space heaters in the nursery

Gretchen kiolbasa · March 2009

i had a debate with my friend about this the other day...

i told her i needed to get one because the heat in the nursery doesnt work (we live in a really crappy appartment and having maintenance fix it isnt an option.) we would only be using it if and only if she ends up sleeping in there before we move..which is highly unlikely... it is just that it seems the cold weather is going to be around for a while, and i am pretty sure i could make ice cubes in that room if i wanted to...

my friend FLIPPED out!

backstory: she is PG too and a total over-reactor...plus she lives in CA and i am in chicago....the climate is a little different here, it was 22 yesterday.

i told her that we have a CO2 detector, and that the nursery right now is pretty much just a back up room, since we have the bassinet in our room right now which has working heat...

it just pisses me off that she was so mad about this, she isnt exactly doing everything she needs to do to keep her baby safe, she also just annoys me as a person in general haha

so what are you all doing in regards to keeping the nursery warm? i know there are risks to having space heaters...but when its the only option, there isnt much else to do

PinkBackPack · March 2009

I would just make sure you keep the door open to the nursery if you use the space heater. I also think it depends on the type of space heater you use.

Fish4Fun · March 2009

Hmm, maybe just keep baby in the heated bassinet room until it warms up a bit? IDK. Personally, I still remember hating heat as a child.

Doodlebugz · March 2009

I hate to agree with your friend, but I do. Space heaters are dangerous... more than just the CO2 issue, they are a fire hazard and it's hard to regulate the temperature in the room with one.

I would encourage you to bundle your little one up... double swaddle with warm blankets and you LO should be fine.

That being said, this is your baby and I'm sure that you would never do anything that you think is unsafe for your child... so take what I say with a grain of salt if you want.

Kyla Sisco · March 2009

Hrmm. That is a tough one. I am in FL so cold weather isn't around a lot, plus, our heat works in all rooms if we need it.

What about a warm mist humidifier? Is that an option?

Sorry I'm not that much help.

Plus, your friend needs to MHOB and go eat some cheese or something!

SouthernBellelovesaYankee · March 2009

IDK what we're doing but, I noticed the other day that the nursery was a good 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of our house..I'm worried about what the summer will bring.

kabarbanel · March 2009

I am honestly not sure what to do! We are contemplating on the space heater in the nursery too, but I do feel a little uneasy about it, just because I don't fully trust space heaters in general. I mean I have used it in our bedroom over night on many occasions. DH says we will be able to smell a fire and it will be fine lol

cabana1 · March 2009

I don't blame you one bit! Next winter, there's no way we can afford to keep the house at above 70 at night time so DS will have a small space heater in the nursery. It does matter what type of space heater you get though...

asnowracer · March 2009

That's probably a good question for a pedi. I don't know how easy it will be to regulate the temperature with a space heater and keeping appropriate room temp is one of the things to reduce SIDS I learned in my infant care class.

MegDC · March 2009

I hate to agree but I wouldn't put a space heater in there. ?I know someone who had a fire start in their DC's room from one. ?He was older and ran out and woke up the parents, but an infant couldn't do that. ?I think having baby in your room or swaddling with extra warm blanket would be a safer option.

Hi725 · March 2009

I think something like this would be ok:

https://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100646471

We have one and have never had an issue.

I would not get one that has heating coils or blows hot air, but a fully enclosed radiator should be fine. There is a give and a take though, most space heaters will drive up your electric bill.

Amymichelle925 · March 2009

Could you keep the baby in your room until the weather is warmer? I'd be reluctant to use a space heater.

dmogmo · March 2009

I wouldn't but I'm not a fan of space heaters in general. Plus my husband would turn it way up and make it way too hot for baby knowing him.

mariRose · March 2009

I would avoid using the space heater if you can b/c they can be dangerous if not used properly. The info below is from Comsumer Product Safety Comm. & has some safety tips if you're going to use one:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that space heaters are the source of 21,800 home fires every year. Other concerns with space heaters include natural gas leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning, burns and electric shock. To keep safe and still enjoy the added warmth that a space heater can provide:

Keep heaters at least three feet from walls, bedding, clothing, pets and people
Turn the heater off when you leave the room or when you go to sleep for the night
Don't leave a portable heater running unattended
Never dry socks or gloves on the heater
Don't use extension cords with electrical space heaters

For more information, CPSC offers a free booklet titled "What You Should Know about Space Heaters," available at www.cpsc.gov.

