Baby Thermometer

We have a newborn and we just got the Exergen forehead thermometer from Walmart. It's wonderful and very accurate. I read the reviews before we bought it got excellent reviews, unlike some of the other forehead ones. Our ear thermometer does not work at all. The forehead thermometer says that it can be used from birth and many of the ear ones aren't for babies under 6 months.

My forehead thermometer stinks. My 15 month old was sick just this week... the forehead thermometer told me that he was at 99.3 (I knew he felt hotter than that) and I double-checked with a digital rectal. Well, it was a good thing I did; he was running a 103.7 temp!

My forehead thermometer is the small safety first, my neighbor has a larger type (about 6-7 inches long) and she swears by hers. She had a 2 mo. Preemie who required constant monitoring. I am sure it depends on the brand.

Good Luck!
E.

I just started nursing school and much to my surprise, they teach that a rectal is a last resort on an infant. An ear thermometer is suggested as the best to use but the one I have stinks!

I have some very serious issues with using rectal thermometers, so I used a regular one that I just stick under my daughter's arm. Never had any problems with it. The one I got came with a newborn first aid kit that I got at Target.

Doctor's always prefer the rectal method as in the ear can be inaccurate depending upon the movement of the baby. I bought a digital rectal. It takes the temperature very fast with little discomfort to the little one. Babies R Us has a variety and I think all are dependable.

Rectal is best at this age as previously noted. I could get as much as a 2-3 degree difference when I used a forehead or underarm thermometer vs a rectal one. That's a big difference and had I not taken the temp rectally and taken the appropriate steps, my son could have been at risk of a temp induced seizure.

You can get a thermometer that takes temps quickly that can be used for both rectally and under the arm (you get plastic sheaths for taking rectal temps). I think Parent's makes one. The trick is to get a thermometer that takes temps quickly.

It's not neccessary to get a rectal thermometer. I got one of the temporal artery thermometers ($35 at Walmart). It seems to work well, takes only seconds, and you can do it while they are sleeping.

L.

Hi S. W,

My name is L. and I have a six week old daughter. With the thermometers dont be alarmed. The hospital gave us the thermometer they used on her in the hospital. They always took her temp under her arm except for when you go to the doctors office. That way you know hwat it was in the hospital as the same as home. Congrats on you first baby !! They are sooo much fun and such a blessing!

You do not have to use thermometers rectally anymore (although it is still the most accurate). You can use a forehead thermometer. I love mine and it's made by Parents. I was skeptical at first but I have compared it to a plain old digital one and the readings are comparable. I don't know much about the ear thermometers but the teacher of my baby basics class said they are good for toddlers but not newborns. Hope this helps.

If you ever have to call your doctor's answering service in the middle of the night, the first thing they want to know in a newborn is their rectal temp. The good thing is there are digital ones that give highly accurate readings in 10 seconds--check Babies R us. It's kind-of scary the first time you do it, but believe me, when your precious baby is very sick, you'll do whatever it takes to help them get well. I had to give my daughter acetaminaphen suppositories several times when she was a baby as she couldn't keep the syrup down. Just one of those parts of motherhood you don't like, but do it because you know it's best. Ask your pediatrician's nurse to walk you through it during baby's first dr. visit after he comes home from the hospital.

I have used an ear thermometer for my son, from newborn to current, he's now almost 5. I cant remember the brand, but I think I paid anywhere from $20-30 at Babies R Us.

Both of my daughters register a higher temp (AND more accurate) with a rectal thermometer. Whenever I take my daughters to the pediatrician I always ask for their temperature to be taken rectally. I know it is not the most pleasant, but any baby rectal thermometer you buy will only go in slightly. If you can preoccupy your baby with a toy or a bottle, she will be okay, and you should feel confident knowing that you are getting the best read.

When my baby was first born (14 months ago), we bought an ear thermometer. It worked good, but he soon developed a ton of ear wax, and then we weren't getting an accurate reading. So we bought a forehead thermometer from Wal-Mart in the pharmacy section, and it's been wonderful. It says Exergen on it... our doctor also uses a forehead thermometer, so I figure it can't be a bad method! Good luck!

We have both a rectal and an ear thermometer. The rectal actually is necessary for a newborn through 3 or 4 months old, simply because it can be important to get an accurate reading.

So, I'd say get a digital one that can be used rectally (they're pretty inexpensive), plus an ear or forehead one. When the kids were babies we would use the ear thermometer first and if it seemed high enough to warrant a call to the doctor, we'd do the rectal one for the sake of accuracy. You definitely want a rectal one that is digital and gives a FAST readout (I think ours gives a temp in 10 seconds).

Our ear thermometer seems to be giving out random temps now (it's 4 yrs old), so we're likely going to replace it with the forehead one. Our pediatrician uses the forehead one, so I'd assume that means it's good.

Rectal therm's are said to be the most actuate but I am also pretty sure they arent ver comfortable (hehehehehe) My daughters pediatrician uses one that she swipes from temple to temple across her forhead and says that thats what she trusts. I dont remember what its calleed but it just looks like a wand with a lil half ball on one end. I know they sell them at Wal-Mart and target. I hope I was some help good luck.