How To Tell If Your Little One Is Waking From Being Too Hot Or Too Cold

Spring is officially here which means that warmer and longer days have arrived as well! There are many changes that come with spring such as spring cleaning and getting rid of old things that you no longer use to long awaited days at the park with our children. Some other changes that may happen can be that our children start wearing clothes meant for warmer weather - this also applies to their sleep. But, sometimes it’s not so easy to tell when is the right time to make that switch because the weather is all over the place. One day it’s hot and the next it’s raining.

It is very important to ensure we are not over or underdressing our little one’s for sleep as this can cause frequent wakes throughout the night and for naps. Beyond that, it can also be very unsafe. When a little one becomes too hot when they are sleeping it is actually a SIDS risk, so it has to be taken very seriously. The younger the baby is, the more at risk they are.

Signs Your Little One Is Waking From Being Too Hot Or Cold

Being aware of whether your little one is too hot or cold is key to making sure they are not only safe while sleeping but can prevent them from waking frequently at night or for their naps. 

Some of the signs of them being too hot are:

• Clammy back, neck or stomach

• Being restless

• Becoming irritable

• Fast, rapid breathing

• Not responding well to feeds

• Lethargic

• Elevated heart rate
  
  

Some of the signs of them being too cold are:

• Cold hands and/or feet

• Fussiness

• Not feeding like they usually do

• Motionless and/or quiet

• Lethargic

• Sneezing which isn’t attributed to having a cold

• Pale skin

If your little one is experiencing these symptoms, especially if they are lethargic, then you need to call emergency services right away.

How To Check

If you’re not sure if your little one is too hot or cold then you can do the ear test! What is the ear test you ask? Well, the ear test is simple: you check the temperature of your little one’s ear to be sure that they are not too hot or cold.

Feel your little one’s ear and if it is:

• Hot to the touch, then you need to remove a layer of clothing because that means they are too hot

• Cold to the touch means they are too cold and you will need to add a layer or clothing

• If it feels neutral then that’s perfect! They are neither too hot nor too cold.

It is very important and key to your little one’s sleep to make sure they are not too hot or too cold for sleep. Make sure you check the temperature of their room before you put them down for sleep so that you can dress them accordingly. If they are waking frequently then do an ear test on them to be sure they are not too hot or cold. If they are, then do what you need to do according to their temperature. It is also equally important to make sure that if your little one is experiencing symptoms of being too hot or cold that you call 911, especially if they are lethargic and non-responsive. That indicates a medical emergency and should not be taken lightly.

If your little one is waking frequently throughout the night or not sleeping well for naps and you know it’s not caused by being too hot or too cold, then it may be time to start sleep training! If you would like assistance with this, check out the Packages page on my website. Send me an email so we can get you on the road back to better sleep!

If you liked this blog and found it beneficial then be sure to share it with other parents in need! If you want more content like this, then you would love my FREE Facebook group called Sleep Little One where I give weekly tips and advice to exhausted parents such as yourself who are looking to improve their little one’s sleep without losing their mind in the process! I hope to see you there!

Thanks for reading!