Irishgatorstar · March 2009

Depends on what kind of space heater you are talking about. We live in Upstate NY and we have no heat in our second floor. My son was born in December so yeah we had a space heater. I wouldn't use one of those cheapo electric ones. We had an oil heater that worked great. It looks like a radiator but it plugs in. It gets really hot (obviously) so we kept it away from everything and baby was too small to play on the floor in his room so I wasn't worried about him tipping it over or getting burned on it.

funmaker · March 2009

I think the space heaters sometimes make it too hot. If you swaddle the baby and have a wearable blanket underneath, it should be plenty warm. Too warm is a risk for SIDS.

Gretchen kiolbasa · March 2009

Hi725:

I think something like this would be ok:

https://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100646471

We have one and have never had an issue.

I would not get one that has heating coils or blows hot air, but a fully enclosed radiator should be fine. There is a give and a take though, most space heaters will drive up your electric bill.

this looks alot safer than the little heaters with the coils!! i really dont think i will even end up using one, but i mean there really is no other way of getting heat into that room, i hope wherever we move is equiped with a regular working centralized heating system

thenewmrsrussell · March 2009

It depends on what kind of space heater you're thinking about.

I'm not crazy about the idea.

I'd definitely leave the door open to the room at all times. You could also set up a fan to blow some warmer air into the room while the door is open.

cabana1 · March 2009

Hi725:

I think something like this would be ok:

https://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100646471

We have one and have never had an issue.

I would not get one that has heating coils or blows hot air, but a fully enclosed radiator should be fine. There is a give and a take though, most space heaters will drive up your electric bill.

I had this one in my office at my last job. I really liked it. It took the chill out of the room but it did not over heat the office like some do. Never had a problem with it.

care22 · March 2009

We have a heater in our nursury...We live just nort of Chicago. Anyways, it's by Holmes. You can set the temperature and it'll turn itself on and off to maintain temp. It's not te typical space eater with the hot coils. Even when running it's cool to the touch. I love it and it's been a lifesaver for baby b/c her room gets sooo cold. It also has a tip mechanism so if it falls it turns off. And yes, we have a CO2 detector in her room. We got our heater from Bed Bath and beyond. Oh, and baby has played with it....while supervised...and so far she can't stick fingers in the slits.

vhab · March 2009

I'm assuming you plan to use an electric space heater, not a gas or propane type. And an electric one should pose no CO2 problems. Why would she flip out?

We use a space heater in DS's room, and have for a while now. It is a standared plug in type electric space heater.

iris427 · March 2009

Sorry, but I wouldn't put a space heater in the nursery either. It's a fire hazard and it can cause the room to overheat, which is a known SIDS risk. We use a space heater sometimes in our room and many nights I have woken up to find that I am sweating. So if you put the baby to bed with the space heater set to what seems like a good temperature, it may become too hot without you realizing it because you are asleep in the next room.

I would keep the baby in your room until the weather warms up. Spring is not far away.

Or I would at least ask an HVAC tech about what type of heater would be safest.

vhab · March 2009

Oh, and ours has a thermostat on it and a timer, so it will go off and on based on the temp of the room.

Irishgatorstar · March 2009

I can almost guarantee that the fires caused by space heaters are due to people's stupidity and not a product defect. Just don't drape your curtains over it or use it to dry your laundry and I'm sure everything will be fine.

iris427 · March 2009

vhab:
Oh, and ours has a thermostat on it and a timer, so it will go off and on based on the temp of the room.

I think this type of heater would be a good idea.

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