6 Ways to regulate & maintain your baby’s body temperature

Whether you’re travelling away or staying at home, it can be very easy for us to get hot and flustered within seconds.

It’s important to remember that our little ones need that extra bit of care and attention when it comes to checking their body temperature.

Especially with babies, we know it’s more difficult for them to regulate their base temperature which is usually around 37 to 37.5 degrees.

So, we’ve made a list of the 6 key tips on how to maintain your baby’s body temperature. It’s surprising but babies can lose heat rapidly, as much as four times more quickly than adults.

1.    Share the room with your baby

Remember that this is the safest way to monitor your baby. By being in the same room as them, you can monitor their behaviour more closely and attend to them quicker. The Lullaby Trust recommends to let your baby sleep with you for the first six months, this way you can judge the temperature of the room for both you and your baby more accurately when it comes to monitoring their warmth.

Research has shown that sometimes having a fan in your baby’s room can also lower the risk of SIDS.

The NHS shows that babies who move into their room at 6 months sleep longer and are at lower risk of obesity, poor sleep patterns and tantrums hence why it’s a good reason to keep them in the same room at the start.

2.    Appropriate clothing

The Lullaby Trust says that babies should never wear hats indoors, nor need to sleep under a duvet or quilt. Make sure that when it’s hot, you give your little one fewer, not more clothes.

With the weather being unusually unpredictable for us this year, it’s hard to guess what to dress our children in. One minute you need a coat and umbrella for the rain and then before you know it, it’s over 20 degrees and you’re in a t-shirt and shorts; so we understand how difficult this can be.

3.    Room thermometer

It’s hard to check the temperature in the room sometimes. We may feel hotter than it actually is. As parents, we’re always busy on our feet running around fulfilling our parental duties… so by the end of all that, it’s no surprise if you’re hot and flustered. The Lullaby Trust advises using a thermometer to help you judge the temperature better and therefore, allowing you to make a better decision on how to care for your baby.

4.    The tummy and neck check

It’s vital we check that our baby isn’t overheating or getting too cold.

By feeling your baby’s tummy or the back of their neck, you will be able to tell if your baby’s skin is hot or sweat or really cold, therefore, helping you act correctly when looking after them.

5.    No higher than 20 degrees

The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. Our sleep expert Nerina Ramlakhan advises that 19 degrees centigrade is an optimum temperature, especially for a good night’s sleep and by keeping the temperature by 16-20 degrees, your baby is at less risk to overheat.

For more information click here to visit Lullaby Trust.