Becoming a parent can be exciting, but it’s enough to make you nervous as well. You may be a helicopter parent, always hovering around your child, worried that something might happen to them. It may be hard to get away from that mindset since you want your kid to grow up happy and healthy.
Because of this, you’ll want to have any medical accessories the child needs ready to go at all times if they become ill or injure themselves. A baby thermometer is one thing you’ll likely want to have in the house.
There are some particular qualities you’ll want your baby’s thermometer to have. Let’s talk about some of those now.
It Should Be Both Comfortable and Safe
When you’re looking at baby thermometers and comparing and contrasting the ones on the market, the thermometer’s composition should be one of the first things that get your attention. In the past, glass thermometers were essentially the only ones on the market. These days, though, baby product manufacturing companies understand that those are not the most comfortable for a young child.
You would be better off buying a food-grade silicone baby thermometer. The silicone does not feel harsh or uncomfortable when you apply it to a child’s body.
Also, you should understand that many of the thermometers you get now don’t have to go in a child’s mouth at all. You can apply a patch to their bare skin, and it will monitor their temperature throughout the day or night.
Smart Thermometers
You might also want to go with a “smart” baby thermometer. There are several of these on the market now. Smart thermometers are those where you have the thermometer itself and then a separate element that shows how your baby is doing when you check their temperature.
Many new parents prefer these smart thermometers because they give the most accurate readings. They can show you with pinpoint accuracy what your baby’s temperature is, so you know if they’re getting sick or recovering from illness.
They usually come with blinking LED light notifications and beeping sounds when you take the child’s temperature. You will likely not get a better reading, even in a hospital setting. Once you apply it to a child’s skin, it will also give you 24-hour continuous monitoring for your peace of mind.
You Want One the FDA Has Approved
You should look on the package to see if it has FDA approval. The FDA, or the Food and Drug Administration, is one of the most trusted and highly-regarded medical entities. They have no bias and want nothing more than to get the best and most rigorously tested products into your hands.
Consumers can trust the FDA, so if you see that logo on the baby thermometer’s packaging you are considering getting, that’s a big plus. If you don’t see that on there, you should probably continue shopping.
You Want One with Long-Lasting Battery Life
Assuming you want a smart thermometer, you need one that offers long-lasting battery life. It will not do you much good if the one you get advertises that it monitors your baby twenty-four hours a day, but then the battery gives out, so you can no longer tell if your child is running a fever.
Look on the package and see if it says anything about the battery life. You want one with a rechargeable battery and one where that battery lasts for many hours, especially if your baby is sick and you want to monitor them closely during the night. You can even find some that will notify you if the battery ever runs low.
You Want One that Comes with Several Adhesive Patches
With smart baby thermometers, you will often find models where you have to replace the adhesive patch periodically. You attach the patch under the child’s armpit, where it will not bother them or impede their movements.
After a day of continuous monitoring, you can remove that patch and get a fresh one, throwing the old one away. That’s part of how you can be sure you’re getting the most accurate temperature reading.
Accordingly, you should get a baby thermometer model that comes with several patches. Some of them come with ten or more, which means you won’t have to reorder additional patches anytime soon.
Now that you know what to look for, you can shop for baby thermometers that have solid reviews and an excellent reputation.