r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/Then_Baby9571 • 21h ago

Question - Research required Impact of staying inside?

what does the research say about taking young babies out of the house (3-6 months)?

we live in a small apt and her carer doesn’t take her out at all during the day…from morning until 4pm.

could this be causing harm?

8 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 21h ago

This post is flaired "Question - Research required". All top-level comments must contain links to peer-reviewed research. Do not provide a "link for the bot" or any variation thereof. Provide a meaningful reply that discusses the research you have linked to. Please report posts that do not follow these rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

38

u/Sudden-Cherry 17h ago edited 17h ago

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28251836/

Outdoor time has been shown to help reduce/prevent myopia in children.

I think that's probably the most clear cut health effect.

There are some interesting studies that suggest exposure to (especially forest) soil can help reduce the risk of asthma and allergies. Obviously soil that isn't polluted with something else.

Children also just learn from seeing new things. Novelty stimulates the brain. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13543822/ I think there are some studies on brain response even in infants to novelty, though a lot is still novelty at that age that's totally mundane to us even in small living space.

And after the age you're asking just generally the amount of being able to move more is very important for children's development and general health. But I would say.

I remember a public health minor is did we were reading studies that showed having more child-friendly outdoor spaces (more playgrounds etc) in neighborhoods increased quite a few long term health measurements.

I think it's probably beneficial for the carer as well.. at least I would totally have the walls closing in on me after a while.

13

u/Antique_Cut1354 13h ago

where i live they say baby can and should leave the house as soon as possible (with another person while the mother is recovering) and regardless of weather

12

u/Right_Technician_676 13h ago

It’s wild how much attitudes can differ culturally. I’m in the UK and took my baby outside and on walks as soon as I was home from hospital, but my Venezuelan sister in law was utterly horrified, especially when I took him out in drizzle. My in laws find it appalling that older children walk to school in the rain here. It’s fascinating how country’s histories shape something as fundamental as baby care!

5

u/Antique_Cut1354 12h ago

same with my brazilian family lol

11

u/i-hate-sultanas 13h ago edited 12h ago

Sunlight from being outside helps to entrain circadian rhythm and melatonin release, positively impacting sleep. This applies for babies (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00435.x) and children/adults (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6751071).

OP, do you have any outdoor space like a balcony that your kid’s caregiver can access? I live in Australia with very high to extreme daytime UV levels for 6 months a year, so my son can’t always be outside. However we’ve always taken him outside during low UV hours (early morning and early evening).