Thermometer Advice

Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:23 pm

Hey ladies! Need some help!
My pediatrician told us we needed to register for a rectal thermometer. She said they are the most accurate and not actually that hard to use. My stepdad is a doctor (not pedi) and said to just get an ear thermometer because rectal are very hard to use. What do you guys use for your babies??

Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:36 pm

A rectal thermometer is much more accurate for a newborn. Our hospital sends you home with one, so we never bought one. But hoenstly they aren't hard. You just flip the baby on their tummy insert just the tip and wait a few minutes. I would probably just buy one, they aren't expensive and then register for an ear thermometer. Most likely your baby won't get sick for a few months anyway because it has all your immunities for awhile. The ear thermometer is nice to have for when they are older. Many of them are too large to fit in the ear though until they are older so they don't get an accurate read. Usually around a year their ears are big enough. There are the newer frontal lobe thermometers which is what all the pedi offices use around here. They just roll it across the forehead and it gets a good result. You could always register for that too. It really depends on what you're comfortable doing. I always just used the ear one. I only had to take a rectal temp once with any of my 4 kids.

Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:24 pm

My SIL got us a rectal one or I wouldnt have. Some friends of our had the one that you roll over their forehead and it worked just fine for them so thats the one we got.

Angel Baby 01/03/2012

Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:23 pm

I got one fron target that is rectal, underarm and mouth all in one! You just change the tip as yor needs change. It takes it in about 5 seconds too which is nice. I think the brand s safety first and it was about $40

Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:54 pm

I have an underarm one and a rectal one. I honestly would not even bother registering for a thermometer. I got mine at the grocery store when I was shopping to stock up on diapers.

The rectal ones are NOT hard to use at all. Really.

Sun Aug 26, 2012 1:23 pm

I used a rectal thermometer with my DS but had his doctor teach me. When He was 2 I got a professional thermal thermometer (like the ones in the DR office). I love the thermal thermometer it is very accurate and I can use it when my DS is sleeping. The whole family uses it. For this little one I will use a rectal thermometer for the baby stages.

Sun Aug 26, 2012 3:15 pm

No need for a fancy thermometer Just buy a regular plain one from the drug store and use it under the armpit. I recommend against doing rectal temps unless you know what you're doing. Granted, it's true that it's not that hard, but it could be inserted to far, or at the wrong angle, or the baby might move out of your grip, and you might end up doing some damage accidentally. At my hospital, we only check rectally once, and that's just to make sure everything's open down there. Afterwards, we only do armpit temps (and they're nearly as accurate).

Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:11 pm

I never used a rectal thermometer with my girls, just took their temp in their armpit till they were a bit older then used the ear thermometer. Love the ear thermometer for when they're older

Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:36 am

Rectal is easy for newborns. Most have a shape to the tip so that you cannot insert too far. The rectal reading is very fast. Once baby get's squirmy (my son is no 19 months) rectal and armbit are impossible! We got a behind the ear thermometer which gives a reading in 5 seconds. But I will use a rectal for our infant, it's most accurate.

Make a pregnancy ticker

Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:35 am

I've never even heard of registering for a thermometer!
I just used an under the armpit one for my son and it did the trick each time. He's 3 and that's still what I use... he doesnt get sick very often, but at least it lets me know when he's in fever range.

Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:35 pm

Hello ladies

I just wanted to share this article on buying a baby thermometer with you all: Buying a Baby Thermometer | Types of Baby Thermometers | BabyZone

Maybe it will help in making your decision easier.

Best wishes,

Pia

*♥**♥**♥***(ړײ)***♥**♥**♥*

Pia Pickett
Babyzone.com
Pia.Pickett@Disney.com