Spinoff: Room temp for baby

Hi ladies,

Ok - an earlier post got me thinking about the room temp. We normally keep her room around 70 and her room is kinda drafty, though, and I'm always afraid she's freezing. As a result, I think I totally overbundle my 16 week old.

I put her to bed in a onesie (sometimes long sleeve sometimes short sleeve), footed pjs with socks, a sleepsack, and sometimes I even cover her with a blanket tucked tight down the sides of her crib. Oh and I've been putting mittens on her hands to stop her pulling her paci out.

I know that sounds like a LOT but hear me out: in the morning her hands and arms are often like ICECUBES. I took her temp one morning when I didn't put a blanket on her and it was 95 degrees!! I felt like a horrible mother.

I guess I want to know what you dress your babies in to sleep when the room temp is 68? And do they feel cold when you get them in the morning?

Re: Spinoff: Room temp for baby

We have a separate heating unit in DDs room, because of how the previous owners rezoned the house when the put the central heating in.

We keep her thermostat at 68 degrees but since some of the house heat does get into her room, the temp is usually around 70-71 degrees.

She sleeps in footed PJs and a cotton sleepsack. On bath nights I usually put a shortsleeved undershirt on her under her PJs.

Newborns/young infants usually have cold hands, it has something to do with their developing circulation/nervous system.

Re: Spinoff: Room temp for baby

I'm paranoid I keep the thermostat at 76 degrees, DH and I are sweating through the night, but baby seems to like it.

Hand and feet are always cold in newborns until their circulation gets better, I wouldn't go by hands and feet as indicator.

Instead I feel their nose, if they are comfortable their nose will be warm. If they are too warm their ears will be red and hot. If they are sweating you'll feel it first at the back of the neck.

At night he wears a t-shirt onesie and gown and I swaddle with a huge flannel blanket arms tucked to the side tight, hands by his sides. Feet always in socks, he seems to be calmer with them on.

How is the baby sleeping? Ours wont sleep if his nose is chilly, he wont cry, just get really fussy until he is warm and cozy.

Re: Spinoff: Room temp for baby

Grace - Tristan's room is normally about 68 degrees and he wears similar to what Carys has on. Usually short sleeve onesie, cotton feety pjs and then in a sleepsack or a fleece sleeper - a lot of times I put a blanket on him too. When he's in the sleepsack his hands are normally little ice cubes too (used to give me a huge shock when I went to BF him in the middle of the night and he would put his cold hands around my side! ). I never put mittens on him though because he always sucked on his hands and I figured if he sucked on the mitts they'd be wet and he'd stay colder than if it was just skin!

So, all in all, we're pretty much just like you guys! Don't think you can do much about their arms and hands - unless you think she's waking up in the middle of the night because she's cold?

Re: Spinoff: Room temp for baby

Well, a few things..

I don't know how the room feels (obviously ) but I do want to say that babies should only have ONE more layer on then we do. So if you would be comfy in there in PJs, then add a oneie, etc.

Also, overheating can be a cause of SIDS. It is much better for them to be cooler her rather than hotter. That doesn't mean that you have too many layers on DC, they may be cold.

But I do think I wouldn't put that many layers on DS. He was born in late April and I usually had him in footies and a blanket and he was always fine

ETA-Their hands and feet are always cold, so don't let that worry you. The low temp would worry me, but not from the chilly room, just a baby witht hat low of a temp isn't really normal. Maybe it was a fluke though

Message edited 4/3/2010 12:00:35 PM.

Re: Spinoff: Room temp for baby

keeping the baby too warm is associated with SIDS - from what I've read 68 is an ideal room temperature. that being said, babies can't yet regulate their body temperature so I usually put DD in a onesie, feeted PJs, swaddle, and a very light blanket wrapped around the swaddle. her room hovers around 70, but feels cooler than that to me - i think it's on the drafty side.