How Close Should Humidifier Be To A Baby (Answered)

Humidifiers are a savior during winters when the air is dry and uncomfortable. If you are worried about your newborn getting sick due to dry air, then installing a humidifier in your baby’s room is the best thing you can do.

But since humidifiers are electronic devices, a question arises, how close should humidifier be to baby? And that’s really a concerning question when you are using a warm mist humidifier in your baby’s room.

As per our research, humidifiers show good results in a baby’s room. Viruses are spread in colder environments when the humidity is low and the air is dry, it helps them to travel easily.

High temperatures are capable of killing some viruses, and that’s why we rarely see babies getting congested during the summer season. Coming back to the topic, it is recommended to keep the humidifier at least 3 feet away from the baby’s crib. If you sleep with your baby, then don’t worry much about the distance as long as the baby cannot crawl or walk.

Humidifiers humidity the whole room, not just one corner, and thus, the humidity level of the room will be adjusted evenly.

Why do you need a humidifier for baby?

Humidifier has proven their effectiveness for a baby in many ways. A newborn baby’s skin is soft and gentle, and dry air can cause lip cracks, skin issues, and uncomfortable breathing. Just like plants need humidity to look fresh and green, human babies too require a moist environment.

Here’s how a humidifier in your baby’s room can be effective.

Keeping away congestion

Humidifier’s fine mist helps keep the dry air moist, which is one of the key reasons why many health experts recommend using a humidifier in the baby’s room. A congested nasal passage will make it too much difficult for the baby to sleep peacefully.

Therefore in such cases, keeping a humidifier in the baby’s room is recommended. But make sure it is out of the baby’s reach because it is an electric appliance, we cannot risk keeping it near the baby.

Preventing dry skin

A child’s skin is soft, and to keep it healthy, mothers tend to use moisturizing creams and whatnot. But if you are living in dry areas like Arizona, Nevada, then not using a humidifier in a baby’s room will make its skin dry.

While you may think of using boiling water as an alternative to a humidifier, remember, it has burn risk, and if you are not always near your child, don’t even think of using boiling water as a humidifier alternative.

Preventing allergies and asthma

Humidifiers are also good for allergies, eczema, asthma, we still request you to consult your pediatrician before keeping a humidifier in your baby’s room. If the pediatrician has given a green flag to this, make sure you regularly clean the humidifier, and the humidifier filter because dust build-up can be very harmful to an asthma patient.

Is humidifier safe for baby?

As long as the humidifier is out of your baby’s reach, it is totally safe. No electrical devices are considered safe for babies, or even children less than 13 years of age.

While some people recommend using cool mist humidifiers because they don’t have any burn risk, warm mist humidifiers are more effective for the baby.

However, you need to make sure while using a humidifier in your baby’s that it is not placed near the crib. The cool mist humidifiers release cool water vapor in the environment, while warm mist humidifiers have a heating element that heats the water and emits hot water vapor in the environment.

Both of them are good, but as per my own experience, warm mist humidifiers tend to give the best results. There are many humidifiers in the market that can release both, hot and cool mist, so you can consider buying that type of humidifier.

How close should a humidifier be to a baby?

There’s no common answer to this question because this totally depends on the age of your baby. If your baby sleeps in the crib, you can place the humidifier 3 feet away, on a table. If the baby crawls a lot in the room, you can still place the humidifier on the table, just make sure the table is still, not shaking.

Furthermore, if the baby is more than 3 years of age, you can teach him to stay away from electrical appliances when they are plugged in, this can be challenging because children are curious at this age, but there’s nothing wrong in trying.

Another thing you need to remember is not to keep the humidifier near the baby’s crib, if the little one is in a mood for some fun and pushes away the humidifier, it can create a big scene in the house.

Lastly, if your little one often escapes the crib, just keep an eye on him/her, you can keep the humidifier on the top of the dresser, closet, refrigerator or anything that’s strong and out of baby’s reach.

Can a baby sleep in a room with a humidifier?

Yes, totally. The baby can sleep in a room with a humidifier. However, make sure you don’t leave both of them alone (which you possibly won’t).

A humidifier can be really helpful during the dry season, you can keep a cool-mist humidifier in your baby’s room if he’s congested, or having skin allergies.

But if you are concerned about safety, use a cool-mist humidifier. You already know how close should humidifier be to baby, make sure you remember this while using a humidifier.

Another thing you need to note is that modern-day humidifiers come with an auto shut-off feature, that shuts down the appliances as soon as the water levels go low. This is a very useful feature, and I suggest you to buy a humidifier that provides an auto shut-off feature.

Can I put Humidifier next to the baby?

No, you should not put a humidifier next to the baby, whether it is a cool mist humidifier or warm mist humidifier. The appliance runs on electricity, and we don’t recommend keeping such an appliance next to the baby’s crib.

The humidifier moisturizes the entire room even if you place it in a corner, so there’s no need to worry about it.

Types of Humidifiers that can be used in a baby’s room

There are three prominent types of humidifiers that are widely used. You can use any of them in a baby’s room, it totally depends upon your requirements.

Warm Mist Humidifier

Warm mist humidifiers are one of the most popular types of humidifiers on the market. They work by heating up water and releasing a warm mist into the air. This is a great option for anyone who wants to add humidity to their home, as it helps to prevent dry skin, nosebleeds, and other health problems.

Cool mist humidifiers

Cool mist humidifiers are another popular type of humidifier. They work by releasing a cool mist into the air, which can help to relieve congestion and other respiratory problems. This is a great option for anyone who wants to improve their breathing, as it can help to clear out sinuses and reduce inflammation.

Ultrasonic humidifier

Ultrasonic humidifiers are a newer type of humidifier that uses ultrasonic technology to create a fine mist. This is a great option for anyone who wants to add humidity to their home, as it is very quiet and doesn’t use much energy. In addition, ultrasonic humidifiers can often double as a diffuser, which means you can add essential oils to the mist for a variety of benefits.

What you should remember while using humidifier regularly for baby?

While using a humidifier in your baby’s room you should know how close should humidifier be to baby’s bed or crib, the next thing you need to know is what type of water you should use in the humidifier.

You must use only distilled water in the humidifier. Please avoid using any other type of water, whether it is bottled water or tap water, just avoid it. In addition, don’t keep the humidifier turned on for the entire night, too much moisture can also cause problems.

Make sure you buy a humidifier that’s capable of releasing warm and cool mist, so you can use it for various purposes and save money. Lastly, if you are going to use a warm mist humidifier in your baby’s room, keep it far away from the baby’s reach, because accidental water spills can cause skin burn.

Does Baby Need Humidifier in Summer?

No, humidifiers are not meant to be used during summers. The function of humidifiers is to increase the humidity levels, and during summers, the humidity levels are extreme, and extra humidity can make the environment uncomfortable. Therefore, use a dehumidifier during summer and maintain humidity levels of 30-50%.

FAQs

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

Yes, it is completely ok to have a humidifier on all night for baby, but only if your region is extremely dry. Moreover, buy a humidifier with the auto-shut-off feature, so that it stops functioning as soon as the humidity is adjusted.

Wrapping Up

That being said, we now know how close should humidifier be to baby’s bed or crib. Being a responsible parent, you should make sure you sleep with your baby while the humidifier is turned on.

If there’s anything else you wish to know, feel free to drop a comment. You can also read the related articles on the humidifier.