Why Are Newborns More Prone To Have Cold Bodies?

Might lose heat rapidly When a baby is born, it is usually not able to adapt to the temperature changes as well as adults. Its lung hasn’t developed that well and it can lose heat rapidly, nearly 4 times faster than an adult. While it is common to see a healthy baby having a low temperature but very low temperature might indicate some serious health concerns.Cannot regulate their body temperature Newborns can have unusually low body temperatures as they are not able to regulate their body temperatures effectively as adults. There could be many factors that can cause low temperatures such as cold weather, a prolonged period in water, and not properly drying a baby after birth. Regulating the thermal environment of the newborn is a critical aspect of newborn care.Blue lips, blue fingers and a weak cry If the baby is premature or has low weight, then its body might be more prone to show temperature fluctuations that can sometimes lead to serious illness and even death. A baby that has a very low temperature might suddenly develop blue lips or fingers and might act lethargic or sick. Sometimes the underlying could be more serious like problems with the baby’s metabolism or breathing difficulty. It might even weak cry.Immediate skin-to-skin touch Sometimes the baby is born in cold spaces and this can immediately cause their body temperature to drop. It is due to this reason that as soon as a baby is born in a hospital, it is immediately dried to remove the wet and cold amniotic fluid, immediate skin-to-skin might be established with the parent and its first bath might be delayed by 12 hours. In some cases, if the baby is premature, has fluid in its lungs, has jaundice, or has a lower birth weight, then it might be taken to an incubator.Rectal temperature might be accurate Unlike adults, it is a bit more difficult to track the accurate body temperature of a baby. In babies younger than 2 years old, rectal temperature readings might be the most accurate. It is also advisable to use a digital thermometer for them over a mercury thermometer. Taking their oral temperature can give inaccurate readings as they cannot hold the thermometer under their tongue.