btdt moms - thermometer question

i got the exergen temporal artery thermometer which takes temps on the forehead - i hear this is good fo when they are older but should i get a rectal one for when dd is smaller?

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Absolutely! Rectal is the way to get a true reading when they are little!

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

I just got this one this weekend at my shower ( I hadn't registered for it - was clueless about thermometers) but the person who gave it to me said she tried 5 different thermometers and found this to be the best and most accurate so I was just going to use this one...

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Yes! My dad and husband are both in pediatrics and you need a rectal for when they are newborns/infants. Apparently, it's the most accurate way to take a temperature. After that I think they advise doing it under the babies arm.

ETA: I think they recommend taking it rectally until the baby really puts up a fight about it. Definitely under two months, I think you may be able to do without much of a hassle until the baby is 6 months, but it may depend on the baby.

Message edited 3/28/2011 3:07:28 PM.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Excellent question! I just received my exergen thermometer from amazon over the weekend and was experimenting with it. It takes some getting used to, so play around with it before baby comes!

I think I'm going to take the advice of the ladies here and get the rectal, too. I'll probably use both until I know I can trust the temporal scan one! Hopefully we'll never need to use it!

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

I knoe rectal is the way you are supposed, but i could never do it.

I used a temple themometer under the arm. I still use it on my kids this way and I test is on me too to make sure it's working.

I also check the back of the ear with it.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

I would absolutely get a rectal one. To be honest, we have the exergen one and I barely use it....if I suspect a temperature, I will use it quickly to let me know if there is one, but then I use the rectal to give me an accurate temperature. The exergen one gives a different reading each time you use it.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

When you call the ped for a sick kid most want a rectal temp as anything else especially in a NB is just not reliable.

I honestly used the one we got from the hospital until DS was old enough for hte ear one!

ETA: I didnt stop doing rectal until DS was 2. I used to hug him, with his head on my shoulder, walking around singing or something and hold the thermometer until it beeped. Anytime I used anything else it was always way off!

Message edited 3/28/2011 4:35:32 PM.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Absolutely, rectal is the only way to get an accurate temp in babies. Most now come with a safety guard so you can't over-insert it. It literally goes in about a half of an inch. It can actually be dangerous to NOT do it rectally in infants, because any other way usually detects a much lower temp, as much as a degree or 2, which can be really serious for a newborn.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Rectal is the most accurate. I registered and got the 3 in 1 thermometer. It's has attachments for rectal, oral and armpit.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

I have tons of experience working as a daycare teacher temporal thermometers they are not accurate. Ds is 2 and I still take his temp rectal or under his arm pit. I have found that the temporal thermometer wad always off by at least a whole degree
.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

We only used rectal until DS was around 18 months.

Never had luck with the ear one. But the temporal we love now and its the only one we use.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

Yes! Definitely. I still take it rectally and DD is almost 3. It is the most acurate. When she is out of diapers I am going to switch to the forehead.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

dd is over two and ive never done a rectal temp....She's only been "sick" once and once I did under the arm and added a degree.....which is what we used to do in daycare center i worked at

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

I want to register for a rectal but i want either an ear or underarm as well - which is better???

Message edited 3/28/2011 8:40:22 PM.

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

My BTDT Mom friend says this one is great. Has rectal, oral and underarm.

3 in1 thermometer

Re: btdt moms - thermometer question

I'm not a BTDT mom but I do know from having a little brother who was born when I was 16 that e always checked his temp rectally until he was about 11-12 months.

I registered for the ear and the rectal therm.