So the long-awaited nine months ended, and the baby was born, but his body is still so defenseless against the outside world that any deviation in temperature in the environment can negatively affect the child. There is no unequivocal answer to the question of what temperature a newborn should have. In the first days of life, the processes of thermoregulation of the body are not yet perfect, so the newborn risks getting a heat stroke in the event of a thorough wrapping or overcooling at lower ambient temperatures.
What should be considered the norm or what temperature should a newborn have?
At birth and up to two months, the average body temperature of the baby can range from 36.3 to 37.4 degrees, but a deviation from the norm by 0.2 degrees is not a cause for alarm. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the baby. By measuring the temperature of the child every day three times, you can build a graph of temperatures at which the baby will feel great. It is these indications that will be considered his norm.
How is baby's body temperature measured ?
There are several basic rules that you must follow when
measuring temperature in infants. Temperature indicators may vary depending on the time of day. So, for example, in the morning hours it can differ by several tenths from the indicators obtained in the evening. If we compare the temperature of a
crying baby and a baby at rest, the difference will also be significant. The ideal time to get the temperature of your baby will be the interval between the 16th and 17th hours half an hour after swaddling, as such an emotional process can affect the result.
Causes of fever
What factors can affect its increase and what temperature should be? A newborn has several physiological reasons why body temperature can rise. Perhaps the child just overheated and it should be a little swaddle or undress. In this case, a decrease in temperature can be observed in half an hour. Teething, stressful situations, or a recent vaccination can also cause fever. If the temperature starts to rise for no apparent reason, this may be due to allergic reactions or diseases. In this case, an early hospitalization of the baby is necessary.
What should be the temperature in the room of the newborn?
After discharge from the maternity hospital, each mother seeks answers to questions about whether the baby has enough light, what temperature the newborn should have in the room. In an infant, all metabolic (metabolic) processes proceed much faster than in adults. In this regard, the body of a little man accumulates a large amount of heat in himself, which he can get rid of by exhaling heated air from the lungs or by releasing moisture through the skin. The most optimal temperature is considered indicators ranging from 19 to 22 degrees. In the case of premature or small babies, the degree rises by 2-3 divisions.