How can i tell if my baby is cold
Babies in cold weather | Pregnancy Birth and Baby
Babies in cold weather | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content7-minute read
Listen
It can be hard to know how your baby feels when it comes to dressing them. So it is normal to worry if your baby is feeling too hot or cold. Getting the balance right, and feeling confident about your baby’s comfort, can take practice and time.
What are the effects of cold weather on babies?
When a baby is cold, they will feel uncomfortable and are unlikely to sleep well. Similarly, if they feel hot, a baby can become unsettled and irritable.
Healthy babies, who are on track with their development, can maintain a normal body temperature with ease. But if they are sick or the weather is very cold (or hot), how they are dressed may need more consideration.
Since babies lose body heat from their head and face, hats and beanies — as well as warm clothing — are good ways to help them maintain warmth. Keep in mind that warm clothing can also cause a baby to overheat. To help prevent hats or beanies from overheating your baby:
- Take your baby’s hat or beanie off when you are indoors or in a warm place, including in the car or on public transport. This will help them to avoid becoming overheated.
- Always take your baby’s hat or beanie off before they go to sleep. To keep them safe when they are sleeping, it is important that your baby’s head is uncovered.
How can I tell if my baby is too cold or too warm?
A good guide for dressing your baby in cold weather is to think about how you are dressed. Generally, the recommendation is the same number of layers as you have on plus one more for your baby. Try to dress your baby in lightweight layers that are easy to remove if they warm up. It does not take much for them to overheat if they are dressed or wrapped in thick layers of clothes.
Although your baby’s hands and face may feel cold, this may differ from their core body temperature. To give you a better idea if they are warm or cold, feel the skin on their tummy and back. Their skin should feel warm and not too hot or cold.
Your baby’s behaviour will give you an insight into how comfortable they feel. Signs that your baby is comfortable, include if they are happy, active and feeding and sleeping well.
What are the risks for babies in extreme cold weather?
Due to a baby’s smaller size and having less muscle mass than an adult, babies are at a greater risk of developing hypothermia. Signs of hypothermia include shivering, breathing slowly and having pale, cool skin. Babies who are hot, tend to look uncomfortable. Like adults who overheat, a baby’s skin will become red, and they will look flushed.
Where possible, consider dressing your baby in natural fibres such as cotton or bamboo. These will help your baby’s skin to breathe and not overheat.
If the weather is cool, put socks on your baby’s feet. When the weather is even cooler, dress them in clothing that has a closer weave. This will help to keep your baby warm.
Should I take my baby out in cold weather and how can I protect them?
It is safe to take your baby out when the weather is cold. Make sure they are dressed warmly and protected from the wind and rain. Outside play and activities help children to learn about how their body responds to the environment.
If your baby becomes wet, they are more likely to feel cold. Take spare clothes with you when you go out, even if you do not plan to be out in the weather.
Dress your baby in an extra layer of clothing and take a lightweight blanket to cover them if they are in a pram. Choose clothing that covers your baby’s arms and legs. A good alternative to separates is an all-in-one jumpsuit. It will not ride up and need tucking in.
Remember that your body heat will warm up your baby if you carry them in a carrier or sling.
Baby sling safety is important. Follow this checklist to make sure your baby stays safe.
How do I dress my baby for cold weather, outdoors?
Dress your baby in lightweight layers that are easy to remove if they warm up. It may help to check the weather forecast before you go out and to pack extra layers of clothing in case your baby becomes too cold.
How do I dress my baby for cold weather at bedtime?
Whatever the temperature, it is important that you follow the safe sleeping guidelines when you put your baby to sleep. Because babies control their temperature through their face and head, they should sleep on their back. This will help to protect them from overheating. You may like to dress your baby in night clothes so they are more comfortable for sleep.
To keep your baby warm and safe when they are sleeping in their cot, put them in a safe sleeping bag. A correct-sized sleeping bag will help to keep your baby warm and their face and head uncovered. Make sure the sleeping bag has a fitted neck, armholes or sleeves and no hood.
Cold weather guide
Step by step guide on how to dress your baby for cold weather.
Never use an electric blanket or a hot water bottle in your baby’s cot. These can easily make your baby overheat. Instead, use layers of lightweight blankets that you can add or remove. Make sure the blankets are large to be able to be tucked underneath the mattress to ensure sleep safety.
Avoid using soft bedding like doonas, pillows, cot bumpers, lamb’s wool and sheepskin in your baby’s cot. These can make your baby overheat and may cover their face.
Will my baby sleep more in winter?
