What temp should the AC in my house be?

[vulnerable]

I have this ongoing battle with my mother regarding the temperature in my house. I like to keep my AC between 72-75 depending on the weather outside. She insists it is way to cold for my daughter (10.5 months) and my thermostat should be around 78-81. Number one I am pregnant and the heat bothers me. Number two I think if my daughter was that uncomfortable she would fuss. I know when she is not happy so I am sure there would be a sign.

Her hands and feet do get a bit chilly sometimes but I think that is mainly because they are always in her mouth. Over the weekend my mother came to visit and watch her while I ran to the store and when I returned she put socks and pants on her. My daughter was also sweating at this point. My mom is suppose to babysit on fri into sat and I am worried that she will overdress her and not have it cool enough in her house.

Am I just overreacting or is it really in fact to cold? I asked the Dr and she basically said whatever temp you are comfortable with is fine for her. But I am afraid my comfort level isn't okay for the baby after hearing my mom not shut up about it lol.

[blessedwithboys]

you're fine. i think its a generatioanl thing. my g'mother used to tell me to put on a sweater bc SHE was cold! LOL

[Drummer's Wife]

78-81 would be hot! I bet she'd get uncomfortable at that temp. I don't know why people think babies are always cold and want them dressed from head to toe in the middle of the summer.

[treeoflife3]

No way dude.. we keep our home that cold... my kid would be fussy and hot too for sure. My grandma also used to try and dress me really really warm... I'd be sweating and my mom would be trying to undress me haha.

10 month olds are perfectly capable of regulating their body heat... and cold hands and feet don't necessarily mean a cold person. My toes are usually cold... I'm willing to bet a lot of people's are but like you said, if she always has slobber on her that is going to make her extremities a tad cooler too

I'd just explain to her that she isn't a newborn and overheating IS a serious issue even for little ones. It is July now... no one likes 80 degree weather in july unless they are playing outside... probably around water ha! I'd really reinforce how older babies tend to find similar comfort temp wise as the adults around them and that keeping them too hot will cause dehydration issues or worse... and that low to mid 70s isn't a cold issue. Most people wear shorts then which means, since she would find similar comfort as adults.. she's good to go.

No sweating!

[Knitting Mama]

We keep ours at 76. It's a degree or two warmer than I would ideally want it, but it's my compromise with my husband, who hates being cold. Cecilia, 3 months, seems to do fine with it. She wears socks to keep her feet warm, and sleeps swaddled.

[ThisCat]

Your mother would probably call child protective services on me because we keep it set between 70 and 72 here. We did the same when the kids were infants. Somehow they managed to survive. We don't bundle up either. Just wear our normal summer clothes.

[Friendlee]

I like it cool in our house and DD sleeps longer when the house is cool and I bundle her in her blanket. When she's playing I try to remember to put on some leg warmers and socks that can be easily removed when we pop outside to get the mail or something.

But, it's funny because everytime my mom comes over she says something like, "Oh your little toesies are so cold" and if she ever changes the diaper she always puts socks and leg warmers on her if I haven't already. It's just kind of a hassle when we are in and out all day from AC to 95 degree heat.

[zannster]

I keep mine at 76, and I notice DD's legs get a little cool sometimes, but it's not bad.

[To-Fu]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife

78-81 would be hot! I bet she'd get uncomfortable at that temp. I don't know why people think babies are always cold and want them dressed from head to toe in the middle of the summer.

Seriously!

I wish we had AC. My mom has it in her apartment and keeps it jacked down to 68! It's shocking to go from that into the muggy, 90-degree outside air.

I am currently typing with one hand while I nurse an infant with one arm and the 2.5yo is in my lap. Needless to say, we're all stuck together. Gimme soe of that AC!

[nola79]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife

78-81 would be hot! I bet she'd get uncomfortable at that temp. I don't know why people think babies are always cold and want them dressed from head to toe in the middle of the summer.

Yeah, this. DH's grandma has a fit if she sees the baby without socks on....umm, we live in the south and it's like, 100 degrees out. DD feet don't ever even touch the floor
Interestingly, dd freezes me out of the house for naps. For some reason, she sleeps better and longer with the ac blowing on her face....so the whole while she's napping, I'm shivering with a blanket over me! It's actually quite comical, if she stirs, all we have to do is turn the ac lower and she goes right back to sleep.

