Premature Babies Room Temperature - What Should it be?

A premature babies room temperature may need to be a little bit warmer then average until the baby’s weight hits about seven pounds. This is because preemies have little body fat and therefore have difficulty regulating their own body temperatures and can get chilled easily. Their room temperature may need to be kept at around 70-72 degrees. It is equally as important not to have a premature baby’s room temperature too warm. Premature babies are already at higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A baby’s room that is stuffy or overheated, is thought to be another contributing factor in SIDS.

Taking a premature infant’s temperature may be necessary to ensure that the baby isn’t too cool or too warm. Researchers at Ohio State University found that taking a baby’s temperature under the arm with an infrared thermometer is just as accurate as taking the temperature with a rectal thermometer. Another advantage of using the infrared thermometer is that it takes less time to get a temperature reading. As any parent knows, trying to get a baby to stay still long enough to take their temperature using the traditional method is difficult.

In addition to regulating room temperature, it is important to remember to dress premature baby’s properly. Parents are usually advised to dress a premature infant in one more layer of clothing then the parent would be comfortable in. When putting a premature newborn to sleep it is preferable to use layers and or thick pajamas, rather then piling on blankets on a cool night. Blankets bunching up around a baby’s face may cause breathing difficulties.

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About The Author:

Stephen Byrne is a successful author and publisher of http://www.1st-babies.com. An online resource for buying great baby products.