Ongoing battle with room and body temperature

[Taler]

We live in an old property so great in terms of character etc but old properties tend to be that bit colder than these new builds. I'm not complaining about that though as whilst we do of course use central heating every day in the winter, growing up surrounded by central heating all the time is definitely not healthy.

My problem is the room our 9 month old DD sleeps in is (like our bedroom too) on a side of the house that doesn't get the sun. So in the heat of summer this is of course great but as soon as the temperature drops it becomes an issue (well for me anyway, not DH).

We thermostatically control the temperature in her room when we have the heating on which of course helps. And whilst recently the temperature has dropped from the heat we'd been having, we are still nonetheless in summer and can't justify having the heating on.

The temperature in her room at present seems to fluctuate between 19 and 20 degrees. BUT there is always a bit of a chill in there. There always has been! So we tend to knock a degree off what the thermometer says.

My DH and I have been at loggerheads over the temperature in her room since day 1. We both of course acknowledge that overheating is most important to avoid, but he thinks I worry too much about her temperature and the temperature in her room and what she wears (ie which tog, sleep suit or vest etc).

Last night for instance I had to settle DD in the middle of the night (she has a cold too at the mo!), I felt the top of her back and it didn't feel warm. I won't exaggerate and say she felt "cold", probably more cool.

Babies should and want to feel warm right?

This is an ongoing battle with DH and I and it's driving me mad as both feel we are right in what we say.

He of course doesn't want her to be cold but surely if he felt her last night and felt she wasn't warm he'd put her in a thicker tog as I did!!?

[beccajoh]

I'm inclined to agree with your husband to be honest. A cold baby wouldn't go back to sleep and if the room is 18 degrees your baby isn't going to freeze. It's actually the recommended temperature for sleeping. What tog bag are you using? Are you dressing your baby according to the guides given on the sleeping bag packaging?

[CMOTDibbler]

Exposed skin feeling slightly cool is fine. If she's cold, she'll wake up and tell you!

[Taler]

We were using a 1 tog in the hotter weather and she would sleep with a long sleeve vest but because the temperature has dropped (and that chill in her room) she now sleeps in a sleep suit and a 1.9 tog, but changed her middle of last night to a 2.5 tog when I felt she was cool.

[PigletJohn]

Off topic, but, for economy, If there is only one room you need to heat, rather than turning on the CH, you might consider a small oil-filled electric radiator in that room only. It also means you can turn the CH off or down at night.

It must have a thermostat. Adjust it so the room stays about 18C. Overheating is bad in many ways.

Oil-filled provide a more regular and even heat than most electric heaters, and do not have any scorchingly hot parts.

Generally, heating a whole house with electricity is more expensive than gas.

[Littlef00t]

It makes perfect sense to add a layer if baby is waking and seems cold, otherwise they will just keep waking if cold.

If they aren't waking then obv you don't have to go in unnecessarily to adjust layers as it's not bothering them.

I changed the tog sleeping bag on my dd last night after she woke 3 times in an hour and feeding didn't seem to help.

[Iggly]

If she is waking early or in the night she could be cold.

Go by your baby not the thermostat. I have two DC who sleep in the same room. One has to be wrestled into PJs and will not keep a duvet on. The other will need a duvet plus fleece. The one who hates being layered up feels cold to me but if I over layer her, she overheats and gets hives!!!

So if your baby seems fine then she is. Pop another vest on her if you think she's cold.

However I would not be so anal about heating - make sure you don't get damp. This is bad for children if you end up with mould.