“Do Babies Feel Heat?” Was asked…
The answer to that one is a resounding YES. Babies are much much more sensitive to temperature, purely because while they were in the womb, they were kept at a constant of body temperature which is around 37 degrees celcius. This means that our bodies while we were pregnant would have made sure that our temperature did not fluctuate.
The baby would be used to that kind of enviroment, warm and in liquid. Could you imagine the rude awakening that poor baby has when it’s born. The baby is born into a cold enviroment, I think that may be while they scream to badly. hehehe… on a serious note again. Babies can’t regulate their own body temperature for a while after birth.
This is why we have to make sure that their room is kept at a constant temperature, preferably around 20 degrees celcius, maybe a little more if it is especially drafty.
If a baby gets too hot, their are several risks to that baby. He/She will get a heat rash, or could start having respiratory problems. Neither of these conditions are comfortable for a baby.
In the summer months when the heat starts getting really hot, then they should be kept cool with summer clothes and also with a light blanket on them, just to keep the breeze away from them, but there should be a fan circulating the air, and preferably not a air-conditioning unit. As they tend to get too cold and also the system can circulate unwanted nasties. Hence, increasing the risk of infections or viruses.
If you find that your child is especially warm and seems to have a temperature, then put the baby in a luke-warm bath to get his/her temperature back to normal. Even babies like a kick about in a splash pool in the summer months, but please ensure that they are not directly in contact with the sun. A Gazebo over the top of a splashpool will work great.
Please remember that safety is always important and you should never leave a child unsupervised. Not even for a second.
Here are some articles that relate to baby heat rashes and how you can avoid them.
- Heat Rash – Information About Heat Rash
- Dressing Your Baby – How To Protect Your Child From The Elements
