Dressing Your Baby for Bed with a Fever: Tips and Considerations
If your baby has a fever, they may wake up in the middle of the night crying and feeling flushed. There are many reasons why your little one may develop a fever. And although fevers aren’t dangerous by themselves, sometimes their underlying cause may be.
What should you do when your baby has a fever? How should you dress them for bed? Are there home remedies to help alleviate the fever? Stay tuned to learn more about how to dress your baby to bed when they have a fever.
How To Dress Your Baby To Bed With A Fever
When your little one has a fever, keeping them as comfortable and cool as possible is crucial. Below are tips to help you dress your baby to bed when they have a fever.
Choose Breathable Fabrics
Cotton is an excellent option for babies as it’s comfortable and breathable. However, when wearing your kid’s cotton, avoid fleece or other materials that can trap heat and make your baby uncomfortable.
Avoid long Sleeves
Wearing your baby in short sleeves instead of long ones is better. Short sleeves let you quickly check your child’s temperature with a thermometer. They also don’t make your kid feel too constricted. Ensure your child wears socks or booties when in short sleeves.
Don’t Bundle Them Up
Bundling your baby too much can increase their body temperature, which may be dangerous. If you’re worried about your baby becoming cold, place a warm blanket over their legs instead of wearing them an additional pair of socks or tights.
What To Consider When Dressing Your Baby To Bed With A Fever
There are various factors to consider regarding what your baby should wear to bed with a fever. They include:
- The temperature of the room – before dressing your child, consider the temperature of the room they’ll be sleeping in. if your kid is resting in a hot room, you may want to dress in cool clothes that wick away sweat. Similarly, if they’re in a room that’s pretty cold, something warmer to help maintain their body heat will work best.
- Type of material – consider wearing your baby something breathable and lightweight for comfort. Light fabrics also prevent irritation that may bother your child when trying to sleep.
- The amount of skin you want covered – some parents prefer dressing their kids in full-body pyjamas as it gives their kids’ skin extra protection from germs or anything else harmful in the environment, like pet dander. Others prefer short pants or short sleeves, which makes nighttime diaper changes easier.
Can You Undress Your Baby With A Fever?
If you have a baby, then you know best a parent’s number one priority is to make their sick kid feel better. This may cause some parents to undress their babies with a fever to help them cool down. However, remember that whatever you decide to dress your baby during illness can have significant consequences. So, don’t assume it’s okay to undress if they feel hot or sweaty when sick.
Doing so may seem logical, but it’s not. It’s very dangerous as your kid is small and hasn’t developed a sound immune system as adults. If you try placing the kid with an adult in the same room with the same temperature and humidity, you will find the adult sweating more than the baby.
That’s so because babies sweet less at higher temperatures than adults. Therefore, even when your kid looks uncomfortable and feels hot, that doesn’t mean undressing them will aid them in cooling down.
How To Reduce Fever In Babies
Little elevated temperatures in infants above three months may not need you to visit your doctor. You can treat the fever at home using:
Acetaminophen
Babies above three months can be safely given acetaminophen (Tylenol). The dose usually depends on their weight, and your doctor may recommend weighing them if they havent done so recently or had a recent growth spurt.
If your kid is not fussy or uncomfortable from their fever, you may not need to give them medication. Medications can help your kid feel better temporarily for higher fevers or other painful symptoms.
Turn Down The Temperature
Keep your kid’s room temperature and home cool. Doing so helps prevent your child from overheating.
Give Your Kid A Lukewarm Bath
Sponging your baby with lukewarm water may help. Keep the water temperature warm to your inner arm, not hot. Maintain consistent supervision during bathing to ensure water safety.
Don’t use cold water as it can cause shivering, increasing body temperature. Once done, dry your baby immediately and dress them.
Avoid alcohol baths and wipes to lower fever, as they can be harmful.
Provide Fluids
One possible complication of fever is dehydration. To prevent dehydration, you’ll need to offer fluids regularly, like breast milk or formula. It’s also crucial to check out signs of dehydration like dry lips or a few wet diapers. Ensure your baby has tears when crying, a moist mouth, and regular wet diapers.
What To Avoid When Your Baby Has A Fever
Here are things to avoid when your baby has a fever:
- Don’t delay medical attention for newborns with any fever (whether mild or severe) or infants with persistent fever or who seem chronically ill.
- Don’t administer medication to your baby without checking their temperature and consulting your paediatrician.
- Avoid overdressing your baby.
- Don’t use medication designed for adults.
- Avoid using rubbing alcohol or ice to lower your kid’s temperature.
Conclusion
Your baby having a fever is a challenging situation to be in. What you do during this time is crucial in helping you lower their fever, and clothing matters a lot here. The types of clothes your kid with a fever wears are even more critical if they are retiring to bed.
When dressing your baby to bed, remember to do so in lightweight and breathable fabrics, reducing the chances of overheating. Short sleeves are also better than long ones when dealing with a fever. Finally, ensure your kid wears socks or booties and avoid bundling them.