen mittens and a woollen hat. We loose heat from the top of our heads and that is why one wears a woollen hat in winter.
If it’s a bitter cold day obviously you don’t put your babies outside and risk hypothermia. One thing to remember also is the closer one lives to the attic circle the less daylight in winter. Which means a lack of vitamin D from sunlight. Depression is common in countries where there is very little sunlight in winter. This also causes poor growth due to the lack of sunlight and vitamin D. The lack of crops in winter also affects the diet of many living in these regions. So people have to be wise and prepare for the long cold winter weather. That includes getting fresh air and preventing health problems such as bronchitis or the flu.
Even in Scotland, I remember it being dark at 4.00pm and pitch black by 5.00 pm where I lived in winter time and daylight was around 8.00 or 8.30am depending on the weather and if it was foggy or not.
However come summer it is daylight anytime between 4.50 to 5.00 am up to 11.00 pm in summer. Where I live in Australia, in summer it is dark outside around 9.00 pm and daylight beings around 5.00 am. In winter we generally have blue skies and kids can enjoy playing outside.
https://qz.com/351821/for-generations-icelandic-babies-have-napped-in-sub-zero-temperatures-outside
This is Iceland.
I am surprised that American people were unaware of this health practice. But I don’t think I would risk leaving a baby outdoors in New York like this. It is a different culture to Nordic countries and a high crime rate.
The article above implies that it was once done in the UK, but most of the internet only mentions Nordic countries. So why is is being ignored that we British people also did this? My generation were all babies that were outside to sleep during the day unless the parents circumstances prevented it.
This article below is about SIDS and babies over heating. Cool temperatures are actually better for sleeping for everyone. But not freezing cold. Sensible pajamas and warm blankets but not a hot room.
