We are constantly warned of the importance of regulating our babies’ body temperatures, as they aren’t as good at doing it themselves as adults are. However, in our eagerness to make sure that they are warm enough, we can sometimes make them so warm that they overheat! So how do you know exactly how warm a baby’s room should be, and how do you keep it that way?
How Warm Should the Baby’s Room Be?
Generally speaking, if a room feels too warm or too cool to you, then it will be too warm or too cool for your baby. A good temperature range for the baby’s room is between 62 and 78 degrees F.
If the room is too hot, then there is some research that indicates your child is at a greater risk of SIDS, and if it’s too cold, your child will be uncomfortable and wake up more often, which isn’t fun for you or for them!
A warm room is particularly important for preterm babies. Preterm babies are often slower to regulate their own temperature, and if they are too cold, they will burn calories trying to keep warm, which isn’t great if they are also struggling to keep weight on.
How Do You Keep It Warm?
It can be tough to keep a room at a constant temperature, particularly if your home is older or prone to drafts! It’s best not to put a lot of extra heaters in a child’s room as this can be a fire risk, and can dry out the air in a room which may affect your child’s skin.
A few good methods to keep your childs room warm are:
Invest in a column radiator: A column radiator covers a wider surface area and therefore gives off more heat. They are also particularly effective in homes with high ceilings. Talk to a radiator specialist like Warmrooms to see what kind of radiator is best placed to provide optimal heating in your home.
Address any drafts in the room: If there are gaps in doors and windows, this can cause your room to lose quite a lot of heat, and this is an issue that can be solved easily and cheaply with draft excluding tape. An added bonus to using draft excluding tape is that it will prevent your doors from banging in the wind and waking up your baby!
Replacing windows: If your windows are old and have a single pane of glass, then it’s a good idea to consider replacing them with double glazed windows, as this will not only help you to keep the room warm, but it will block a lot of outside noise and help your child to sleep more soundly.
Leave the curtains open: In the daytime, leave the curtains open to make the most of the warmth provided by the sun, and at night close the curtains to prevent any heat from escaping. You could also invest in a good quality lining for your curtains to keep even more heat in.
