Are AC’s Or Coolers Safe For A Baby?

Are Ac’s or coolers safe for a baby? Well, pediatricians around the world are of the opinion that an airless, hot, and humid room environment is not safe for a newborn. Therefore,  it is very much safe to use an air-conditioner or an air cooler – provided you take some precautions.

Experts suggest that a properly cooled, ventilated, and airy room helps the baby sleep comfortably and grow better. Unlike adults, babies cannot adjust to changes in temperature in their environment. Therefore, they can get overheated quickly and suffer from issues like skin allergies, rashes, prickly heat, dehydration, etc.

A comfortable sleep also largely nullifies your babies’ chances of getting SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Moreover, babies are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, since they cannot adjust their body temperatures as quickly as adults.

In This Article

• Which is Best for Babies – AC or Cooler?
• 16 Must-Follow Tips to Use AC or Cooler Safely for Babies
• What is the Ideal Room Temperature for a Newborn Baby in India?
• Can Using too Much AC Affect My Baby?
• Alternative Ways to Keep Your Baby Cool

Which is Best for Babies – AC or Cooler?

While an air conditioner circulates air within the baby’s room continuously, an air cooler pulls fresh air from outside, cools it, and then circulates it again. Moreover, an air cooler also does not dry out the air in your baby’s room like an air conditioner.

Thus, air coolers offer better air quality for your baby’s room. Last but not the least, a cooler definitely outperforms an AC in terms of value for money.

16 Must-Follow Tips to Use AC or Cooler Safely for Babies

There are some safety measures to follow when it comes to using a cooler or AC in your baby’s room. Following are 16 tips to use an AC or cooler safely for babies.

1. Maintain the temperature of the room between 23 degrees and 26 degrees Celsius.
2. Increase or decrease the room temperature as per temperature outside.
3. Keep on monitoring the temperature so that the room does not get too cold for the baby.
4. Cover your baby using a light blanket till elbow if s/he’s been too small to move the blanket (to prevent any accident).
5. Use light caps to cover their ears and head while sleeping.
6. The baby needs just one more layer of clothes than you, so do not dress them in too many layers.
7. Whether you are using AC or a cooler for cooling, make sure your baby does not get direct cold air from it.
8. Do not lie down directly in front of the cooler, especially during the nights.
9. If using a cooler, leave a window open to allow the passage of fresh air.
10. Night temperatures fall down post-midnight. So, dress the baby in light full clothes which cover their hands and legs.
11. If the room is cold enough, you may switch off the cooler and switch on the fan after 3-4 am.
12. Baby’s skin could become dry in AC, thus many parents keep a bowl of water to reduce dryness by keeping the air in the room moist. Read here to know more about newborn eczema.
13. Get your air conditioner or cooler serviced regularly. This will ensure the cool and efficient functioning of the equipment.
14. Keep on checking the baby’s chest, neck, hands, and feet to judge if the baby is too hot or cold.
15. Also, keeping the baby under an AC  long and then suddenly taking the baby out is not good as this temperature difference might affect the baby adversely. So, whether you are in your room or in the car, switch off the AC and wait for some time before stepping out.
16. During the evenings, if hot air is not blowing, take your baby out for some fresh air.

Even if you use an AC or cooler, at least once a day, open all the doors and windows of the room. The circulation of fresh air makes the environment good for the baby. It is always better to be as natural as possible for a healthy lifestyle.

What is the Ideal Room Temperature for a Newborn Baby in India?

A temperature of 23-26 degrees Celsius is ideal for a newborn baby in summers in India. Most AC’s let you set the temperature and time frame you want to keep it running for, so there should not be much hassle. If you are using an air cooler, keep a small window open to allow air passage.

Coolers increase the humidity in the room as it evaporates the water, and if the air is not flowing, the humidity will ultimately stop the cooling. You may keep the fan on instead of the cooler in monsoons – when it gets all humid and sticky.

Can Using too Much AC Affect My Baby?

As wisely said, “excess of everything is bad”, and as such, too much cooling is bad for a baby. Keeping a newborn in a room with AC or cooler ON and running at all times is not safe for the baby.

The baby’s body temperature can come down, making the baby feel the chill. You will be able to keep your baby happy, cool, and comfortable while using these cooling devices if you start taking the above precautions.

Alternative Ways to Keep Your Baby Cool

If air-conditioning is not available, then at those times you can keep your baby comfortable by using alternate methods like:

• Dressing him in light and cool fabrics – cotton being the obvious choice. Read here to know more about how to dress your baby in the summer.
• Use fans, and try dehumidifiers.
• Regulate the indoor temperature by using curtains that block the heat.
• If the heat is unbearable, a public space with air-conditioning facility would be a good idea.
• If you stay in a place where there are frequent power cuts, it is advisable to use hand fans to keep your baby comfortable.
• Also, you can draw thick curtains in the daytime to prevent direct sun rays from entering the room.

When the day temperatures are cooler and the weather is not humid, you can maintain the room temperature by just using ceiling fans. At all times, it is required to tune in to your baby’s needs and accordingly make adjustments. The same is even more crucial when you have a premature baby.

Happy Summers!!