I believe this is something we have done for a long time, as an important belief in our culture. To become strong and healthy you need a lot of fresh air and you need to get used to breathe well in the temperature where you live. The more children (and grown-ups) are outside, the better.

We learn that it is healthy to sleep with an open window and have it cold in the bedroom, but with a warm dun duvet. This also fills the lounges with more and more fresh oxygen than if you have the window locked. As soon as the child can walk it should be outside and also be active physically, like the parents should.

When you get a child, you want it to become strong and healthy and you have to prepare it for life. The first 3 month you have to be careful, the child has to adjust to life, too cold will be too big a change. I believe having the children sleeping out is also because it is daytime, normally light and different from night and sleeping in a dark bedroom. This is fine for the child’s inner clock, to learn to divide day from night, even though they sleep.

I have raised three children myself and they all slept outside from a couple of month all year long. The important thing was to check the baby’s temperature. It is easy to put too much clothes on, especially on the top and forget that it need to be protected from the coldness under. Also we used a thin insect net all year because it also prevents cats and birds to get in. Another important thing is not to cover the baby too much and then limit the oxygen level for the child.

I have heard parents from other countries react on this sleeping out in the winter habit like it is barbarian. I can understand it seems odd, but still I strongly believe it makes them stronger and healthier. The Nordic countries are also low on child mortality in spite of the harsh climate so it does not seem to harm them this outdoor sleeping etc.