Temperature in the house when there is a newborn
What is the best temperature to keep at home, in the rooms where you live, in those where you sleep, when you take a bath, when the child has a fever, in summer, in winter or when traveling by car?
When a baby is born in hospital, particularly in winter, you will have noticed that the rooms are often almost tropical in temperature. You may ask yourself: do I have to keep this temperature in the rooms once I get home?
Let’s see what is the best temperature to keep at home, in the rooms where you live, in those where you sleep, when you take a bath, when the child has a fever, in summer, in winter or when traveling by car.
We will also try to answer the many doubts that may assail new parents.
The temperature to keep at home when there is a newborn
Newborns, during the first weeks of life, are not very good at thermoregulating, skills that they acquire as they grow up, around the three months of life.
In the first few weeks, therefore, they may suffer a little from the cold since their body surface is proportionally larger than their weight.
We have explained in detail how to dress a newborn at home, trying to apply the extra layer rule compared to adults:
If the baby struggles to maintain body heat, he may become restless, increase his breathing rate and may cry.
The temperature in the house
During the winter we recommend a temperature in the house between about 20 and 22 degrees, in the summer between 20 and 23 degrees.
In any case it is important that the air is not too dry, especially in winter. In fact, dry air dries up the mucus present in the child’s airways, which is necessary to carry the dust and microbes that are breathed outside. For this reason, dry air can favor irritations and infections of the respiratory tract. To properly humidify the air in the house , steam or ultrasonic humidifiers can be used .
The temperature in the bath room
The bath room must have the same temperature as the rooms where you live, therefore around 20-22 degrees. If it seems cold to you, heat it first with a space heater and turn it off before proceeding with the bath for safety reasons.
The water must have a temperature of 36-37 degrees.
After bathing, always cover it in this room to avoid sudden changes in temperature.
The temperature during the night
A rule that applies to adults and children is to keep the temperature in the rooms where you sleep no higher than 18 degrees Celsius (in winter), with a humidity percentage of about 60%.
If the child has a fever?
If the child has a fever, it should not be covered, on the contrary, it should be uncovered to favor heat loss. The important thing is that the ambient temperature is the recommended one.
The temperature in the car?
In winter when the child has jackets and jackets, these should be removed for his safety. The child should be fastened to the seat and then covered with a blanket or with the jacket itself.
The jackets worn under the belts could in fact make the seal less effective.
A temperature like that in the house should be kept in the car, so in winter if the car is outside, warm it up a bit before taking the baby inside. Similar speech in the summer: refresh the passenger compartment before putting the child in the car.
Can you use the air conditioner in the house?
Of course, trying to maintain a temperature of 20-23 degrees. The fan however is not very useful because it simply moves the hot air.
How to understand if the child is suffering from the heat?
The little ones should never be taken out during the hottest hours of the day, from 11 to 17 and must be dressed appropriately, often as little as possible.
When outside temperatures reach 38-40 degrees, the body struggles to maintain a normal temperature of about 37 degrees and reacts by sweating. Even very young children sweat, albeit less obviously.
If you can’t have air conditioning in the house, and it’s very hot, leave him with only the diaper on.
Refresh him often by giving him a bath and hydrate him with mother’s milk if exclusively breastfed or with water, herbal teas, fruit juices if weaned. The child should always be given a drink in case of very high temperatures to avoid dehydration.
Useful references
The great encyclopedia of the child from 0 to 1 year. Publisher sphere.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.