Is the House Warm Enough for My Baby? | ERC (2024)

FAQs

Is the House Warm Enough for My Baby? | ERC? ›

How warm should the house be for a baby? Pediatricians recommend keeping room temperatures between 65 and 74 degrees for babies. If your house is always colder than the recommended minimum temperature, a blanket seems like an obvious solution.

Hunter, M.D. The ideal room temperature for a newborn is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. You should aim to keep the room within that range to avoid health complications that could arise from leaving your newborn in a room that is too hot or too cold.

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.

The easiest way to tell if your baby is too hot or too cold is by feeling the nape of the neck to see if it's sweaty or cold to the touch. When babies are too warm, they may have flushed cheeks and look like they're sweating. An overheated baby may also breathe rapidly.

One of the key ways to help your baby sleep better and longer is by maintaining a temperature of 68-72°F.

The net effect is that children have more skin area through which they can lose their own body heat when exposed to a cold environment. The most prevalent child health issues linked to fuel poverty are increased incidence of common colds and flu, and other respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis.

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.

Between 9-12 months, your baby should be able to fully adapt their body temperature to the external conditions. What you can do to help your baby to regulate their body temperature. Until they reach this milestone, your baby is heavily dependent on your support to feel comfortable in everyday life.

If your baby is too cold or uncomfortable, they will likely cry to let you know! The ideal temperature for the body to sleep well is between 68-72 degrees F, but if that's not possible in your home or part of the world, that's ok! Don't stress - you can always adjust factors to ensure that your baby is comfortable.

Make sure the room your baby sleeps in is a comfortable temperature - not too warm or too cold. Room temperature should range from 16 to 20 degrees Celsius. This is 62 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a room thermometer to check the temperature.

Do babies' hands get cold at night? ›

Sleeping and lying around means your baby isn't moving around or exerting themselves for much of the day. This is completely normal and healthy for a baby, of course. But that may lead to cold hands. This normal lack of moving around means that babies have less blood flow to their limbs (arms, legs, hands, and feet).

Room Temperature: Keeping the baby's sleeping environment too warm can contribute to overheating. The ideal room temperature for a baby is generally recommended to be between 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C). Using a room thermometer can help monitor and maintain a comfortable temperature.

3) Check your child

A simple way to check their body temperature is to place your hand on the skin of their chest, tummy or back. Their skin should feel dry and warm to touch. If they feel too warm, remove a layer where possible. If they feel cold, you can attempt to add a top layer.

It isn't necessary to use an AC or cooler at all times. Some days are not as hot as others, especially indoors. If the temperature indoors is below or around 25 degrees C, use a fan instead of the AC. Read more about simple ways to keep your baby cool and comfortable.

If your child is three months or older, try to make them comfortable. If they're sleeping, let them sleep. If they're thirsty, give them something to drink. You can also try Tylenol or ibuprofen, according to the medication labels.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is OK to take a newborn outside when the temperatures are between −15 F and 90 F. Anything beyond this range can be harmful to newborns.

Adjust the Room Temperature: The recommended room temperature for baby's sleep is 68 - 72° F. Keeping it in this range will help prevent them from getting too cold (which can lead to wakeups) or too warm (which can lead to overheating, a risk factor for SIDS.)

So, we recommend that you keep the baby's room temperature between 69 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (20.5 – 24 Celcius).

Be careful not to decrease your home's temperature to less than 55 degrees in winter or allow your home to warm to more than 80 degrees in summer, as it may leave your home susceptible to damage. An indoor temperature of less than 55 degrees may lead to freezing pipes, while anything more than 80 may damage drywall.