Although your baby's hands and face may feel cold, this may differ from their core body temperature. To give you a better idea if they are warm or cold, feel the skin on their tummy and back. Their skin should feel warm and not too hot or cold.
5 signs your baby is too cold
1. Their hands and feet feel cold
Although this is generally a poor indicator of your baby's overall body temperature, heat escapes quickly through the hands and feet and they're often the most exposed. An article in Indian Pediatrics noted that your baby's feet and hands should be warm like the rest of their body. So if your baby's hands or feet feel cold, throw on an extra layer, just to be safe.“Your baby is too cold if you see mottling of their extremities, and if the hands or feet are cold to the touch. You can also feel the back of their neck and if it is cold, that can be a sign that they are chilly.” If you’re worried about them when they’re in bed, see if your baby is cold to the touch while sleeping. That can be a good indication to layer up.
2. Pale skin
If your baby is feeling cold, they could potentially have paler skin than normal. However, if this is accompanied by inactivity and being lethargic, this could be a sign of hypothermia. If this happens, “Slowly warm them up — wrap them in blankets or you can even do skin-to-skin with you with blankets on top of them. Also, putting a hat on their head is helpful since babies lose a lot of heat from their head. My biggest concern with a baby that is too cold is that they might have an infection causing it — especially if you are not in a particularly cold environment. In that case, bring them to the hospital or their doctor.”
3. They're fussy for seemingly no reason
In the beginning stages of being cold, your baby may fuss when nothing else is wrong to let you know they're chilly. If this happens, simply add some socks or a warmer outfit and your baby will be more comfortable. “I tell parents to put one extra layer on their baby than what they are wearing. So, if you are wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants, then baby might need a jacket on top of that.”
4. They snart sneezing
“When your baby starts sneezing, usually it is a sign they are cold. This is due to a response connected to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain which controls temperature in the body. That is why babies usually sneeze when they are being changed. It is very normal and not related to them being sick with the cold virus.”
5. They're still and lethargic
One of the more dangerous signs that your baby is cold is being very still, quiet, and lethargic. These are signs of hypothermia in infants, which shouldn't be ignored, as your baby's body can't heat itself properly at this point. “When your child becomes quiet and does not move much, it can mean that they are too cold. Take them inside the house and let them have skin-to-skin on your body, while wrapping a blanket around both of you.”
Warming up your baby if they are asleep is not impossible, but you have to be extra mindful of safety as you can’t simply tuck a blanket around them. (Babies should not sleep with soft blankets or toys in their crib until they are at least 12 months old as it’s a suffocation hazard). You could risk waking them up by adding another layer (either clothing or a sleep sack), or you could bump up the heat or bring in a safe space heater.
How do I know if baby is cold at night?
