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Baby and hot bedroom

8 replies

DarlingClem · 18/07/2014 11:14

I'm just curious what everyone does about their baby's room now that it's hot? I'm not a stranger to the heat, I'm from Arizona and California and we've just moved from Australia so I'm used to long, hot summers. But this is my first with a young baby and also in a place where the houses aren't really built for heat (ie, the houses here are built to keep heat in, no central aircon, etc). DS' room got to 27 last night, I opened the window once it was dark but the way his room is located the air doesn't really circulate so having the window open doesn't make a huge difference. I was able to get it down to 24 this morning but now it's already back up to 27.

Do you just stick them in front of a fan (like I did last night) or do you think it's better to buy a portable aircon to cool the room down before bed? Any tips are appreciated, I have a lot of (unreasonable??) anxiety about him over-heating!

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BotBotticelli · 18/07/2014 13:56

DS1 is 18mo so this is our second hot British summer with him. His room is also 27-28 degrees day and night at the moment.

I have a blackout blind on his window day and night which helps keep the sun out. I have his window open a small crack all night, and I put him in his cot in just a vest. No other clothes or bed clothes. I have a s small fan on in the corner of the room, oscillating, so he gets a nice cool breeze across his skin.

he seems to be sleeping fine and wakes up warm but not sweaty, which I think means he is ok.

We did the same last summer when he was 6mo and he was also fine then.

I think as long as you're sensible with bedding (ie none! or very little) then they won't overheat. It's not comfortable but it's within human tolerances of hot and cold. I always think what do babies in hot countries where they don;t have aircon do? They just sleep in nothing/a nappy. And do that :)

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RoganJosh · 18/07/2014 14:00

I think 27, fan and naked apart from nappy or maybe vest should be fine.
How old is your baby?

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DarlingClem · 18/07/2014 16:51

He's 5 months. Last night I did a nappy and .35 tog sleeping bag as he's only just out of the Swaddle and I didn't think he'd sleep 'uncontained.' This past nap I just did a short-sleeved onesie and he seemed fine.

His room is blacked out as well and I worried that was making it more hot, no circulation and all, but opening a window doesn't make much difference. He doesn't get any sun, he's on the side of the house.

I just worry a lot about SIDS and know overheating can play a part. I try to be sensible and think what babies in tropical regions do but sense doesn't always prevail! We didn't have aircon in Melbourne but it also took a proper heatwave with hot nights to make our place uncomfortable, I worry what August will be like in his room when it's only been hot for a couple days and the nights are cool. At least we know it will hold heat in the winter!

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DarlingClem · 18/07/2014 16:53

That's meant to say .35 tog.

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FelixFelix · 18/07/2014 16:56

It was 27 in our room last night too. I keep the window open and she slept in just a vest last night. I also worry about being too hot, but then what if the temperature drops in the night with the window open? Ahhhh!

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Koothrapanties · 18/07/2014 17:07

Dd is 9 months and sleeping in just a nappy. I think even at 27 degrees, just a nappy is fine. Apparently you shouldn't have a fan pointing at them because they can get too cold. A fan in the room to circulate air is ok though if you want. As long as they aren't sweaty then I wouldn't panic.

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Wherehasmysleepgone · 19/07/2014 16:05

My 4 month old sleeps in just a nappy and fan in the room, he often doesn't feel very cool until morning. As I get up to him still several times I can keep an eye on how he feels! He sleeps fine in just a nappy! Our monitor said it was 30 last night in his room but the sun faces it in the afternoon (so I shut the blind) plus he has an airing cupboard!

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DarlingClem · 20/07/2014 13:06

We decided to order a small portable air conditioner. His room is just so feral and uncomfortable (I sleep on our guest bed in there so I know first hand). Last night he definitely woke a few extra times because he was uncomfortable and we just can't get his room to cool down. We found one that can also be used as a dehumidifier so that will be handy in the winter. We'll just pop it on before sleeps to get it down to a reasonable temp and then have the fan on across the room the rest of the time.