MIL not sleeping over our house being too cold

We bought a dyson heater with a view to saving money by heating the room we were in rather than the whole house, but going from our energy meter, it seemed to cost more to run the dyson than it did to run the central heating, so if cost is the main reason, you might want to check the costs out.

I agree I would be too cold with heating on at 16. We usually leave it off during the day and put it on at 20 in the evening.

16 is far too cold.

If you want the house to sit at 17C comfortably, you need to be heating it to 18/19 a couple of times a day, then it will naturally drop to a more ambient lower temps.

We have our heating on twice a day for 1.5hrs, heat to 21, and it drops to a comfortable 18/19.. any colder and we struggle (both have arthritis)

my bedroom is kept at a steady 19 overnight and its comfortable with a duvet and short sleeves.

I think it’s fine as long as everyone is dressed warmly. Not all houses are new builds. We keep ours generally around 16c (we have plenty of money for heating oil, but it’s a big house and it’s wasteful to heat it all if we’re comfortable, if it’s 18 it’s too hot). When our eldest was born we lived in a draughty old cottage and it took running the heating plus an electric heater to get a room up to 18c.

If you’re happy with it, it’s fine. Humans haven’t really evolved living in super warm climate controlled environments. If you were unwell or uncomfortable, okay sure. But if you’re okay with it that way, I think it’s fine.

Despite your ‘correction’ from up to 16 to minimum 16, you are BU. Thermostats go ‘up to’ the temperature you set them, then switch your heating off. 16 is too low - the absolute minimum temperature to house a new born in.
And the 16 - 20 degree guidance is for a sleeping baby, swaddled etc.

The bigger problem appears to be your OH.
‘He’s a tight arse’, so this temperature management isn’t about what’s comfortable, it’s about minimising spend on heating.
With a new baby, this will prove to be the tip of the iceberg, and you are going to need to get yourself a spine and advocate for your child’s health and interests in the face of a man focused only on money.

Good luck to you and the baby xx

16 is cold for me, and definitely too cold for a newborn. My heating is set at 24.

And thats the other side of ridiculous.

I occasionally boost to 21, but normally stick around 20

16 is the min for a baby room. Its 16 to 20 but ive always had my baby room at 20 and she's absolutely fine. I just dont overdress her. Your house is too cold, Im sorry.

16 degrees is bloody ridiculous. You may as well not bother. Im not surprised your mil is worried. Poor baby must be freezing

I think it depends how you are living your life in the house, up and rushing about all the time, going out to work during the day, its probably fine. Sitting working at home I would be really uncomfortable. Ultimately you get used to how you run your own house, I used to live in a house with no working heating but now have got used to being warm and feel cold when I go to my mums house.

Maybe some electric heaters in the rooms. Those space heater type, that look like wood stoves.
It sounds cold for a baby. 19 or 20 is cozier for a baby. (And me)

16 is ridiculous especially with a new baby.

18 is the recommended temp
.

It’s difficult being a MIL, always best to keep your mouth shut. She’s right though, your baby won’t be very comfortable at those temperatures. 16 degrees is okay at night if baby has a warm gro bag. During the day 19 would be more comfortable. I would find it difficult not to occasionally say something if I was your MIL even though it might get on your nerves. I would visit you but probably annoy you by wearing a fleece and scarf in the house. Your husband does sound a bit stingy and controlling. Perhaps tell MIL you would like it a bit warmer but your husband isn’t happy for you to turn the heating up, then she can nag him instead of you.

It seems to tally with the other thermometers I have so I am fairly sure it is. The house stays a constant 16. However, we do turn it up if we are having visitors. Apart from DH’s best friend who always complains it’s “boiling”, turns the radiator off in his bedroom and opens the window.

Maybe your thermstat isn't accurate @cinquanta ?

Your house is cold, turn on your heat!

I assumed your mil was sleeping there, hence your thread title - but it seems not. So why can't she sleep? Edit: OK, I misread - she won't sleep over in your house because your house is so cold. Did this not tell you anything?

Our thermostat is set at 16 degrees 24 hours a day. We don’t find it cold, never mind very cold. Nor do we have any damp problems.

I'm with you that anything above 16C is warmer than I'd like for sleeping in but would find that uncomfortable during the day unless I was rushing about doing chores or completely bundled up in thick clothing, and I know I'd have problems with damp and mould (but I live in one of the most humid parts of England). I think it would be difficult with a young baby in those daytime temps esp since there tends to be a bit more sitting around, nappy changes, breastfeeding etc. 18C ideally.

To me anything above 20C is reasonable for elderly, immobile or sick people 😂

I think 18/19c is the optimum temp. 16c is very cold and the damp is worse for you all as well.MIL is right here!

I think stinginess is a bad trait. If your husband is being stingy, even with a new baby, I’d be more worried about that than the cold.

I've got 5 very healthy children from ages newborn to 11. Only ever get the usual coughs and colds. Me and husband never ill either so is fine for us. Had house for 15 years and no mould yet so...

Advice from Public Health England, NHS and Asthma + Lung UK is that 16 degrees is too cold during the day and isn't healthy especially for a baby

She is right. Get the temp to 19 or 20 and your house will be warm enough. You can always turn it down o ce the house is warm. I don't have heating on overnight but I do get the house warm before we ate going upstairs to sleep. With a baby you need to do better. If your husband is too tight buy a decent oil radiator for the baby.

That post reminded me of the Monty Python Four Yorkshiremen sketch! 16 degrees - luxury! 😂

I'm so shocked reading all these..I've still not put my heating on this year. Checked thermostat and my living and toddlers room is both 16. I'm guilty of opening all the bedroom windows in the morning though as I like fresh air and I don't bother shutting them till the eve. Also got a 7 week old baby. He's in a 3.5tog grow bag with arms at night and seems fine. I have tablet dehumidifiers in every room and no problems with mold. I'm not even wearing my jumper indoors yet so I guess we are all different. My older kids only wearing rain coats to school and I put their jumpers in their bags buy they never use them. I'd just get your MIL an hoodie to wear at yours.
If you're cold put your heating on. Of you're not don't.

16 is fine at night. Do you have a thermometer in the baby’s room? Dropping lower should be avoided.

I’d find it uncomfortable in the day but find 18-19 very comfortable. 20+ I find stifling.

What I can’t comprehend is your use of small electric heaters - always madly expensive - rather than turning the heating up a bit (cheaper and more effective).