At what age can a baby regulate its temperature?
It's difficult as a young parent not to worry about your baby. Is he warm enough? On the contrary, is he too warm? It's not uncommon for us to tend to OVER-cover them when these little ones are not THAT fragile.
To directly answer the initial question: baby really regulates their temperature well from 2 years old according to most studies and is therefore more sensitive to temperature changes before that.
But to go further, let's try to look together at the normal temperature of a baby, the signs to observe, how to dress them, and some "general rules" to know.
Newborn temperature: able to regulate its temperature?
A newborn is able to regulate its temperature, but this regulation is much less efficient than that of an adult. This means that heat loss or gain occurs much more easily than for us.
A premature baby, however, is not able to thermoregulate and requires even more attention to avoid hypothermia. Skin-to-skin contact is highly recommended to help (both premature and full-term babies). Our Little Wrap Without a Knot is used in many maternity wards for skin-to-skin contact in the first days following birth, to facilitate constant contact and thus help the child warm up.
Babywearing in a baby wrap or baby carrier helps with your child's thermoregulation.
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| DISCOVER THE WRAP FOR THERMOREGULATION |
Signs that baby is hot or cold: what should you observe?
Extremities such as feet or hands can be an indication. But just because baby's feet are cold doesn't necessarily mean they're cold overall.
To learn more, their neck can be a very good indicator:
- is it warm? Everything's fine! (not burning hot, of course)
- is it damp? Moist? Baby is hot, you should uncover them
- is it cold? You've understood correctly, baby is cold, it would be good to add a layer of clothing to warm up this little one
Other signs can help you determine:
If your baby is too hot: red cheeks, warm forehead, belly or thighs.
If your baby is too cold: very pale complexion, bluish lips...
Crying is also possible in both cases.
What is the baby's body temperature?
The baby's body temperature is between 36.5°C and 37.5°C (97.7°F and 99.5°F). If you have any doubts, you can check with a thermometer :)
Hypothermia
Baby hypothermia is when your baby's temperature is below 36.5°C (97.7°F) -> we warm up baby (skin-to-skin contact, additional layer of clothing, etc).
Hyperthermia: fever
Fever is considered for a temperature above about 38°C (100.4°F) -> avoid overheating by uncovering them slightly (but not completely, leave a short-sleeved bodysuit for example)
Bedroom: what is the ideal temperature?
The right temperature is between 18° and 20°C (64.4°F and 68°F), it's not that warm, is it? We would tend to believe that the ideal temperature for baby would be higher, wouldn't we?
Depending on the temperature, you'll need to dress them differently (logical). The room temperature in summer will hardly be 20°C (68°F), that's for sure. We'll come back to this topic a bit later :)
How to dress baby?
It all depends on the season. To avoid overdressing baby, we have already written several articles on the subject:
How do I know if my baby is cold at night?
Cold neck and belly
As we saw earlier, these body parts are good indicators of your child's cold sensation. Cold extremities are not synonymous with being cold.
Pale skin
If your child's skin is paler than usual, it's also a sign to take into account.
Crying, fussy baby
If your child is crying even though they've been fed and their diaper is clean, it may be a sign that they're cold.
A baby who is a bit too calm (while not sleeping) can also be a sign that your child is in hypothermia. Do you have any doubts? Take their temperature!
Does a cold baby cry?
Yes, besides the signs to observe (cold neck, bluish lips, shivering...), crying can indicate that your child is cold. And conversely, it can indicate that the baby is hot.
Why doesn't a baby regulate its temperature?
Simply because they are not capable of it, it requires a lot of energy from them.
How to dress baby at night?
It's better to layer clothes than to put on a single very thick layer. The key is to observe your child and their feelings. We have made a complete guide on how to dress baby at night here :)