Why the search for the ideal humidity for a baby? The primary question that got many confused lately about humidity is the actual level or range on which it is supposed to be for Newborns and what is the best humidifier for a baby. Plus, which can be declared medically safe and convenient for human habitation.
Most times, the tolerance increase or decreases, which is much tolerable by the human body, adults especially, but when it comes to the younger ones, you have little or no room for errors and must get it spot on.
Babies especially are very delicate and sensitive to things adults couldn’t care less about; therefore, there is a need for a special kind of care and tenderness while they grow, with the essential task of adequate humidity being able to create the minimum bedrock to build upon. Therefore, you must realize and maintain the standard humidity range which is safe for babies.
Read Here: Baby Air Purifier vs Humidifier
Short answer: Ideal Humidity level for a baby
Professional bodies worldwide have recommended keeping relative humidity levels between 40 and 50% for babies.
One can also go slightly above the 50 mark to hit up to 55% depending on how dry the climate is and how quickly the humidity dissipates.
To avoid discomfort with low humidity, be sure to have a stand-by humidifier in your baby’s room.
Long answer: What you should Know about the ideal Humidity for your baby?
How does humidity affect the baby’s health?
From experience and also backed up by professional studies, the fact that an infant’s sleep can be significantly affected by humidity levels in the room is correct.
Shallow humidity level, especially, can cause problems ranging from cracked and itchy skin to extremely dry nasal passages, leaving them in so great a discomfort that sleeping becomes practically impossible. Poor sleep, however, can be the least of your worries.
Sinus irritation is also another major thing to contend with in babies; when the humidity level falls too low, aggravating symptoms like a bloody nose, a dry nasal passage, which eventually leads to irritation. This causes cough, congestion, and breathing difficulties too.
Read Here: Best Air purifier and Humidifier Combo for babies
What is the Ideal humidity for a baby with a cold and a baby without cold?
Although low humidity is much associated with cold seasons and temperatures in general, there are also times in the year when relative humidity levels drop very low, leaving the air very dry, despite overall temperatures being up.
As a result, you could have a situation where your baby gets a cold or not. For babies with hard and those without, you must consider other protections that ensure their comfort.
In the real sense, recommended safe humidity range for babies with cold and those without aren’t different, and we still say it should be between 30 and 50%.
However, for those with a cold, you must also keep an eye on the temperature level and the chill winds flying across. Limit the amount of time the infant spends outside the home, and do enough to cover the child’s body parts adequately.
How does humidifier and dehumidifier help in maintaining the Nursery humidity?
The job of a humidifier is to increase the moisture level of the air, while the dehumidifier does the opposite, which removes moisture from the air.
Despite the remarkable benefits of having a humidity-filled atmosphere for your baby, it is also harmful to have moisture hit high levels too, which simply offers back a different type of contamination compared to low humidity levels problems.
For those who cannot adequately monitor humidity in the room, it is very beneficial to have a dehumidifier work alongside or in part-time operation with the humidifier.
While the humidifier tries to increase moisture in the room, the dehumidifier should be set to cap the moisture level to a particular percentage. They both work in hand for something like a counterbalance system that effectively traps humidity in a range.
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Best humidifiers for babies in 2023
Check our honest review of the best humidifier for a baby, where you can learn the best features, advantages and disadvantages.
1) LEVOIT Humidifier for Infants
Special features: smart humidity sensing, Aromatherapy, combine ultrasonic mist, and sleep mode
LEVOIT Humidifier offers everything you might want in a powerful humidifier and more. The device is white and modern-looking, and while, thanks to its large tank, it takes up a lot of space, you get a humidifier that will work in large areas and for up to 50 hours straight without the need to refill the tank, which I find incredibly convenient. You can forget that you own a humidifier but still enjoy the effects of its work.
I also found the Warm and Cool Mist feature very useful, as it allowed me to control the ambiance of my home better. The LEVOIT Humidifier for Bedroom Large Room Home covers a floor area of 753ft² and, according to the producer, provides speeds 4× faster than other similar devices. In my tests, it did a great job of increasing the humidity in most of my living spaces in less than two hours, and my home is just under 650ft².
I must also mention the customizable humidity settings that offered me an easy way to adapt the humidity levels to my needs. You can choose the perfect humidity for kids or your house plants, which will be a considerable advantage for both natural and plant parents. The device can raise RH by 10% in 20 mins, offering quick relief if you’re struggling with flu symptoms.
What we like about This Unit
- Very quiet
- Customizable humidity settings
- Big tank
- Remote control
- Essential oil diffuser included
What we dislike about this Unit
- Rather expensive
- Considerable size
- Not easy to clean
Read Here to Know How to use a Humidifier for babies
2) Honeywell HCM350W cool mist humidifier
Special features: Filtered cool moisture, durability, ultraviolet and evaporative technology
This reasonably sized evaporative humidifier features curves all around, giving it a slick and attractive look. The Honeywell HCM350W Cool Mist Humidifier is built with a relatively large tank of about 4L that comes with a handle that makes it very easy to remove for refills.
The device is built to be extremely quiet, even when running at the highest speed, which I found to be the case during the three weeks I tested the unit.
The humidifier has a filter to prevent white dust from being released with the mist when non-distilled water is used. Filters for this device lasted me about 4-6 weeks.
In cold weather, running at high speed, the Honeywell HCM350W can raise a 625-square-foot apartment to 25% and peak at 35% in warm weather. For the most effective performance, I recommend using it in rooms less than 400 square feet.
What we like about This Unit
- Quiet operation
- Easy to clean
- Large tank
- Accurate filter
What we dislike about this Unit
- Doesn’t support essential oil usage
- Doesn’t have an automatic shut-off
- Expensive filter replacement
How humid is too humid for a baby: is high humidity terrible for babies?
Without a doubt, a high level of relative humidity is sure to cause problems for adults and even more for babies due to their weaker body systems.
A high level of humidity supports the breeding and survival of microorganisms like molds (black molds especially are very harmful to proper human functioning), which could affect the respiratory. It is, therefore, essential to keep humidity below the 55% mark.
Infants generally have a much weaker system as well as tolerance, and it is, therefore, dangerous to have gamble humidity levels at a point higher than the recommended level of 55% maximum.
Also Read: What is the difference between a diffuser and a Humidifier
How dry is too dry for a baby?
The minimum benchmark for safe humidity levels in a baby’s room air is precisely on the 40% mark. Anything lower than that, and you would be at the risk of creating a suitable environment for disease-causing microorganisms to inhabit, and we wouldn’t want that to happen, would we?
What to take home about the ideal humidity for your baby?
Babies are sensitive creatures; hence the problem of humidity should be tackled head-on and carefully to keep them perfectly safe.
Never forget that nothing in excess quantity is good for the body, and humidity is included; therefore, ensure you keep an eye on the moisture level, maintaining it with a humidifier and dehumidifier.
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