Why A Humidifier Is Good for Your Baby In The Summer

If you are a mom to a newborn, you might be asking: Does a baby need a humidifier in the summer?

In many places, the humidity is high outside and inside during summer, so we are more likely to crank the dehumidifier than the humidifier.

Babies are special though, very special. And fragile!

Therefore, you might find the need to run a humidifier in the nursery during summer. This is okay, too, since there are many benefits of using a humidifier in summer.

So, when should you use a humidifier in the summer? This depends on where you live. If you get dry summers, you can run the humidifier. Check indoor humidity level with a hygrometer and if it is not within the range of 30 to 50%, use a mister.

A humidifier and a dehumidifier are some of the must-have appliances in a nursery. High humidity in the baby’s room causes your baby to sweat excessively, become dehydrated, and feel very uncomfortable.

Too dry air in the baby’s room also has many side effects. It can lead to sore throat, chapped skin/lips, inflammation, and breathlessness.

When to use a humidifier for a baby in summer

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To remove the guesswork from the picture, use a hygrometer or a humidifier with an auto on/off function. If the humidity level goes too low, it can switch on automatically and vice versa.

Apart from that, here are a few situations that might warrant the use of a humidifier in a baby’s room in summer:

If you get dry summers

If you live in Florida, you might not need a humidifier for your baby in summer. Your baby would practically be swimming in dampness! In such a place, you need a dehumidifier.

However, people in Alberta, Canada have reported having to use cool mist humidifiers for summer, throughout the year.

If you live in the tropics, summers can be very dry. There is zero to minimal rainfall during this period. In some parts of Africa and Australia, you would need to increase indoor humidity in summer. The air can be extra dry.

So you can see, it depends on where you live. If you are not sure whether you need a humidifier or a dehumidifier, you can always call the weather station, or use a hygrometer to find out the RH level.

Breathing feels hard for you

If you wake up in the morning feeling as if you cannot breathe, the most likely culprit is dry air. If you feel that way, your baby must be feeling the same.

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Always listen to your body and know the symptoms of dry in-house air.

Some of these symptoms include a stuffy nose due to inflamed membranes, a runny nose due to the overproduction of mucus as the body tries to counter the dryness, cracking skin and even snoring.

There are more symptoms of sleeping in a dry room. However, if you experience any of these, just know the air in your baby’s room is also dry.

If the baby’s skin and lips are too dry, the baby seems uncomfortable, or he’s breathing through the mouth (if they are old enough), it could be dry air.

The baby is getting infections

If the baby is getting infections, dry air could be to blame. However, it is also good to rule out other causes.

When there’s too little moisture in the air, it dries out the mucus that lines the airways. This mucus is vital for capturing dust, germs, pollen, mold spores, and other things that we might inhale.

Therefore, when the air is dry, there are health complications. These come in the form of nosebleeds, sore throat, coughing, and congestion, which brings us to our next point.

If the baby is coughing and/or congested

Babies catch colds too. If the air is dry, it makes it worse for them. They struggle to breathe and to sleep. In such cases, running a humidifier can help to dislodge the dry mucus stuck in their airways and make it easier to breathe.

For babies, it is best to let the cold pass on its own, since there are not many medications for them. You can make the time easier for them by increasing the moisture content in the air.

Ask your doctor whether you can add a dash of essential oil in the humidifier. Babies older than two years can benefit from this.

While many humidifiers are not made to break down the oil molecules, a very small amount cannot hurt.

Sore throat, and inflamed nasal membranes usually accompany coughing and congestion. Increasing the humidity level to between 30 and 50% can help to reverse this.

Why baby needs humidifier in the summer, FAQ

A baby needs a humidifier in the summer if you experience dry weather. In places such as Utah, Colorado, Nevada, and Albuquerque, you will probably need a humidifier.

Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers to shed more light on this topic:

Do babies need a humidifier or dehumidifier?

Babies need both appliances. In summer, the humidity can be high in some places such as Seattle, New Orleans, and Florida. You would need a dehumidifier if you live in such places.

In the winter, when you run the heater, the heat makes the air dry, so you need a humidifier to increase the indoor humidity. A Whole house humidifier can help.

Ensure that the indoor humidity level stays within the range of 30 to 50 percent. If you make it any higher than that, you will get mold in your house.

How do I know if my baby needs a humidifier?

If your baby has dry skin, and lips, scratches a lot, has difficulty breathing, and is uncomfortable, they probably need more humidity.

Use a hygrometer to find out the RH level indoors. Dry air affects you the same way it affects your baby. If you need a good humidity level to sleep, your baby needs the same.

Is it OK to have a humidifier on all night for a baby?

Cool mist humidifiers are very safe for babies. Keep it a good distance away from the baby, and you can run it all night if the air gets dry.

You can buy a humidifier with a humidistat so that it switches off when it attains the set RH level. If you raise the humidity too high, it will cause mold growth in the nursery. In return, this causes mold sickness symptoms.

Does a newborn need a humidifier?

A humidifier can help a newborn baby sleep and breathe better. When the air has enough moisture, the mucus lining the airways stays moist. It traps germs, dust, and other air pollutants. If a newborn baby cries incessantly, check the humidity level in the air.

Why do babies need humidifiers?

Babies have sensitive skin that dries easily in low humidity. They also get chapped lips, itchy skin, hurting nostrils and they can have trouble breathing. To reverse these conditions, get a humidifier to increase the level of moisture in your indoor air.

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Final Thoughts: Does A Baby Need A Humidifier in Summer?

A baby might need a humidifier in summer. Remember, it is recommended to keep the humidity level in summer between 30 and 50%. Depending on the outdoor conditions, you might want to keep the RH level between 40 and 50%.

If you maintain the recommended humidity levels throughout the year, you are going to see reduced hospital visits.

So to the question of: does a baby need a humidifier in summer? The answer is yes. You need to have both the humidifier and dehumidifier. Both appliances maintain recommended RH levels by either reducing or increasing it.

Check whether your baby has cracked skin, chapped lips, has trouble breathing, is congested, and/or coughing. All of these are a few of the symptoms of dry air.

If you need a good humidifier for the baby’s room, you can order the AquaOasis™ Cool Mist Humidifier on Amazon.com. It has a 360-degree rotating mist nozzle and auto shut-off function.