There is no worse feeling than your little one getting sick, and at times you can feel pretty helpless as a parent. However, there are actually plenty of things you can do to help your baby through it. Fevers can be one of the scariest things as a parent of a small baby, so having a trusted baby thermometer is absolutely essential. It will allow you to monitor any changes going on and give you a heads up on if things are looking up or if further action needs to be taken to get your child healthy.
Thermometer Must Knows
- There are many different types of thermometers; oral, forehead, armpit, rectal and multi use.
- Read all the instructions to ensure you take your baby’s temperature correctly with you new baby thermometer.
- Keeping your thermometer clean is very important. Make sure to read your thermometers specific instructions on how to do so.
- A fever over 100.4 for a baby under 3 months is very serious and a pediatrician should be called immediately. Going along with this, a rectal thermometer reading is most accurate and is typically the best option for a newborn.
- For a baby 3-6 months old, your doctor should be called if their fever reaches 102 and past 6 months old the doctor should be contacted if a fever of 102 last longer than one day.
Best Rectal Baby Thermometers
Vicks Baby Rectal Monitor
With a newborn baby, a rectal thermometer is necessary to get a super accurate reading. And you are going to want extreme accuracy as a fever in a newborn should be taken very seriously. Vicks Baby Rectal Monitor is highly rated by parents and has long been looked to as the best in the game. Again, the tip is waterproof making it very easy to get clean. It also has a ComfortFlex tip and will give you a reading within 10 seconds. Add this to your baby bag now.
Safety First 3 in 1 Baby Thermometer
The Safety First 3 in 1 Baby Thermometer is an option that gives you the choice of how to take your child’s temperature reading. However, we best like it used as a rectal thermometer. For rectal temperature readings, which are best for newborns, the tip is flexible making insertion easy and more comfortable. It is also has an over-insertion gauge because no joke it can be pretty frightening to stick something up there, even though it is for your baby’s best. It is really small with a good case and a long battery life meaning you can easily take it with you. The only downfall of this thermometer is it takes about 30 seconds to get a reading. Current pricing here.
Best Forehead Thermometers
Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer
This is by far my favorite thermometer. It is so easy to use. Your whole family can use this thermometer for many years to come. It is a forehead thermometer that gets an extremely accurate reading because of their Arterial Heat Balance technology. Many hospitals use the Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer, and your pediatrician probably does as well. All you have to do is scan the thermometer gently across the forehead. So along with being accurate, it is very easy to use. Get yours now!
No Touch Options
Braun No Touch Plus Forehead Thermometer
Having a stubborn kiddo can be tough, and when they’re sick it can seem impossible to get them to cooperate. Having a no touch thermometer is key. With the Braun No Touch Plus Forehead Thermometer you can get a temperature reading from up to 2 inches away. No matter how difficult your child is being you can at least get their temperature reading during nap or bedtime. This thermometer is also great for nighttime temperature readings and will allow your baby to keep getting the rest they need. It is easy to use and interpret results from, and even allows you to track the fever with data from previous readings. Check out current pricing.
Tommee Tippee Forehead Thermometer
The Tommee Tippee is another no touch forehead thermometer and it gives you a reading in a quick 2 seconds. Again, perfect for a sleeping baby. It gives a big, clear reading. Along with this it gives you an alert if the reading indicates a fever. It also stores the last 25 readings, just in case you forget to keep track elsewhere. You can switch easily between Celsius and Fahrenheit. And here is our absolute favorite thing about this baby thermometer; you can use it to measure the surface temperature of other items like your baby’s bottle. Current pricing here!
Dr. Madre Digital Infrared Forehead Thermometer
Having an infrared thermometer allows you to take your child’s temperature with no contact, and that is pretty dang cool! This is a great thermometer for the whole family, but especially for your baby who probably won’t enjoy being poked or prodded by other thermometer options. It also stores up to 12 readings so you can track the fever. Take a look at current pricing.
Multi Use Thermometers
DrKea K500x Babythermo
Switching gears into a triple function thermometer that can be used on the forehead, in the ear, or to measure the temperature in the room we bring to you the DrKea K500x Babythermo. It has two modes that we really love; the silent mode for night time readings that won’t wake up your baby and the 1 second mode that allows you to get a reading in just 1 second and is perfect for wiggly little ones. This thermometer is very reliable and also quite easy to use. Add this to your baby must haves, purchase here!
iProven Oral and Rectal Thermometer
We agree it may seem a little weird to have a multi use oral AND rectal thermometer. However, the tip is water proof meaning it can be thoroughly cleaned with either soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Not only does the thermometer give you a temperature reading but it indicates if it’s a good, slightly elevated temperature, or a fever. You can take the reading in a quick 10 seconds, and there won’t be any annoying loud beeps. Check current pricing here.
Baby Thermometers with Technology Perks
FridaBaby FeverFrida the IThermonitor
I am in love with all things Fridababy. I love that their products are innovative and stray from the traditional baby products. Of course, we had to include the FeverFrida on our list of the best baby thermometers. This is actually a monitor that your baby wears and it communicates readings to your smartphone, giving constant updates. This can save you so much worry when you have got a sick baby! It is just a little patch that goes right under your baby’s armpit. It won’t cause them any discomfort and they will likely leave it alone. However, I do recommend that you still have another thermometer in your house and check with it regularly. It is just nice to have the FeverFrida for some extra comfort and warning if a fever suddenly spikes. Purchase the FeverFrida here!
Kinsa Quickcare Thermometer
We live in a digital world, so it only makes sense that thermometers have finally caught up. We are all for it! The Kinsa Quickcare is super easy to use, trusted to give an accurate reading, and best of all has an app for parents to connect to. The app will allow you to track your kiddos health. For instance, it gives you medication reminders and tips with age-based guides. (a godsend if you’re doubling up and switching between Motrin and Tylenol!) Another reason this is one of the best baby thermometers is that it is made for oral, armpit, or rectal use. This means you can use the thermometer for your child at any age from newborn on. Check current pricing.
Have questions about Baby Gear? Feel free to ask in the comments Or ask a question in our Rookie Moms Facebook Group, it’s a great group of moms where you can share your experiences, ask for advice and even help out another mom!
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