To worry about newborn DS in a hot bedroom?

[Username987777]

I have a 4 week old DS and this weather is really making me worry about keeping him cool at night. The recommended sleeping temp is 20-22 degrees but it’s currently 30 degrees in every room in our house. He sleeps in a crib next to my bed but I have to keep the bedroom door shut to keep the dogs out (our house is open plan and the only way to keep them away from DS while he’s sleeping is to shut the bedroom door). Not usually a problem but the last few days have been so hot and muggy that the bedroom feels like a sauna. I’ve opened windows but we live on a busy main road so the traffic noise is constantly waking him. I’m so worried about him overheating but DP says he’ll be fine. AIBU to worry so much? What do others do during the hot summer months to avoid babies overheating? I’ve got a fan on (but not pointing at DS) and I’ve tried hanging up a wet towel but that just made the air feel damp.

[Wolfiefan]

We got an air conditioner unit. Put it on before bedtime. Cools the room down.
Stairgate for the dogs?

[Whyohwhy65]

The fan should be fine. My dd has awful eczma which is aggravated even more when it's hot. She will wake constantly if the fan is not on and itch like crazy. Sleeps soundly with the fan going though

[SmallBlondeMama]

That is way too hot!! That is very scary. Please install an AC unit in the bedroom for the baby.

[Treaclepie19]

I was awful for worrying about this.
Thin clothing, iced water in a bowl, fan. Try not to worry too much (I know it's hard)
Stairgate for the dogs as above.

[AjasLipstick]

A stairgate is a must. I live in Oz where the temperatures you describe are normal...it gets much, much hotter in general and I had a new baby in a house with no air con.

He will be fine. Dress him lightly.

[mrsFruitLoops]

Put a bowl of ice in front of a fan.it actually cools the air rather than just moving warm air around.

[memaymamo]

That is way too hot!! That is very scary.

How do you think babies survive in any nation with a tropical climate? Astonishingly, the human race seemed to continue before the invention of air conditioning.

My babies were born abroad with temperatures frequently over 30, and had rooms with only a fan. You just dress them accordingly.

[User467]

Try not to panic. I watched the thermometer for every degree change with my first but didn't even buy one with my second. If you were out during the day in that heat you would dress your dc accordingly and they would be fine.plenty of children manage in hotter environments. Let them sleep in just a nappy or a nappy and a vest if that's better, maybe get a fan.

[EekThreek]

It was like this when DD1 was born, 8 years ago (yesterday in fact 🎂)

She slept in a vest for weeks. Short, or no sleeves. No blankets or sheets. I didn't even buy sleepsuits when she outgrew newborn. I think she's was in 6-9 months by the time she needed them - until then she wore a thin grobag if it was cooler (relatively speaking, still talking 22-23 degrees).

We were in a flat, all windows facing main road so we could only get a through-draft in the day when we could prop multiple doors open between us and the communal areas to the main door downstairs. Absolute nightmare for fire regs and security, so we only did it in the day when we could be alert but it did make night times sweltering.

[Dancingtothebeat]

Agree with the posters above. Babies are born in Spain and Italy where the temperature is regularly like this with no damage.

[Ssssurvey]

Just a nappy and yes to a fan, not directed at baby but across the top of where they are sleeping, the noise will be soothing as a bonus

[GreenTulips]

If you have aloft hatch opennit an hour before bedtime to let the heat rise into the loft space and cool air come down. It's lovely!

[x2boys]

ds2 was born in may 8 years ago I think he just slept in a nappy and vest with a thin blanket on him?

[worridmum]

how do you think children in tropical climates survive ? do you think everyone in Spain, Malta , Greece etc all have Air con to cool down rooms?

How about in Africa near the equator when the temperature is at least that high all year round and in the dry session gets to close to 40.....

As long as you are not dressing him in warm clothes and or thick blankets the baby should be fine with a fan on or the window open.

[frasier]

I was like you OP. We bought an air conditioning unit in the end and it’s worth it’s weight.

[Candyflip]

Where do you live OP? I live in a hot country and only really put the AC on to deal with the humidity. I would just use a fan to get the air moving.

[Semster]

I really don't think you need to worry so much. I was born in the height of summer in Malta, and my parents lived in a tiny hot flat with no A/C (and sometimes no power at all). I'm still here nearly 50 years later.

I would get a stairgate to keep the dogs out.

[AhoyDelBoy]

Oh goodness. It was 42 degrees Celsius (That's not a typo, 42) regularly in my place up until very recently. Baby was in a light onsie or singlet, fan on. Nothing else could be done. End of.

[sunbunnydownunder]

He will be fine. Dress him in a vest and use a muslin wrap to cover him. My youngest was born at the start of a Perth summer and 30 deg is an average temp here in the summer. Run the fan to keep the air moving.

[ReturnofSaturn]

Jesus you do know there are hot countries where it's permanently much hotter right? Or do you think all babies including mine here in a queensland summer die?

[DisturblinglyOrangeScrambleEgg]

I think you're getting a bit of a hard time OP - but yes, in plenty of countries babies are fine in these temperatures.

If you want a shock, wander around one of those hot countries in April - you'll be in a t-shirt, the babies will still be wrapped up under 3 layers!

I am looked at with mouth aghast for the things I do where I am now, and how cool I keep the bedrooms (nothing crazy, 18-20) in winter - our baby sitter would crank the heating up until it was stifling as soon as I left! Every country has things that must be done for babies or terrible things will happen, and in every country they're different (here for instance they have hair dryers at the soft play for kids heads, because leaving the house with wet hair is very dangerous - now I can see it's not great in the depths of winter if you had an hour's walk home, but for my kids, going into a heated car, and then a heated house, it's really not an issue)

[Username987777]

The reason I’m so concerned about the temperature is that midwife and health visitor has been quite insistent that SIDS is a heightened risk if the temp exceeds 22 degrees. I did wonder how babies in hotter climates fared, as I’m sure not everyone has air con, but MW was insistent that I somehow keep the room below 23 degrees

[Worlds0kayestmum]

It is worrying, my DS is 10 months and miserable in this weather. I echo others suggestions of a fan, place a bottle of frozen water in front of it.
I read that the SIDS risk is actually higher when the temperature is artificially created (eg central heating in winter) rather than summer temperatures

[Tawdrylocalbrouhaha]

Your midwife is not being realistic in this weather. But 30 is very hot - I'm in London and the bedrooms haven't been over 25 this year. Are you keeping the windows and curtains shut in the hottest part of the day, then open at night and in the morning?

And yes, a fan gently blowing air over her will cool her. And the weather will cool off soon enough!

[Username987777]

Tawdry - I’m also in London but my house gets very hot as it’s mid terrace with no breeze. We’ve tried everything, windows open, curtains shut, but the house still retains heat.