Babies do not necessarily sleep more in winter, though it can be easier to care for them when the weather is cool. Like adults, babies like to feel warm and cosy. When you swaddle a baby, they feel more secure.
You do not need to measure the room temperature where your baby will sleep or leave the heating (or cooling) on all night. Make sure you dress your baby in clothes and bedding that are suitable for room temperature.
Read more
Dressing a newborn
When dressing your newborn, here are a few things to consider, like which clothes to use, how to dress them and making sure the change table is safe.
Getting out of the house with your new baby
Having a healthy pregnancy means following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, knowing what to avoid and making sure your vaccinations are up to date.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.
Sources:
Product Safety Australia (Baby sling safety), Raising Children Network (Children playing outside in all weathers), Red Nose (Room temperature), Northern Sydney Local Health District (Weather safety for babies and children), Red Nose (What is a Safe Sleeping Bag?)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: April 2022
Back To Top
Related pages
- Guide to dressing your baby in cold weather
- Dressing a newborn
Need more information?
Disclaimer
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering.
OKNeed further advice or guidance from our maternal child health nurses?
1800 882 436
Video call
- Contact us
- About us
- A-Z topics
- Symptom Checker
- Service Finder
- Linking to us
- Information partners
- Terms of use
- Privacy
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is funded by the Australian Government and operated by Healthdirect Australia.
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby is provided on behalf of the Department of Health
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby’s information and advice are developed and managed within a rigorous clinical governance framework. This website is certified by the Health On The Net (HON) foundation, the standard for trustworthy health information.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
This information is for your general information and use only and is not intended to be used as medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes.
The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional.
Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, this publication or any part of it may not be reproduced, altered, adapted, stored and/or distributed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Healthdirect Australia.
Support this browser is being discontinued for Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
Support for this browser is being discontinued for this site
- Internet Explorer 11 and lower
We currently support Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. For more information, please visit the links below:
- Chrome by Google
- Firefox by Mozilla
- Microsoft Edge
- Safari by Apple
You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly.
5 Signs Your Baby Is Too Cold & Needs A Little Warmth
Baby
Shutterstock
It can happen during the day and at night when they’re sleeping.
by Olivia Youngs and Abi Berwager Schreier
Updated:
Originally Published:
One of the hardest things about being a new parent is learning your baby's cues. Since they’re unable to fend for themselves or verbally communicate things like “It’s freezing in here,” it's crucial parents learn signs of hunger, tiredness, sickness, temperature, and more. When you want to know how to tell if your baby is cold, both when they are asleep and awake, there are some signs you can look out for.
Babies don't have the ability to self-regulate their temperatures like adults, according to InfantCPR. Their bodies lose heat through unprotected surfaces, such as their head, hands, or feet — which is called "radiated heat," according to Mayo Clinic. Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, tells Romper that a baby’s ability to regulate their own body temperature gets better as they get older, and usually between 3 and 4 years old.
“Nonetheless, even at older ages, kids still need reminders to dress well before going outside. Even teenagers need reminders. Temperature self-regulation is not perfect and must always be accompanied by proper clothing,” he says.
Similarly, if babies don't have enough layers on or are in a very cold room, being too cold and, in rare cases, experiencing hypothermia are real threats. Even in warmer months, it's important to monitor your baby's temperature to make sure they're warm enough, especially indoors. In the colder months, you'll need to keep an eye on their temperature outside as well as indoors.
In fact, there’s even an optimal baby room temperature (regardless of how cold or hot it is outside). Dr. Gina Posner, board-certified pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, says, “I usually tell people to keep their house around 72 degrees. But, some kids run warmer or colder than others, so if at 72, your baby feels too hot and they are in only a diaper, then cool it down.
If they feel too cold at 72, then give them an extra layer of clothing and check again.”
Obviously, appropriate pajamas, swaddles, and blankets (if your baby is old enough), can be used to help regulate their temperature as well. “Remember, the temperature on the thermostat in the hallway does not always match the temperature in the bedrooms,” Ganjian says.
As overwhelming as it may sound to have to learn all of your baby's cues, soon they'll become second nature. And once you do, regulating your child's temperature will be simple.
1
Their hands and feet feel cold
Although this is generally a poor indicator of your baby's overall body temperature, heat escapes quickly through the hands and feet and they're often the most exposed. An article in Indian Pediatrics noted that your baby's feet and hands should be warm like the rest of their body. So if your baby's hands or feet feel cold, throw on an extra layer, just to be safe. Posner confirms, “Your baby is too cold if you see mottling of their extremities, and if the hands or feet are cold to the touch.
You can also feel the back of their neck and if it is cold, that can be a sign that they are chilly.” If you’re worried about them when they’re in bed, see if your baby is cold to the touch while sleeping. That can be a good indication to layer up.
