It is important to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C – with light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag– is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies.
Overheating may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies one month to one year of age. Many experts recommend that the temperature in the room where a baby's sleeps be kept between 68–72°F (20–22.2°C).
Babies do best in a cool room (68–72˚F). A cooler environment helps prevent SIDS. Your baby's skin on the chest and stomach should feel warm and dry.
How hot is too hot for your baby's bedroom? Here's the short answer: anything above 21 degrees celsius. Babies are most comfortable sleeping between 18 and 21 degrees. The rule of thumb to keep them warm is to dress them in one more layer than you feel you need to sleep comfortably.
In cold weather, parents and caregivers often place extra blankets or clothes on infants to keep them warm; however, over-bundling may cause overheating, which elevates an infant's risk for SIDS. Infants are sensitive to extreme temperatures and cannot regulate their body temperatures well.
What Is the Ideal Temperature for a Sleeping Baby? Some studies have found that a room temperature between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. View Source may be comfortable for babies. Other recommendations range between 61 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit .
SIDS is most common at 2-4 months of age when the cardiorespiratory system of all infants is in rapid transition and therefore unstable. So, all infants in this age range are at risk for dysfunction of neurological control of breathing.
The Optimal Temperature for a Baby's Room in Australia
So much so that any changes in room temperature can make them fussy. That's why, according to The Sleep Store Australia, your baby's room shouldn't be either too hot or too cold. It should be somewhere between 18 to 22 degrees Celsius.
The guide shows that in the temperatures of 27 degrees plus, babies should be sleeping either in just a nappy, or a nappy and vest.
If the room is warm (22 degrees), then baby should be in a 1.0 tog sleeping bag and wear a long-sleeved bodysuit. If the room is slightly cooler (20 degrees), then baby should be in a 2.5 tog sleeping bag and wear a long-sleeved bodysuit.
White noise reduces the risk of SIDS.
We DO know that white noise reduces active sleep (which is the sleep state where SIDS is most likely to occur).
SIDS has no symptoms or warning signs. Babies who die of SIDS seem healthy before being put to bed. They show no signs of struggle and are often found in the same position as when they were placed in the bed.
SIDS is primarily caused by a lack of air ventilation and air circulation. A room that's too hot and stuffy can also be a likely culprit for SIDS. Therefore, turning on a fan in your bub's room is an effective way to help regulate a room's temperature and provide vital air circulation and ventilation.
It is important to make sure that your baby is a comfortable temperature – not too hot or too cold. The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot. A room temperature of 16-20°C – with light bedding or a lightweight, well-fitting baby sleep bag– is comfortable and safe for sleeping babies.
About 1,360 babies died of SIDS in 2017, the last year for which such statistics are available. Most SIDS deaths happen in babies between 1 month and 4 months of age, and the majority (90%) of SIDS deaths happen before a baby reaches 6 months of age. However, SIDS deaths can happen anytime during a baby's first year.
Overheating is linked to SIDS, so it's important that you don't bundle your baby too tightly in the winter. Try to keep their room cool in the months when the temperature outside is higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. There's some evidence that suggests that high environmental temperatures are also linked to SIDS.
The temperature can make your baby cry. They may cry because they are too hot or too cold. If your baby is fussy because of the temperature, there are signs that you can look for. Signs of the baby being too hot are sweating, damp hair, heat rash, or clammy skin.
When the thermometer reads 20 degrees or lower, the temperature is too cold for a baby. If you must be outside in extreme temperatures, take measures to make sure your child isn't exposed to the elements for more than a few minutes at a time. You'll also want to keep an eye on the wind.
Ideal room temperature for a baby to sleep
The ideal temperature for a nursery/bedroom whilst sleeping is 18Cº - 20Cº degrees, regardless of the season.
Room at 22 to 25 degrees: Use a lightweight 1.5 tog with a cotton bodysuit. Room above 25 degrees: Use a 0.5 tog sheet or muslin bag and a short-sleeved bodysuit. These are ideal for very hot weather and summer holidays abroad.
How cold is too cold? Below 13° - If your home is this cold, it may increase your blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. 14-15° - If your home is this cold, you may be diminishing your resistance to respiratory diseases. 18° - This is the recommended night time bedroom temperature.
While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide.
The highest SIDS rates in 1990 (>2.0/1000 live births) were in Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland. More recently, the highest SIDS rates (>0.5/1000 live births) are in New Zealand and the United States. The lowest rates (<0.2/1000) are in Japan and the Netherlands.