FTM total panic 5 week old baby

[RGxo13]

Hi everyone
I could be totally overthinking here and need some reassurance.
we had been at my mother in laws earlier and it was particularly hot. We undressed baby (5 weeks) trying to keep him cool. Obviously had to put him in the car seat to go home and he got worked up in the car and started crying. I noticed he was sweating so used our digital gun type thermometer on his chest and it gave a reading of 38.2. I started to panic thinking this is a fever I need to go to a&e but partner said let’s soothe him and then take his temp. We did and it came down to 37. But I’m still panicking. I feel like I should have taken him to a&e and now I’m watching him making sure he’s breathing as he sleeps. We changed his nappy and fed him and his behaviour was as normal. Am I overthinking? I feel so stressed. He’s asleep now but I’m so worried.

You were right not to take him to a&e; he’s fine. I don’t think those types of thermometers are very accurate and you should get a different one, but you don’t need to take your baby’s temperature whenever he seems seem hot and upset. Take his temperature if he seems ill, which as you say yourself, he doesn’t. He’s fine - don’t worry.

I’m pretty sure he would of just got hot in his car seat because of the weather at the moment. My daughter gets a really sweaty head in her car seat, and in this weather she feels really clammy all the time.

Agree with PP.

Get an underarm digital thermometer, the gun ones are not recommended.

And you don't need to take a baby to a&e for a temperature alone. Especially not a temperature that has already come back down.

Look out for things like, a temperature that won't come down + not their usual self, not weeing or pooing as normal, extra sleepy/lethargic/can't be roused, not feeding as normal, irritability, crying etc.

He's just got hot in the car and unless he was really poorly why would you go to A&E to sit for hours and hours. That's what out of hours GP's are for!

Thanks everyone. This has calmed me right down. I think I’ve gotten myself into this panicked state as online reading says high temp in babies under three months could be a sign of infection which for babies of that age can be fatal. It’s not something you ever want to think about.

It was just how upset he was in the car & the sweating that made me take his temp. But I will definitely get a better thermometer for future and look for signs of illness rather than just the temp and crying.

Have a baby they said, it’ll be fun they said!

I would get one of those Braun in-ear thermometers with the disposable caps. I use it on myself now as well and think it's the most accurate for the speed of measurement.

But, yes, he will have just been hot and sweaty and like any of us miserable. Children and babies seem to get very sweaty heads/hair without actually overheating. When they get fevers they are often much higher than you would expect with an adult. Over three months I think it needs to hit 39 before you start to worry, especially if they are otherwise well.

They say a lot of things. Sometimes they are right. Sometimes not.

DONT get an ear thermometer for a baby as it doesn’t fit and isn’t accurate. An under arm one is perfectly fine.

Glad you are reassured. My baby is 12 weeks and I’ve noticed that the car seat can get really warm recently so I always make sure I park in the shade and put something over the seat to reflect the heat.