Have you ever considered having a fan in your baby room? We think it’s a great idea!
Studies show several life-saving benefits of adding a fan to the must-have items in your baby’s room. We encourage parents to add it to their checklist while designing the nursery.
Let’s admit it, a nursery can be filled with unnecessary items, such as unwanted toys and clothes. But it’s the more important things (such as a fan) that benefit your baby’s health that can be easily overlooked.
You may be reading this and thinking, why would having a “fan in baby room” even be on my wish list; how can it aid my baby’s survival rate?
Well, believe it or not, experts encourage installing a fan in the baby’s room to boost safe sleep to prevent SIDS. Yes, this common household electronic helps reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
3 Life-saving Benefits of Having a Fan in Your Baby Room
Installing or placing a fan in your baby room increases better air circulation in the area. This seemingly-simple addition to the nursery provides many life-saving benefits to your little one. We listed 3 benefits you need to keep in mind:
Fans Produce Calming Noise
If you put the fan on relatively low speed, it will reduce the noise output. This also lowers the possibility of waking up your little one and stops keeping you up all night.
Fans also produce white noise that helps most little ones sleep better. The calming sound also provides a relaxing environment that assists in keeping them asleep for a longer time.
Image Source: iStock
The Appliance Helps Regulate the Room’s Temperature
A fan in a baby room is great during our sultry Singapore days and nights to help bring down the temperature in your baby’s room. But remember not to put the fan on too fast as the baby could be in danger of losing too much body heat.
The fan also does not dry out the air as much as an air conditioner does. Air robbed of its humidity may aggravate skin conditions like eczema, and respiratory issues like asthma or wheezing in little ones.
Their Air Circulation Help Prevent SIDS
The ventilation and air circulation conducted by most household fans help prevent the likelihood of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This also helps babies breathe better air while sleeping.
Additionally, the better air circulated by fans helps your babies from taking in too much carbon dioxide. The ventilation also keeps the air we breathe out from staying in the room for too long. This prevents our babies from breathing any possible bacteria or bad air we carry.
Why More Parents Need To Raise Awareness of SIDS
Some new parents don’t know about the risks surrounding SIDS. It’s heartbreaking to know that some of them even ask the question, “What is SIDS?”
On the other hand, those who planned to have kids know the possible dangers that trigger SIDS at home. Additionally, overly-cautious parents always watch out for different ways how to prevent SIDS.
Having A Fan In The Baby Room Can Be Life-Saving
Having a fan in your baby’s nursery can actually be more beneficial than you initially thought. Not only does it keep the room fresh and cool, but it also provides great health benefits for your baby.
If you’re wondering how and why does a fan reduce SIDS, we suggest you look into the appliance’s purpose. Families often add a fan to a room to increase air circulation.
Concerning this, better air circulation contributes to a better sleep environment and how to prevent SIDS at home. To find out more, read on and discover the safety points you need to keep in mind.
Fans may potentially prevent SIDS
Where Can I Place Fan in My Baby’s Room?
When it comes to placing a fan in baby room, we suggest you consider the temperature of the room. Parents also need to take note of how the fan’s sound affects their infant’s sleep.
Opt for a standing fan that can oscillate freely, but ensure that it is away from the immediate area of the baby’s crib and is pointed away from the baby.
This will help avoid it from being knocked or toppled over and also reduce the chance of it harming your baby. Keep the fan pointed away at an angle to reduce the chance of infants getting a chill.
Safety Points In Mind
You might have already made the decision to place a fan in your baby’s room but do take the time to learn about safety points to ensure your child is unharmed. Here are several safety reminders for when having a fan in a baby room:
Keep all cords away from your baby’s reach
This entry is pretty self-explanatory even if it’s not related to how to prevent SIDS. Cords lying on the floor near your baby’s play area are accidents waiting to happen.
Make sure your baby can’t reach the fan blades
If you have a pedestal or table fan, place it away from potential contact with the baby. This includes any furniture that might help your child climb up and reach the fan.
Invest in a fan guard
It’s made out of fine mesh and fitted over the fan head. It prevents your kid’s little fingers from getting caught in the blades. This will also prevent your child from poking other objects in the blades.
Be cautious of reusing old fans
If you bought a second-hand fan for the baby room, run it through rigorous tests for health and safety. Make sure the grill is secure and the oscillator works, and the electrical works are safe as well.
Image Source: iStock
Install a ceiling fan
Consider installing a ceiling fan as these are obviously placed far away from your baby’s reach. If you do install one, ensure at least 3 to 4 feet between the tip of the ceiling fan blades and the edge of the furniture.
By doing this, your child will be less tempted to jump to reach for the fan while growing up. This is especially important if you plan to add a bunk bed in the room in the future.
A ceiling fan is a good alternative to a pedestal fan – but do remember to never hang anything off it and have it installed by a qualified tradesman.
Never turn a fan into a plaything
As a kid, you may have made silly noises in front of a fan, but it’s best not to show your child how to do this as it’s a safety hazard.
Don’t hang anything on your fans
Do not hang streamers, ropes or other items from the blades of a ceiling fan. This could pose the danger of strangulation for your child.
Clean your fan at least once a month
Dust and dirt will get trapped on the blades over time. You need to maintain a cleaning schedule for your room fans to continue improving your baby’s sleep.
We hope this has helped your decision in placing a fan in your child’s room. While a fan does help freshen up your little one’s bedroom, do consider the safety hazards that come with having a fan near them.
This article was updated by Kaira De la Rosa.
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.
