What is the normal body temperature of a newborn and how to measure it

When a newborn is born, parents need to pay attention to the baby's physical condition at all times and understand the baby's various physical standard indicators. So what is the normal body temperature of a newborn? How to measure the body temperature of a newborn? What should be paid attention to when measuring the body temperature of a newborn? The following editor will introduce you in detail.

What is the normal body temperature of a newborn baby?

The skin temperature of a newborn is most normal when it is maintained at 36-37℃. At this temperature, oxygen consumption is the lowest and the baby's metabolism is normal. Newborn babies, especially premature babies, have poor body temperature regulation function and immature body temperature regulation center. When the environmental temperature changes beyond the baby's own body temperature regulation ability, it will cause the baby's body temperature to be too low or feverish.

How to measure the temperature of a newborn baby

Axillary temperature measurement method: Loosen the baby's clothes to expose the armpit, place the mercury end of the thermometer in the center of the armpit, hold the thermometer tightly against the torso with the arm on the same side, fix it, and continue to measure the temperature for 5 minutes. The measured temperature is generally slightly lower than that measured by an oral thermometer.

Neck temperature measurement method: Place the mercury end of the thermometer horizontally on the wrinkles of the neck skin, adjust the head position, hold the thermometer, and measure the temperature for at least 5 minutes, preferably 10 minutes. Neck temperature measurement is not easy to fix and is greatly affected by the temperature. The accuracy is worse than axillary temperature measurement.

Method for measuring temperature in the anus: first disinfect the mercury end of the rectal thermometer with an alcohol cotton ball, then apply a little cooking oil (boiled and cooled), lubricate it, slowly insert it into the baby's anus about 3 cm, and continue measuring the temperature for 3 minutes. The normal value of the measured temperature is about 37.5C. The rectal temperature of newborns with insufficient body temperature in winter can be around 36C.

Using an infrared probe to measure ear temperature, a relatively accurate body temperature can be measured in just 1 second, and can be used for promotion and application in newborns.

Precautions for measuring newborn's body temperature

Generally, a baby's body temperature will be slightly higher in the afternoon than in the early morning. If you want to record your baby's body temperature, you can measure the baby's body temperature at fixed times every day, such as after the baby wakes up, before taking a bath, or in the evening, and measure it about three times a day.

If your baby is found to have a fever, parents can provide the doctor with previously recorded information such as the baby's fever date, time, temperature changes, fever frequency, number of days and related symptoms when seeking medical treatment as a reference for diagnosing the condition.

You cannot use an oral temperature meter to measure body temperature like adults, because newborn babies are too small to cooperate with adults, and their oral cavity is very small, which can easily cause danger.