[belltree]

We don't use AC. We all get hot and tired and cool off at the local library or the beach. Last couple days were 98F around here plus high humidity. Our apartment had over 100F.

I don't think it's necessary to cool the house that much, but I don't think keeping it high is necessary either. Except my husband we all enjoy the cooler temperatures but deal with the heat.

[Alisse]

We keep our place at 72degrees. If it's not cool enough in the house our little guy doesn't sleep well.

[Lauren31]

Back when I lived in America (the land of air conditioning) I kept the house at 74 during the day. That was fine for us. You don't have to be in socks, pants and sweaters, dress for the weather! You might save money too (70 is pretty low, IMO) which would be a bonus!!!

[seagull]

We don't keep our house that cold because we believe in conserving energy. It would be nice though, I think my kids get crankier with the hot weather. I would think that your child would be fine, but if she feels cold then socks aren't going to hurt her either.

[ThisCat]

Originally Posted by Lauren31

(70 is pretty low, IMO)

When it's anywhere from the mid 90s to 100+ degrees out and humid, the AC doesn't actually get it down to 70 degrees in here even with the thermostat set at that. It's usually really about 73, and that's where the thermostat is which is in one of the coolest parts of the house. When it's not so hot out, I keep it set a bit higher. When we have a cool front and it gets down in the 80s, sometimes I even open the windows.

[1blueheron]

We don't have A/C and in winter we heat with wood, so our 5 mo has survived a range of indoor temps from 50 to 98 without any apparent ill effects. I think healthy, full-term babes can cope with a lot more variation than people give them credit for.

[Addie]

We keep ours at 74-75, and ususally don't turn it on unless it's above 80ish out. 75 at night seems to keep everyone comfy. DS sleeps in a t-shirt, fleece diaper cover and sleepsack, and 75 seems just about right for him.

[belltree]

Originally Posted by 1blueheron

We don't have A/C and in winter we heat with wood, so our 5 mo has survived a range of indoor temps from 50 to 98 without any apparent ill effects. I think healthy, full-term babes can cope with a lot more variation than people give them credit for.

I am so glad we are not the only ones - must be New England babe's

I remember having to go without heat for 36hrs last winter during a cold spell, because the furnace broke. It was cold inside, but everyone was fine.

[1blueheron]

Originally Posted by belltree

I am so glad we are not the only ones - must be New England babe's

This is what enables Yankees to go swimming in 60 degree water and declare it "refreshing" -- of course it may also explain the general cranky demeanor you find here

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

Originally Posted by ThisCat

When it's anywhere from the mid 90s to 100+ degrees out and humid, the AC doesn't actually get it down to 70 degrees in here even with the thermostat set at that. It's usually really about 73, and that's where the thermostat is which is in one of the coolest parts of the house. When it's not so hot out, I keep it set a bit higher. When we have a cool front and it gets down in the 80s, sometimes I even open the windows.

This is us too. We've got three window units, one in the bedroom, one in the office, one in the living room. The bedroom one is pretty much always on right now since the northeast is having a major heatwave. The office and living room ones are on during the day depending on which room we are going to spend time in. We keep them around 70, but the real room temp is probably closer to 75. DD's hands are chilly when wet, but other than that, she's always a good temp. Before we used the AC's, she would sweat constantly, and seemed generally uncomfortable. She seems happier now that we are regulating the temp inside.

She only sleeps in a no pants onrsie because she sleeps cuddled up close to me with a baby blanket up to her chest and wrapped under her legs and then the sheet over up to her chest also. When I've dressed her in warmer clothes, she generally gets crazy sweaty and uncomfortable - which I think is probably just from having physical contact with me when I'm sleeping. My body temp rises considerably when I am asleep and I assume hers does also, so the combination is two hot sweaty people. Yuck.

FWIW, the human body is a pretty amazing thing. Even little babies are able to tolerate a lot - as evidenced by the human race surviving incredibly harsh conditions over the last 10k + year. A healthy baby isn't going to have any ill effects from being in moderate heat or cold. I say trust your motherly instincts and disregard what your mom is telling you.