Caring for your newborn can sometimes feel like a juggling act. You've got so many priorities: your baby’s nutrition, sleep schedule, and health. Not to mention your well-being! Adding the ideal room temperature for your newborn might make you feel like you’re going to drop the ball.
We can help you address this important component of nurturing your baby. In this article, we’ll explain why room temperature matters and how to achieve a just-right range.
Keeping your newborn’s room comfortable and cozy can help them sleep longer and better. That means you can sleep longer and better, too!
Key Takeaways
What’s the ideal room temperature for a newborn?
Room temperature matters for a newborn because they can’t efficiently regulate their body temperature. In the first couple of months, newborns are especially sensitive to temperature changes because their thermoregulation is still developing. (This ability gradually improves over the first few months.)
So what is the ideal room temperature for a newborn? It may be cooler than you think. Imagine a spring day, no wind in the air, and some cloud coverage. That’s what you’re aiming for: between 68 and 72°F (20 and 22°C).
This temperature window is critical. While you might intuitively want to bundle up your brand-new baby so they stay cozy and warm, that may cause overheating. And overheating increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
How do you know if your newborn is too hot or too cold?
Setting a thermostat is useful for achieving an ideal room temperature (and we’ll go into that below), but it’s just as important to recognize the signs that your newborn may be too hot or too cold.
Your newborn might be too hot if:
- You touch the nape of their neck, and it’s sweaty
- Their chest or ears feel hot
- They have flushed skin
- They’re irritable
- Their breathing becomes more rapid
Your newborn might be too cold if:
- Their hands and feet turn blue
- They’re shivering
- They’re waking up more often than usual
Use your comfort level to determine if your newborn’s room is too hot or too cold, too. If you’re reaching for a sweatshirt, the room may be too cold. If you’re warm in your t-shirt, the room may be too hot.
Perfecting your newborn’s room temperature
Here are seven ways to manage the temperature of your newborn’s room so they can get the most restful and safe sleep possible.
1) Set the thermostat.
This is the most precise way to control the temperature. Make sure your thermostat is set to between 68 and 72°F. You can also use an indoor thermometer in your newborn’s room. Some baby tools (like monitors, humidifiers, and white noise machines) have them built in.
Setting the temperature is not an exact science, though. Check the room a few times. Depending on details such as the insulation in your home, the floor the room is on, and the time of year, the temperature can vary.
It’s also subjective. What’s hot for one person may not be warm enough for another. A good rule of thumb is choosing a temperature that’s comfortable for you while wearing a light layer of clothing.
2) Keep the covers off your newborn.
According to the AAP, nothing should be in your little one’s crib except for a fitted sheet. Things like “loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers, and other soft items” aren’t safe.
Your baby can’t remove their cover if they get too hot (or pull it up if they get too cold). Most importantly, it could end up on their face.
Try one of Newton’s Breathable, Organic Cotton Sheets for your newborn’s crib. These hypoallergenic crib sheets made of pre-shrunk, organic muslin cotton feature all-around elastic for a tight, smooth fit and are machine-washable.
3) Wrap or swaddle your newborn.
Instead of covers, try wrapping or swaddling your baby when they go to sleep. (See our article How To Swaddle A Baby if you need instructions!) This lightweight “burrito-style” bundling helps calm your newborn’s startle reflex and regulate their temperature.
Important safety note: Once your baby starts to show signs of rolling over on their own, it’s time to stop swaddling! This begins for most babies between two and four months.
4) Follow the “one extra layer” rule.
A good gauge of the right bedtime clothing for your baby is how you feel in their room. If you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing, they should wear no more than one extra layer.
This might mean their swaddle plus something made of breathable fabric underneath. To dive a little deeper, baby sleepwear is measured by thermal overall grade (TOG), which determines the warmth of a piece of clothing.
So, if your little one’s room is on the warmer side, you would choose jammies with a lower TOG rating (0.2-1.0). If the room is cooler, you would choose jammies with a higher TOG (2.5-3.5).
Finally, babies regulate their temperature through their head, so don’t put a hat on them at night.
5) Help the air circulate.
A fan can improve the airflow in your newborn’s room. One study found that using a fan in an infant’s room was associated with a lower risk of SIDS. While more research is needed, improving airflow in your newborn’s room may help reduce risk when combined with other safe sleep practices.
In warmer weather, consider using a ceiling or portable fan, making sure it doesn’t blow directly onto your baby. You can also open a window or door to draw in fresh air.
6) Hang blackout curtains.
Blackout curtains are another great way to keep the temperature in your baby’s room from getting too hot. Especially during naptime, they can block the sun from pouring in through the windows.
7) Use a breathable mattress and mattress pad.
A breathable crib or bassinet mattress is designed to allow air to flow through, which helps prevent overheating. How does this work? As your baby sleeps, the heat from their breath is able to dissipate more effectively.
Newton’s organic mattresses are made with Wovenaire®, a patented cushioning material consisting of 90% air. Combined with their covers made from viscose, a non-toxic material, they’re fully breathable.
If you need to protect your mattress from leaks, try our Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad. Not only is it waterproof, but it’s also breathable.
Finding the “just-right” sleep formula
Your newborn has a big job ahead of them, adjusting to their new world. So, you want them to be well-rested! Part of getting good sleep is being neither too hot nor too cold. Making sure your newborn’s room is at a “just-right” temperature supports longer, more comfortable sleep.
Set your thermostat to that ideal temperature (somewhere between 68 and 72°F), put them in an Organic Swaddle Blanket until they start rolling over, and make sure their mattress is firm but breathable, like a Newton organic mattress.
Lastly, check the temperature in their room right before you go to bed. Sweet dreams for all!
Frequently asked questions
Does the ideal temperature for sleeping change with the seasons?
The ideal room temperature for your newborn doesn’t change from season to season. It remains between 68 and 72°F (20 and 22°C). What does change, though, is the way you help your baby achieve a comfortable, just-right temperature.
Depending on the weather outside, you can adjust your variables inside. In winter, you might need to dress your little one in a warmer onesie or jammies. Or a fan might be necessary in the summer to keep the air cool.
Will my baby sleep better in a cool room?
In general, babies do tend to sleep better in a cool room. This is because a lower temperature supports the body’s natural core temperature drop during sleep. Feeling cooler often leads to deeper sleep.
But your baby will let you know what they like best. Regardless of their preference, the ideal temperature is still within the 68-72°F range.
If you do set your thermostat to a cooler temperature, make sure you dress your baby in one extra layer than you would comfortably wear.
Can I use an air conditioner in my newborn’s room?
Yes, you can safely use an air conditioner in your newborn’s room. Just remember that the temperature shouldn’t dip below the usual 68-72°F range. Humidity levels and direct airflow need to be maintained, too.
Will using a humidifier help my newborn sleep?
It could. Humidifiers can relieve dry skin (especially in winter), help your baby breathe if they’re congested, and sometimes the white noise they produce can be a soothing sleep aid.
Remember safety precautions. Mold and bacteria can grow inside humidifiers if they aren’t taken apart and cleaned regularly. A cool-mist humidifier is recommended over a warm-mist one to eliminate the possibility of scalding.
