How often do you take a jacket off, or throw a sweater on throughout the day? You probably do it without even thinking. Regulating your own body temperature is as automatic as breathing. When you are hot, you take a layer off and when you are cold, you bundle up. It’s simple for an adult.
Babies can’t do this, though. They need you to keep a watchful eye and help them regulate their temperatures. This is true during the day and during the night.
So what are the signs that your baby is too cold? What is the optimal room temperature for babies at night? Let’s take a look at these questions and more…
P.S. Room temperature affects SIDS rates. Get your Free SIDS prevention Ebook Here.
Is my baby too cold?
The primary way that people lose body temperature is through exposed body surfaces. This is referred to “radiated heat” by Mayo Clinic (source). This is the medical way of saying that exposing your skin typically causes you to lose heat.
This is particularly true for babies and children. Babies in particular are at the highest risk of rapidly losing heat. This is true for a few reasons:
1. babies have a high body-surface to weight ratio which increases the risk of heat loss.
2. babies don’t have the skills or mental awareness to self-regulate like adults do.
Your first instinct may be to check the hands and feet. In general, the hands and the feet are a poor way to tell if your baby is too cold. This is because they are often exposed and thus will naturally carry a lower temperature. If the hands and feet are cold, this doesn’t mean that your baby is too cold!
A better way to measure is to feel your baby’s torso. If it is warm to the touch, then your baby is just fine! A lot of development is happening in the core of newborns so blood is naturally diverted to this area.
- We recommend that babies need 1 additional layer of clothing than you do to remain comfortable.
Babies who are acting like babies are most likely not too cold. Stay in tune with the baby’s behavior. Is she eating, sleeping, crying, and being a normal baby? If so, you are probably just fine.
What is the best room temperature for babies?
If you are a new parent that has access to the internet, you have probably heard about how room temperature can affect SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) rate.
Here is what you need to know.
In 2001, a group of scientists studied arousal rates of children based on room temperature. What they found was that babies that slept in higher room temperatures had more difficult time waking up to auditory signals.
SIDS is simply the inability for a baby to wake when something else is going wrong physiologically. In short, scientists found that higher room temperatures makes it more difficult to rouse the baby thus increasing the chances that the baby won’t wake if something is going wrong.
So, the reason that you want to keep the room temperature at a lower level is to not hamper the ability of the baby to wake and cry if something is indeed happening during sleep.
So what is the best room temperature for babies?
That same study found that babies in room temperatures that did not exceed 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 Celsius) did not experience heightened difficulty of waking.
So, we recommend that you keep the baby’s room temperature between 69 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (20.5 – 24 Celcius).
What’s Next?
Learn CPR Today
FAQs
You don't want your baby's room to be either too hot or too cold. It's recommended that the best temperature for babies is between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 22 degrees Celsius. Babies are more sensitive to changes in room temperature because they're so small and their bodies are still growing.
How do I know if my baby is too cold at night? ›
The signs that your baby is too cold at night
Shivering. Pale complexion. Skin is cold to the touch. Unsettled and waking frequently.
What room temperature is too cold for a baby? ›
Generally speaking, if you feel as though the room is too cold, your baby will too, and if you think the room is too hot, so will your baby. That said, keeping the temperature between 68 and 72 degrees F is a good range in the summer and winter.
What temperature should a babies room be overnight? ›
It is important to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C – with light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag– is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies.
What is too cold for a baby to sleep in? ›
Health professionals often recommend keeping the room where your baby sleeps between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. But this is not just about keeping your little one from getting chilly; there are important health implications too.
How do I know if my baby is warm enough in bed? ›
If you're not sure whether your baby is too hot or cold to sleep safely and comfortably, gently place a hand on the back of his or her neck (or tummy). If it feels pleasantly warm to the touch, your infant is fine. Keep in mind that cooler arms, hands or feet are not necessarily a sign that your baby is too cold.
Will a baby wake if cold in night? ›
Tips for keeping baby warm at night in winter.
As winter approaches, one question that plagues new parents is, “Will a baby wake if cold at night?” The answer is yes. Babies are sensitive to temperature changes and can wake up if they feel too cold.
At what age can babies regulate their body temperature? ›
Did you know that babies cannot regulate their own body temperature until they are about 1.5 or 2 years old? In a recent poll of new parents, one subject that came up repeatedly was baby body temperature and figuring out whether they were too hot or too cold. So today, we're going to tackle baby temperature regulation.
How to make sure baby is warm enough at night? ›
If they're cold, your baby is likely chilly. (Try a little skin-to-skin cuddling to gently warm them up, dress your baby in a lightly insulated swaddle, like Comforter Sleepea, and make sure their room is at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit.) If your baby's ears feel hot to the touch, your lovebug might be burning up, too.
Do babies sleep better in a cooler room? ›
Babies tend to sleep better in a comfortably cool room. Because babies have a greater proportion of exposed surface area for their weight, it is easier for them to lose body heat.
Overheating is linked to SIDS, so it's important that you don't bundle your baby too tightly in the winter. Try to keep their room cool in the months when the temperature outside is higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. There's some evidence that suggests that high environmental temperatures are also linked to SIDS.
What is the safe temperature for a baby to sleep at night? ›
The ideal temperature for a baby's room is between 16-20 degrees. It's important to consider baby's clothes and blankets and the air flow within the room when it comes to managing temperature. Clothes and bedding should be lightweight – 100% cotton is best as it is more breathable.
What temperature should the AC be at night for a baby? ›
Ideal Temperature and Positioning of AC Unit
With that being said, it's important to have a temperature set between 16-20 degrees. The ideal is 18 degrees, and while this is cooler than most parents would think is the optimum temperature.
How to tell if a baby is too cold at night? ›
If they're showing any of these signs, dress your baby in an extra layer:
- Their skin is blotchy or pale.
- Their arms, legs, or cheeks feel cool to the touch.
- Their chest or the back of their neck feel cool to the touch.
- They seem overly sleepy or are hard to rouse.
- They're extra fussy or keep waking frequently.
If a room is too cold
Premature babies have an especially challenging time regulating their body temperature and are at an increased risk for hypothermia.
Why shouldn't you direct a fan at a baby? ›
However, the disadvantage of this method is that the fan will blow directly into the child's body, causing breathing difficulties, nasal congestion and even bad effects on the respiratory system. In addition, the blades of the fan during rotation will also attract dust and wind, which will bring dust towards the child.
Is it OK if my baby's hands are cold at night? ›
In general, the hands and the feet are a poor way to tell if your baby is too cold. This is because they are often exposed and thus will naturally carry a lower temperature. If the hands and feet are cold, this doesn't mean that your baby is too cold! A better way to measure is to feel your baby's torso.
How should a baby sleep at night with a cold? ›
Tips on how to help baby sleep with a cold
- Give them a lift. For a baby sleeping with a cold, use extra pillows to raise their head and shoulders as this will help the congestion drain down. ...
- Make them a nightcap. ...
- Breathe easy. ...
- Keep cool. ...
- Avoid night fever.
You may be tempted to offer your baby a soft, warm blanket to help comfort them at night. However, blankets are not recommended until your baby reaches at least 12 months old because they can increase the risk of accidental suffocation.
