The most common question comes to every new first-time parent’s mind is, Is it safe to use air conditioners (AC) in my newborn baby’s room? Well, the answer is “yes, it is safe,” but with certain precautions. According to most pediatricians, using AC in a newly born’s room is safe rather than letting them stay in a hot and humid environment.
A well-ventilated room also helps prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk. Moreover, when babies stay in extremely hot and humid temperatures, they start getting heat-related illnesses such as heat rash, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration. Therefore, they need a properly ventilated, fresh airy room for comfortable sleep and healthy growth.
On the other hand, a too-cold room can severely affect your baby by lower down the body temperature and chilling them. This is because babies, particularly newborns, cannot regulate their body temperatures as well as adults. That’s why the main problem with using the AC running is a sudden drop down in temperature.
Here are the certain precautions that you need to follow to keep your newborn comfortable in an AC room:
Maintain comfortable room temperature
Changes in the outside temperature can affect the cooling of your AC. So always keep the temperature in a comfortable setting. According to the pediatrician’s recommendation, the temperature of a room must be between 23 to 27 degrees Celsius, depending on the outside temperature.
Avoid direct blasts of cold air
When you use an AC, make sure that your baby does not come in direct contact with air from AC. This can affect their health very harshly.
Use light blanket
While using AC, cover your baby’s body with a light blanket. Do not use a heavy blanket. Remember that your baby needs only one extra layer than you. If you plan to use an alight blanket, tuck it below your baby’s elbows to avoid covering the face.
Dress your baby rightly
Temperatures usually drop at night, so it is essential to properly dress up your baby in full-length clothes. This will protect your baby from cold air. Remember that clothes should not be of a thick layer. You can also cover their head and ear with a light cap and also use light cotton socks to cover their feet.
Use moisturiser
Air conditioner makes the room dry. So you must apply moisturiser on your baby’s skin to avoid dryness.
You may have heard people say to apply oil around your baby’s nose or dip an earbud in baby oil and gently applying to each nostril to prevent nose bleeding caused by dry nasal passages. But you should take the doctor’s suggestions before applying any oil to your baby’s nostrils.
Moreover, some mothers recommended keeping a bowl of water in the AC room. This will help to balance the dryness in the air.
Service the ACs regularly
When you have a newborn baby at home, you should be extra careful with everything. You should get your AC cleaned or serviced on a regular basis as the dust or other toxic items get deposited on the AC filters, which is very harmful to your baby. Moreover, regular servicing not only makes the air clean to breathe but also helps in the effective working of the equipment.
Do not shift your baby suddenly from cold to the warm temperature
Babies are susceptible to even a slight variation in temperature. Sudden temperature changes can make them sick. When you want to take your baby out from the cold temperature, switch off the AC and let the baby get acquainted with the outside temperature.
Thus, using the AC in the newborn’s room is not harmed but only with proper care and precautions. You should keep a close watch on your newborn’s health and needs. If your baby is premature, then take special care. Following the basic precautionary measures mentioned, you can use AC for a normal newborn baby.