2
Pale skin
If your baby is feeling cold, they could potentially have paler skin than normal. However, if this is accompanied by inactivity and being lethargic, this could be a sign of hypothermia. If this happens, Posner says, “Slowly warm them up — wrap them in blankets or you can even do skin-to-skin with you with blankets on top of them. Also, putting a hat on their head is helpful since babies lose a lot of heat from their head. My biggest concern with a baby that is too cold is that they might have an infection causing it — especially if you are not in a particularly cold environment. In that case, bring them to the hospital or their doctor.”
3
They're fussy for seemingly no reason
In the beginning stages of being cold, your baby may fuss when nothing else is wrong to let you know they're chilly.
If this happens, simply add some socks or a warmer outfit and your baby will be more comfortable. “I tell parents to put one extra layer on their baby than what they are wearing. So, if you are wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants, then baby might need a jacket on top of that,” Ganjian says.
4
They snart sneezing
Ganjian says, “When your baby starts sneezing, usually it is a sign they are cold. This is due to a response connected to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain which controls temperature in the body. That is why babies usually sneeze when they are being changed. It is very normal and not related to them being sick with the cold virus.”
5
They're still and lethargic
One of the more dangerous signs that your baby is cold is being very still, quiet, and lethargic. These are signs of hypothermia in infants, which shouldn't be ignored, as your baby's body can't heat itself properly at this point. “When your child becomes quiet and does not move much, it can mean that they are too cold.
Take them inside the house and let them have skin-to-skin on your body, while wrapping a blanket around both of you,” Ganjian says.
Warming up your baby if they are asleep is not impossible, but you have to be extra mindful of safety as you can’t simply tuck a blanket around them. (Babies should not sleep with soft blankets or toys in their crib until they are at least 12 months old as it’s a suffocation hazard). You could risk waking them up by adding another layer (either clothing or a sleep sack), or you could bump up the heat or bring in a safe space heater.
Luckily, there are numerous ways to warm up your baby when they are awake. Bring them into a warmer environment (into a warmer room of the house or indoors if they are outside), crank up the thermostat, add a few more layers to their outfit, or use your own body heat.
Experts:
Gina Posner, board-certified pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center
Daniel Ganjian, pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center
This article was originally published on
How to understand whether a child is cold or not
06/04/2020
10
The most difficult thing for young parents is to learn to recognize the signs that their baby gives when he is hungry, overworked, sick, wants to communicate. Some signals are especially difficult to understand. For example, the baby is frozen or not. The signs are not always so obvious.
Thermoregulation in babies works differently. They supercool almost 4 times faster than adults. The child's body loses heat from unprotected surfaces. For example, if the head, arms and legs are not covered. Or if the baby is dressed too lightly, but at the same time it is too cold in the room or on the street. nine0003
Premature and low birth weight infants do not have sufficient body fat in the first month of life. Therefore, their body may not be ready to regulate temperature even when warm. In addition, they will burn too many calories to keep warm with constant hypothermia.
What will affect their health.
But even healthy newborn babies cannot keep warm if the temperature in the room or outside is too low.
Overheating is no less dangerous for a baby than hypothermia. nine0003
At the same time, mothers tend to wrap up the baby more often. Overheating leads to heat stroke and increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Therefore, it is correct to monitor the temperature in general and avoid both hypothermia and overheating.
The normal air temperature for a child at home is 18-21 degrees. When the temperature is low or too high, he feels uncomfortable and wakes up more often than usual.
Remember that the temperature in the room will not always be the same as in the nursery. Therefore, it is worth having a thermometer in every room.
How to tell if a baby is cold
To tell if a baby is cold or not outside, look at the baby's physical signs and behavior.
- Cold hands, feet, cheeks and nose are not the best indicator, because heat quickly leaves these parts of the body, since they are most often exposed and always remain cool. In any case, we pay attention to other signs. nine0034
- Pale skin. If you see that the child's skin has become very pale and the lips have changed color, then he is very cold. In this case, the baby most often ceases to behave actively and becomes lethargic. These are already signs of severe hypothermia.
- If the baby has just begun to freeze, he may be naughty in order to somehow communicate that he is cold. In case he still can't speak.
How to understand that a newborn is cold outside nine0029
- The child lies in the stroller, calms down and does not move. This is a special sign in a newborn that cannot be ignored. With these signs, immediately return home, undress the baby and lay it on yourself, skin to skin, covering yourself with a blanket.
- The baby will not cry because there is no strength. However, he may refuse to feed. The energy of the newborn will go to keep warm.
