Has anyone had baby feeling very cold overnight?

[laughingeyes2013]

6 month old has an infection (green snotty nose).

Sleeps in a room registering 20â?¢c on a baby monitor thermometer, but actually feels colder at night as is on the north east facing 'windy' side of the house.

Baby sleep in a long sleeved vest, baby grow and 2.5 tog sleeping bag. A few nights ago I also added a blanket on top as he was very cold.

When I changed his nappy at 2am he was cold all over. The only neutral temperature was his stomach, but I couldn't say it was actually warm.

It took me an hour of cuddling him in my bed and under my 12.5 tog duvet, to get him up to temperature before I could put him back in his cot.

So last night I actually took his temperature with a thermometer. He wasn't feeling as cold as the night before, only a little bit cool. But not enough to warrant putting him in my bed again like the previous night.

His axillary temperature read 35â?¢c, then next feed was 35.2, a few hours later he felt a bit warmer to touch and then by morning he was 36â?¢c.

I am aware that babies are at higher risk of mild hypothermia and that it starts from 35 degrees or lower. He didn't drop last night beyond 35 axillary (which you add half a degree to allow for the difference in temperature readings for various parts of the body), so actually last night he was only 35.5â?¢c at worst. I'm hoping he might be getting over it but I am also aware low body temperature can be as much of a killer as overheating, just less publicised.

Should I be worried?

Don't know on this one sorry laughing. This might bump for you but I'd be tempted to put him in your bed tonight.

I've been putting ds in 2 babygros recently instead of the usual one, plus socks over his hands..

Crickey! x2 2.5 tog ones?

You're braver than I am!

Sorry I meant 2 x sleepsuits :-)

Ohhh! That's more like it! And what do you have vest wise under that (short or long sleeves)?

I have a merino wool sleeping bag. It adjusts depending on the baby temp and room temp. Suitable for room temps between 17 and 27 deg C

Is he in the room alone? I think the guidelines say they shouldn't be left alone sleeping until a year old. I would bring him into your room. His room sounds way too cold.

Short sleeves - trial and error really! X

scarletforya where have you heard those guidelines? Babies should be in your room until 6 months and 18 degrees I think is the ideal room temperature so laughings room temp is quite warm.

I wouldn't put him under your duvet laughing but if his trunk was cold then I see no harm in an extra sleepsuit or a cardi over the top of the grobag. I put a cellular blanket on dd over her grobag (which I know you're not supposed to) just as an extra layer as her room goes down to 16 degrees some nights.

I have the heating on timer to be on between 1 and 4am, with the radiators turned right down. Could you do this?

Sometimes you just got to go with your gut. I'd he needs more layers, do it and be prepared to take one off if he gets too warm. Worth a try.

Did the cold wake him up?

We have a similar situation: room is often 17 degs over night. We dress ds in a short sleeved vest, babygro and grobag which is 2.5 tog. On top of that he has a doubled over cellular blanket, so two layers really, but I keep it tucked over his legs and tummy only, so a good third of his body is out. He gets cold hands but his torso and neck are warm (not sticky or sweaty) so I assume its about right. I need a nightie, 12 tog duvet and sometimes a blanket on at night so I work on him needing a layer more.

Extremities are often cool: his neck is the best place to check as babies will get rid of excess hear through their heads. If his skin is warm and not clammy, and he's not waking and crying in discomfort is have thought you're about ok?

scarlet why do you think his room is too cold? 20 degrees is on the warm side if anything. And SIDS recommendations recommend baby be in your room until 6 months old. Since OPs baby is this age, it is fine for him to be in his own room.

OP if he's still feeling cold tonight, I'd recommend getting him checked over by a doctor tomorrow.

If all is well, I would try layers-a pair of fleecey socks, a long sleeved vest and then a fleece or velour sleepsuit before putting on his grobag.

I has always thought it was better to dress warmer than heat the room (happy to be corrected if I'm wrong) so have always put dd in more clothing as the room gets cold at night. She now wears a long sleeved sleepsuit, fleece sleepsuit and has a duvet. When it gets colder again I will have to look at what else to do as she's always cold when I go in to her and not just extremities. She's just like me and gets cold at night.

That's a good point re doctor : I'd missed the bit about him having a cold.

Does he seem otherwise alert and well? Cool edges are often normal but cool torso may indicate poor circulation secondary to illness. You can press over his breastbone with your finger for five seconds: the skin will blanche but should regain its colour in under two seconds in a healthy child.

Just to clarify I am in with him (on a zed-bed) because I am not happy to leave him alone at the moment. Instinct? Over anxious second time parent? Who knows. All I can say is I'm not leaving him until it feels right. This baby is completely different to my first one who was in a room alone by now.

Last night I went more by his actual core body temperature on the thermometer. At its lowest it was 35 degrees axilla. He wasn't as badly cold to touch on his torso which confirmed this to me as well.

Tonight I put the radiator on for one hour between 5:30-6:30pm and then put him to bed at 7:30. I've just given him a sleepy feed and he is lovely and warm tonight. Hard to know if it's because of the one hour heating or whether he's turned a corner infection wise (he sounds less sniffly).

If he has another cold spell overnight though, I will contact the surgery tomorrow because you can be sure we will have a cold snap somewhere along the way this winter and I want to have some concrete management advice really.

Meanwhile, thanks for sharing everyone

Ps - thanks for the reminder about capillary refill. I know about the blanching but in the wee small hours it's not something I had thought to consider, but will now check it tonight if needed.