Is A Fan Or Aircon Better For A Newborn Baby?

Is A Fan Or Aircon Better For A Newborn Baby? Most newborn mothers in Singapore are understandably concerned with what the best temperature is to keep their babies in. It’s so common that there are two camps on this issue: air conditioning or fanning.

Children are very prone to high temperatures and can easily get heatstroke or heat exhaustion and die when exposed to the wrong temperature for too long.

Babies are no different and air conditioning is said to lower the risk of them getting heat injuries when compared to a fan in a non-air-conditioned room. But is it so? What is the relationship between babies, climate control, and what happened all those years ago?

Benefits of Fan or Aircon for a Newborn Baby in Singapore

When it comes to babies, any degree of heat is bad. Babies are not used to the tropical climate of Singapore. They are more likely to get sick in the heat than adults, so it’s best to keep them cool at all times. Here are some key benefits of using aircon:

i. Less chance of baby getting a heat-related illness.

One of the key benefits of using an aircon is that it creates a cooler environment for the baby to live in. The temperature in the room will be a lot cooler than if there was no air con. This means less chance of getting a heat-related illness. An AC prevents your home from becoming a sauna by blowing cold air into the place, preventing damage to furniture and other property of your home.

ii. Baby sleeps better at night

One important aspect of keeping your baby happy and healthy is sleeping well at night. If your baby is cold and there’s no aircon, then this could be an issue. This can lead to cranky babies or perhaps colic due to discomfort during sleep. Without enough sleep, babies can’t learn, grow and play as well.

iii. Reduces risk of bacteria and viruses

Babies can catch a lot of nasty bugs if they are exposed to the environment for too long. This includes bacteria, viruses, and fungi that love hot, humid, and stagnant environments. An aircon helps to keep the place cool so that you reduce the risk of your home becoming an incubator for pathogens that could harm your baby or you

iv. Helps to prevent heat release from their body

Normally, humans release heat through their skin. You can feel this when you walk out of the air-con and go into the outside environment. Your body cools down rapidly in the hotter environment to attempt to regulate its temperature. This is because you have a temperature regulation system that helps your body maintain a homeostatic (stable) internal temperature in all weather conditions.

However, babies are not fully developed in this regard and are more sensitive to both heat and cold. Heat release from their body is a natural mechanism for babies to try to maintain their body temperature.

However, an air-con helps to prevent this from happening by bringing down the temperature in the room. So although your baby may feel cool, his body temperature has not gone down as much as if he was exposed to the hot outside environment. So an aircon helps to reduce the heat that is passed from your baby to the environment.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing an Aircon or Fan for a Newborn Baby

i. Noise level

If you live in an existing house and an aircon is installed, then you can stop worrying about noise pollution. But if you are in a new build, then you will have to make sure that the noise level is kept to a minimum. Otherwise, your baby could be exposed to unnecessary noise at night while they’re sleeping. Or they could just get used to the noise and 2-3 years later be adversely affected by having it on all-day

ii. Power and energy efficiency

Just like everything else, aircon can be power hungry and consume a lot of electricity. If it is old and inefficient, then this means you’re going to spend more money on your energy bills over the years. It is important that you choose an efficient aircon that will not negatively affect your finances in the long run iii. High or Low Pressure?

iv. Cost

If you’re buying new furniture for a baby, then you should probably factor in the cost of air-con when doing the math. A high-end aircon unit can be more than S$300, so it’s best to look for a good quality unit that produces the right amount of cooling. The airflow setting and heat output of an aircon is shown in the below table:

v. Brand feedback

If you’re buying used furniture, then this is where you can get the most value for your money from a brand. New aircon is incredibly pricey, so you’ll want to make sure it’s a quality brand that has good feedback on the internet. If both parties give no bad reviews for a certain brand, then that’s usually a good sign.

If you do read some negative reviews, then it’s best to trust the feedback from the brand itself as these are usually from disgruntled customers who feel that they were created.

Precautions for Using an Aircon for Your Baby

i. Only use it when necessary

This is probably the most important rule in using an aircon for your baby. As mentioned earlier, babies are prone to heat-related illnesses because they have a less developed temperature regulatory system. So they should be kept cool at all times. Using an aircon when necessary (at night or when exposed to sunlight) is the best solution here.

ii. Keep it clean

It is also important to clean the air con regularly, possibly once a month. Sometimes, dust or small particles may get on the air con unit. This should be cleaned at the back of the unit to prevent it from being an area for germs and bacteria to breed in.

iii. Keep it out of reach of your baby

This is very important especially if your baby has been around it all day long and is still attached to his/her dummy. You don’t want your baby to receive a shock by putting this in their mouth.

iv. Keep the area around it clean

It is also recommended that you keep the area around it clean, such as on the floor or walls. An aircon vent can become a home for insects such as cockroaches and spiders, so it’s good to keep an eye out for this. This is especially important if you have young kids in the house who like to play with their toys on the floor.

Is A Fan Or Aircon Better For A Newborn Baby? – Conclusion

An aircon is a great investment for the environment because it helps to cool your home. It can also be used for other purposes such as keeping the humidity down in your car, keeping the temperature of a room at a constant level, or even providing cool air to babies while they sleep. Buying an aircon can be expensive, but you won’t regret buying one if you have a decent budget.