- The baby starts to sneeze. This happens in response to the part of the brain, the hypothalamus, which controls body temperature. Therefore, children often sneeze while changing clothes. This is normal and does not always mean that they are sick. nine0034
How to dress your child according to the weather for a walk
Use the layering rule to dress your baby for the weather. Putting on an extra layer of clothing or, conversely, taking it off is the best way to warm or cool the baby.
In cold weather, wear several layers of clothing. For example, one layer more than yours. So, if you are wearing a long-sleeve T-shirt and jeans, you should also put on a jacket or sweater for your baby. As soon as you enter the room, do not forget to undress the child so that he does not overheat. nine0003
A hat and panama are needed at any time of the year, as they keep warm and protect from the sun.
In summer, choose lightweight, breathable fabrics that absorb sweat quickly.
How to understand that the baby is cold at home
A mother should be guided by her feelings and the physical signs of the baby.
- If he wakes up at night for feeding or in the morning has cold thighs, forearms and back between the shoulder blades, then he is cold. nine0033 But if only the nose, arms and legs are cool, this is normal, and the child is comfortable sleeping. During sleep, the body lowers its body temperature slightly. But if these parts of the body are icy, then the baby is frozen. When in doubt, feel the back of the neck. Warm means everything is in order.
- You can also touch the folds of your arms and legs. If it's cold, it's definitely freezing.
It is also important to watch that there is no overheating
- If the baby begins to sweat, breathes quickly, his skin is red, then he is very hot. And this is a signal that he was dressed too warmly for sleep.
nine0034 - When overheated, the child may scream and cry, and breathing becomes faster.
- When it's hot, the grown-up child starts throwing off the blanket, and the baby starts to get out from under the diaper in which you swaddled him.
How to dress for sleep
The choice of clothes for sleep requires special attention from parents. It is important to dress your baby according to the weather and room temperature.
Sleepwear should be comfortable, made from natural materials, and safe. Avoid ties, strings, small details on slips or pajamas. nine0003
In case of cool weather, choose two-layer clothing: cotton and something else made of warm material. This allows you to warm up, and sweat, and not freeze without discomfort.
Skip the blanket - it's not safe to use, especially in the first year of a baby's life. Replace it with a baby sleeping bag. It can be used all year round. For the summer, buy a thinner, lighter weight version that is suitable for warm weather.
Be sure to select the bag according to the size, and not more. nine0003
A newborn should never be swaddled too tightly or covered over his face or head. This will increase your risk of SIDS.
Wear a light cap to keep out the cold, but only when you are awake. During sleep, it can slide onto the face of the newborn and cut off the supply of oxygen.
It is also better to take off your socks for sleep and use overalls if you are not swaddling your baby.
What temperature should the room be if the child has a cold? nine0029
Keep the same temperature throughout the day. Although in a cool room it is easier for a child to breathe with a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing.
If he has a fever, change into lighter clothes.
Like this article? Rate:
Votes: 133
Comments on material Scandal in the nursery: the baby was found in the cold | 74.ru
- Surviving frosts
- Repair in a day — three trends
- Apartments for crazy money
- Where to order food
- Mother killed her daughter and herself
- region in demographic pit
- Changes for drivers
- What will happen to the dollar
- flu and SARS
- All about the special new news
“Beating me and dragging me by the hair”: in the Southern Urals, a boarding school teacher was accused of torturing children
The first Christmas city festivities took place in Chelyabinsk
And this is your ceiling? What will happen to oil and gas prices and how it will affect the Russian economy
Children are the future of digitalization: the IT Academy will soon start the spring flow
Barrack and mess.
Former residents of a settled two-story building in the center of Chelyabinsk are sent bills for housing and communal services Is the Kraken approaching? What is known about the new covid variant and when to expect it in Russia nine0003
Chelyabinsk residents have been warned about failures in the work of the traffic police unit
From 2023, the mother's capital can be fully spent on monthly payments. Who can receive them?
Defense workers were reminded of the criminal punishment for disrupting the state order: news of the NWO for January 10
45 diapers and 24 bottles a day: how does a family with newborn quadruplets live - look at cute photos
Cat piles? Chelyabinsk drowned in snow blockages, and the townspeople are offered to wait 9 more0003
Shoigu instructed to create a digital database of recruits in 2023
“Identified by a family tattoo”: relatives of a soldier who died in Makeevka told how they said goodbye to a soldier
The number of cases of hepatitis A increased after lunch in a cafe in the center of Chelyabinsk
Figure skater Roman Kostomarov ended up in intensive care with pneumonia.
