When can babies regulate their own temperature
It's hard as a young parent not to worry about your baby. Is he warm enough? On the contrary, is he too hot? It's not uncommon for us to tend to cover them up TOO much when these little sweeties aren't THAT fragile.
To answer the original question directly: baby really regulates his temperature well from age 2 according to most studies and is therefore more sensitive to temperature changes before then.
But to go further, let's try to see together the normal temperature of baby, the signs to observe, how to dress him and some "general rules" to know.
The newborn: able to regulate his temperature?
An infant is able to regulate his or her temperature, but this regulation is much less efficient than that of an adult. That is,heat loss or gain occurs much more easily than for us.
A preemie on the other hand is not able to thermoregulate and requires even more attention to avoid hypothermia. Skin-to-skin is highly recommended to help (premature as well as full-term baby). Notre No Tie Little Wrap is used in many maternity hospitals for skin-to-skin in the first few days after birth, to facilitate constant contact and thus help the child to warm up.
Wearing in a sling or baby carrier helps with the thermoregulation of your child.
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| I DISCOVER THE WRAP FOR THERMOREGULATION |
Signs that baby is hot or cold: what to look for?
Extremities like feet or hands can be an indication. But just because baby's feet are cold doesn't necessarily mean he's cold.
To find out more, his neck can be a very good indicator:
- Is it warm? Everything's fine! (not hot huh)
- is she moist? Moist? Baby is hot, we should find out
- is she cold? You got it right, baby is cold, it would be nice to add a layer of clothing to warm this little one
Other signs can help you determine:
If your baby is too hot: red cheeks, forehead, belly or thighs hot.
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. If you are in doubt, you can check with a thermometer :)
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is when your baby's temperature is below 36.5°C -> baby is warmed (skin to skin, extra layer of clothing, etc).
Hyperthermia: fever
We consider fever for a temperature higher than 38°C approximately -> we avoid that he is too hot by uncovering him slightly (but not totally, leave a short-sleeved bodysuit for example)
Bedroom: what is the ideal temperature?
The right temperature is between 18° and 20°C, not so hot right? You'd think the ideal temperature for baby would be higher right?
Depending on the temperature, you will need to dress him differently (logical). The temperature of the room in summer will hardly be 20°C for sure. We'll get back to this a little bit below :)
How to dress baby?
It all depends on the season. To avoid covering baby too much, we have already made several articles on the subject:
How to dress baby in the winter?
How do I know if my baby is cold at night?
Nuke and cold tummy
As we discussed earlier, these body parts are good indications as to how cold your child feels. Cold extremities do not mean cold.
Pale Skin
If your child has paler skin than usual, this is also a sign to consider.
Crying, grumpy baby
If your child cries even though he or she has eaten and has a clean diaper, it may be a sign that he or she is cold.
A baby who is a little too quiet (while not sleeping) can also be a sign that your child is hypothermic. Are you in any doubt? Temperatuuuure!
Does a cold baby cry?
Yes, in addition to the signs to observe (cold neck, bluish lips, trembling...), crying can indicate that your child is cold. And conversely, they can indicate that baby is hot.
Why a baby does not regulate his temperature?
Simply because he is not able to, it requires a lot of energy.
How to dress baby at night?
It is better to superimpose the layers than to put a single very thick layer. The trick is going to be to observe your child and how they feel. We've made a comprehensive guide to dressing baby at night here :)