To use the log burner with a newborn baby?

[Teenytinyfeet]

….given our circumstances?

We had a new log burner fitted last winter, defra approved etc etc. We have a carbon monoxide alarm in the living room and an air filter machine (no idea if that actually does anything)

We are oil central heating and the price of oil is just extortionate, with the government only offering £100 in support at the moment.

We are extremely lucky in that we get free wood so in previous years mostly use this to heat our home.

However, DC is 2 months old and I’ve said to DH I’m not happy using the wood burner this winter due to the increased risk of SIDS and asthma etc.

DH says I’m being ridiculous and that it doesn’t emit smoke into the room and with the monoxide alarm and air filter it’ll be fine. He says we can’t justify not using it this winter given that it’s a free heat source.

We’ve just had yet another row about it.

I don’t know what to think/ do.

Has anyone used their log burner around a young baby? AIBU to be worried?

I wouldn't but you can't stop him doing it.

My DD has mild asthma and the one at MILs house affected her very badly, she couldn’t be in the room with it
I really don’t think they are good for you

I wouldn't use a log burner at all, particularly not with children in the house.

It’s when you have to open the door to add in new wood that releases a lot of the particulates. I have a wood burner but haven’t used it since my children were born.

No I asked my in laws not to use theirs when my baby is at theirs. When they have (still) used it my baby has bright red cheeks. I don’t know if it’s just theirs but it seems to just heat the area in front of it and not the whole room so they go from being boiling to freezing depending where they are in the room.

I stopped using my fireplace when oldest DC were born.

New house has a log burner which seems safer but still not sure about it around Dc3.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/01/avoid-using-wood-burning-stoves-if-possible-warn-health-experts

DH says I’m being ridiculous and that it doesn’t emit smoke into the room

You aren’t the ridiculous one. I’m looking at properties on RM, the amount of them with log burners is unreal.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/01/avoid-using-wood-burning-stoves-if-possible-warn-health-experts

www.which.co.uk/news/article/study-says-wood-burning-stoves-should-be-accompanied-by-a-clear-health-warning-aVTnp5Q8lj1q

Snap Jelly

It’ll be fine. Properly fitted log burners are safe and you’ve got a CO2 detector in the room. Used one for both of mine ( only heating we had)/ DD2 used a log burner when her lo was born during a horrendously cold winter —- no problems at all.

Yanbu.

I get the attraction but they are carcinogenic. I don't understand why anyone would expose a child to it.

I used mine when my two were babies. We moved to a house with an open fire and that wasn’t great, it was noticeably smoky at times but neither have asthma.
in another house now. Have a big wood burner and probably another going in the kitchen. Dry seasoned wood only. CO and heat detectors in rooms with log burners and a very substantial fire guard.
Any heating appliance that burner oil gas or wood etc should have a co monitor

I had an open fire (rather than log burner) and used it with smokeless fuel even when mine were tots.

Our baby is due in a couple of weeks. We have a wood burner which we love, but definitely won’t be using it for a good few years and even then, probably only on Christmas Day for the atmosphere.

Wood burners emit microscopic carcigenic particles that damage the lungs. Why would you allow your babies tiny, delicate lungs to be harmed.

I know. It’s just very easy to say don’t use it, but with oil costs as high as they are and free wood, it’s really hard to justify not. All my friends have had wood burners with their kids and think I’m mad for questioning it but the health risks are more known now 😞

I think you're right, but so difficult to make a decision with oil being expensive. I'd personally never have a log burner there is a lot of evidence of their negative impact on air quality both inside and outside the house.

My son is now a teenager, have used one every year since he was born, no issues at all.
Modern wood burners are fine for indoor use, everyone freaking out about them is madness. Use it, be warm, your baby will be fine

When people say they’ve used them with no issues - surely the issues we are talking about would take many years to appear? That is what would worry me. We don’t use ours anymore.

I have a newborn. I'm using mine. It's properly fitted, in a huge room, burning seasoned wood, and we have a CO monitor. We're on oil central heating too.

Yes they increase air pollution. Yes air pollution is linked to respiratory disease.

But correlation and causation are different.

Living in a damp, cold home from not being able to heat it will also increase risks of respiratory problems.

So while if you don't have one, have nice central heating and so on then adding one and using it will represent an increased risk.

For someone who needs it for heating then the actual risk vs benefit balance is different and in fact the risk of using it vs not having heating could potentially be a negative risk, ie reduce the risk of respiratory problems as the child will be being kept warm and the home dry rather than cold and damp.

There are still roughly 1 in 6 homes not in the mains gas grid so a lot of people use alternative heating methods including solid fuel. It isn't always that simple to say that you shouldn't use a fire or stove.

Yet!

I think it’s about balancing risks. We have no mains gas only electric heating which is very expensive so they would be cold. We also live in the middle of nowhere.
I do notice traffic fumes when I’m occasionally in a large town with stationary traffic and feel it’s coming straight in the buggy at my youngests level. It’s about what risk you are ok with.
Cold damp houses are not good for health so we use wood burners

Log burners are vile things. They create a problem that just does not need to exist. Rip that thing out and fit a nice electric fire instead. There are plenty of lovely ones around.

We're in the same situation, oil heating, youngest DC is 8 months, we use ours if it's chilly as like you have free seasoned logs and it saves on heating. It's at the opposite end of the room to where we sit and as a PP said the alternative would be a damp cold room which isn't much good for them either. We had it on daily when eldest DC came home from hospital as it seemed madness spending on heating oil to pile out through our poorly insulated, non cavity wall, draughty house when we're only sat in one room of it 🤷

We did.
Obviously a sample size of two isn't much but both are fine.
I grew up with open fires and I'm also fine.