Taking your baby's temperature

There are many technical skills to learn with your new baby. But one of the most important is being able to take an accurate temperature, because a fever is one of the key indicators of a potentially serious infection in the first months of your baby's life.

How to measure your baby’s temperature

In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has provided healthcare professionals with guidance on how best to measure temperature in babies and children younger than five years.

In babies under four weeks old, they have advised using electronic thermometers placed in the armpit.

From the age of four weeks to five years, NICE recommend measuring temperature either in the armpit (using an electronic thermometer or a chemical dot thermometer) or in the ear (using an infra-red tympanic thermometer).

UK healthcare professionals have been advised aganst routinely using rectal or oral thermometers or forehead chemical thermometers in children under five years.

Any temperature of at least 38°C (100.4 degrees Farenheit)  is considered a fever and a reason to call your doctor immediately. You can always call your doctor for a sick baby, even if the baby doesn't have a fever.