How to Tell if a Baby Is Cold

It's easy to tell if a baby is cold.

Keeping a baby, especially a newborn, the right temperature is an important step in helping the baby to stay healthy and strong. If you are a new parent or child care giver, however, it may be difficult to tell whether or not your baby is cold. Fortunately, by following several straightforward steps, you should easily be able to determine if your baby needs some extra clothing or a blanket to keep him warm and cozy.

Instructions

1. Use your own comfort level as a guide. Although you may assume that your baby should be bundled up constantly, regardless of the weather, this is not true. Once your baby's body temperature regulates properly within the first few days of life, you do not need to dress him any more heavily than you dress yourself. If you are comfortable in a T-shirt, chances are, your baby is warm enough in one too.

2. Listen to your baby's cues. If your baby is cold, he will send you a clear message of discontent by crying or fussing for apparently no reason. If your baby has a clean diaper, is not hungry, is still fussy and you think he may be cold, try wrapping him in a blanket or putting an extra layer of clothing on him to settle him down.

3. Check your baby's temperature with your hand. If you suspect that your baby is cold, feel the nape of his neck, arms or trunk with the back of your hand. If he feels cool to the touch in any of these areas, put some extra clothes on him, place a blanket around him or turn up the heat in your home.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use the feel of your baby's hands or feet as a guide. Due to an immature circulatory system, your baby's hands and feet are generally cooler to the touch than the rest of his body.

• Note that sneezing is not a good indicator of whether or not your baby is cold either. Babies often sneeze for a variety of reasons unrelated to temperature or sickness, such as needing to clear his nose or in reaction to bright sunlight.

• Remember that a baby loses a lot of heat through an uncovered head, so it is wise to keep a hat on him outdoors, particularly in cool or windy weather.

• If your baby seems exceptionally cold, you should move him to a warm place immediately and cuddle him close to the warmth of your body to help him maintain his body temperature. If necessary, put him directly on your skin under your shirt for a few minutes until his temperature stabilizes.

References

• Pregnancy and Baby: How to Tell if your Baby is Too Hot or Too Cold
• New Born Baby Zone: Too Cold Or Too Warm, What Should A Mother Do?
• "What to Expect the First Year"; Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff, Sandee E. Hathaway, B.S.N.; 1996