Babies usually cry when they are cold or hot due to discomfort. Therefore, to know if your baby is cold or hot, you should feel the temperature of the baby's body underneath the clothing, to see if the skin is cold or hot.
This care is even more important in newborn babies because they are not able to regulate the temperature of your body, being able to become very cold or hot more quickly, which can cause hypothermia and dehydration.
To know if your baby is cold or hot, you should:
- Cold: Feel the temperature in the baby's belly, chest and back and check if the skin is cold. Checking the temperature on the hands and feet is not recommended as they are generally colder than the rest of the body. Other signs that may indicate that the baby is cold include tremors, pallor and apathy;
- Heat: Feel the temperature in the baby's belly, chest and back and check if the skin, including the neck, is wet and the baby is sweaty.
Another great tip to prevent your baby from feeling cold or hot is to always wear one more layer of clothing on your baby than the one you have on. For example, if the mother is short-sleeved, she should wear the baby in a long-sleeved suit, or if it is not in a coat, wear the baby with one.
What to do if your baby is cold or hot
If your baby has a cold belly, chest or back, it is probably cold, so you should dress the baby with one more layer of clothing. For example: wear a coat or long-sleeved clothing if the baby is dressed in a short-sleeved clothing.
On the other hand, if the baby has a sweaty belly, chest, back and neck, it is probably hot, so a layer of clothing should be removed. For example: remove the jacket if the baby is dressed, or if it is long-sleeved, wear a short-sleeved clothing.
Learn how to dress your baby in summer or winter in: How to dress the baby.
