Why doesn’t a baby feel cold in the womb?

Your core, the placenta, amniotic fluid and hormones keep the womb warm and maintain a steady temperature for your baby.

Do newborns feel temperature changes easily?

Babies cannot control their body temperature, so they overheat and get cold easily compared to adults.

How do I know if my baby is too hot or too cold?

Always check your baby’s temperature by feeling their chest or back. If they feel sweaty or cold, adjust the clothing on them accordingly.

Why Babies Don’t Feel Cold or Hot the Same Way as Adults

You can sense when the room feels too hot or cold instantly as an adult. Your body may react quickly to these changes by sweating, shivering or adjusting your clothing. However, it is not the same with babies after they are born.

Inside the Womb, Temperature Never Changes Much

Your baby lives in a perfectly warm environment before birth. The womb remains slightly warmer than the outside world, and your core temperature further helps maintain it.

Your baby never feels cold
Your baby never feels heat the way you do
The temperature around them barely changes

The womb is like a temperature-controlled room. Your placenta and amniotic fluid maintain a stable environment, so your baby never experiences the wide temperature changes you feel every day.

Babies Don’t Need to Sweat or Shiver in the Womb

Your body controls temperature in the following ways:

Sweating to cool down
Shivering to warm up
Blood flow changes that release or hold heat

But babies inside the womb do not need any of these systems because their temperature is regulated by your body.

Their sweat glands are present, but they do not function yet. Their muscles cannot shiver to produce heat, and the brain’s temperature-control centre is still immature.

So, your baby does not experience “feeling hot” or “feeling cold” while inside you.

Babies Don’t Sense Temperature the Same Way Adults Do

Babies do not recognise temperature changes as quickly as adults, even after birth. Their nervous system is still growing, and the part of the brain that senses heat and cold is not fully developed.

Here’s what this means for your baby:

They may not cry immediately when they feel cold
They may not react clearly to being overheated
They rely on you to adjust their clothing and environment

Babies cannot detect or communicate temperature changes with the same accuracy as adults.

Babies Lose Heat Faster Than Adults

Things change drastically once your baby is born. They leave the warm womb and enter a world that may feel cold. Their bodies are not good at holding heat yet.

The following are the reasons for babies to lose heat quickly:

They have a larger body surface area compared to their weight
They have very little fat right after birth (except brown fat)
Their skin is thin
Their temperature control system is immature

Therefore, babies are dried, wrapped, and placed on the mother’s chest immediately after birth. They need external warmth to stay comfortable.

Brown Fat Helps Babies Stay Warm—But Only For a Short Time

Babies have a special type of fat called brown fat, which is located around their back, neck, and shoulders. It produces heat when it is cold and also helps in the following ways:

Helps babies stay warm in the first hours and days after birth
Supports temperature regulation while the body is still developing
Activates when the baby is exposed to cooler temperatures

But brown fat alone cannot keep them warm for long, so they need clothing, blankets, and skin-to-skin contact.

Babies Cannot Sweat Effectively

You can cool down by sweating, but your baby cannot because their sweat glands are not mature yet, which means the following things:

Babies overheat more easily
They cannot cool themselves quickly
They rely on caregivers to avoid overheating

Overheating is as risky as being too cold, which is why doctors advise light layers instead of heavy clothing or thick blankets.

Why Babies May Not Show Clear Signs of Temperature Discomfort

You can express your discomfort easily, but not your baby. You may have to look out for the following signs in your baby:

Being fussy or crying
Having cold hands and feet
Breathing fast if overheated
Feeling unusually warm on the chest or back

Most babies remain quiet even when they are too cold or hot because their bodies are still figuring out how to react. They cannot shiver or sweat to correct their temperature.

Skin-to-Skin Contact Helps Babies Regulate Temperature

Skin-to-skin contact is one of the best ways to help your baby stay warm after birth. Your body adjusts to match your baby’s needs when they lie on your chest.

Your chest warms up if your baby is cold
Your chest cools down if your baby is too warm
Your heartbeat and breathing help stabilise your baby’s body

It replaces the womb’s temperature control and helps your baby adapt to the outside world.

Why Babies Don’t Feel Cold or Hot in the Womb—But Do After Birth

The conditions are different inside the womb.

Your body controls all temperature changes
Amniotic fluid insulates the baby
The placenta regulates heat exchange

But they change again after birth.

The baby must learn to regulate their own temperature
They rely on brown fat, skin-to-skin contact, and your care
They are sensitive to temperature changes, but cannot react properly

So babies become more vulnerable to temperature changes after they are born.

Your baby may not sense hot or cold because their temperature-regulating system is still developing. But your body keeps everything perfectly stable for them inside the womb. They rely on warm clothing, blankets, and skin-to-skin contact to stay comfortable after birth. Knowing this can help you create a safe environment for their early hours of life.

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FAQs on Why Babies Don’t Feel Cold or Hot the Same Way as Adults?

Why doesn’t a baby feel cold in the womb?
Your core, the placenta, amniotic fluid and hormones keep the womb warm and maintain a steady temperature for your baby.
Do newborns feel temperature changes easily?
Babies cannot control their body temperature, so they overheat and get cold easily compared to adults.
How do I know if my baby is too hot or too cold?
Always check your baby’s temperature by feeling their chest or back. If they feel sweaty or cold, adjust the clothing on them accordingly.