Baby Heater Buying Guide in Kenya

Babies can’t regulate their body temperature as well as adults and have quicker heat loss. Premature babies especially don’t have much insulating body fat. And of course, they can’t get up and grab another blanket out of the closet. It is therefore very important especially during the cold seasons in Kenya, to have a heater for your baby. 

Heaters during bath time are essential, but it's not only about bath time a chilly room could keep your baby waking up multiple times, so keeping baby warm is important for their comfort as well.

We've written this little guide to help you pick out what type of heater would work best for you. 

There are many types of space heaters, but only two types conform to the safety needs for a baby’s room.

Let’s have a look at what's available on www.motherbabyshop.co.ke

• Oil Heaters
• Ceramic Heaters or Fan Heaters 

Oil Heaters

These heaters do not suck up the moisture in the room because oxygen is not burned to generate heat, contrary to what their name may imply, there is no burning of oil that takes place. The power is consumed to heat the oil, then the heat is passed to metal walls (fins) through convection which then heats the room.Oil heaters are considered to be the best bet when used for a baby’s room. They are a lot safer than coil and electric fan heaters. This is because the surface of these heaters won’t heat up as much as the others. This makes it safe for the baby to touch them without the harm of burns. They can also be programmed for auto-shut off when they are unbalanced or tip over.

They also keep the room warm for a longer period even after they are switched off, making them more energy efficient. Many have smart thermostats to manage temperatures according to your baby’s needs.

On the downside, oil heaters are more expensive than the other type of heaters, they also take longer to heat up the room and they are bulkier to move around. 

In a nutshell, these heaters are often recommended for baby rooms because they do not reduce humidity in the air, they are also quiet and safer than other heaters as their surface does not get as hot as the other options available. 

Ceramic or Fan Heaters

A drawback is that they may get noisy at times, however this is not always a bad thing as some parents say this noise acts as white noise and helps their babies sleep better. Ceramic or Fan heaters warm up the room by passing air through the hot ceramic coil and then pushing it out by use of a fan. These are also safe to use in a baby room as the surface of the heater does not heat up but the grill where the warm air is pushed out from does get hot and so they should always be used under adult supervision. One of the main advantages of this heater is that it is very portable because of its small size. It is also cheaper than the oil heater.

Because this heater burns the air in the room, it reduces the humidity in the room and prolonged use could lead to dehydration, a dry throat and nasal congestion. This can be overcome by using this heater along with a humidifier to prevent the air from drying up when you need to keep the heater on for longer. 

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