Hotter than a greenhouse

There is so much literature around stressing the importance of not overheating your baby. The ideal temperature for a room is between 16 and 21 degrees. Overheating can be fatal, has been thought that is a factor in many cot deaths. I've been stressing over the heat in our house since Matilda was born. I've had many a battle with mum in the early days as she kept putting more and more layers and blankets on her while she was sleeping in her pram. Each time I walked past, another layer had been laid over her so I peeled it off, only to walk back in a few minutes later and there it was back on again. Tilly was swaddled in blankets and fleeces and I was getting hotter headed by the second. Anyway, that was then - recently we've found quite a happy medium with the temperature. That was until we went to Leeds.

I'd timed the travelling with Tilly's evening sleep, planned so when we arrived I'd wake her up, feed her and then put her back down again. But when we arrived the house was hotter than a greenhouse with the central heating and the fire burning. I gave Tilly a feed and then she looked around and there were bright lights, lots of noise and new faces. So, we sat up for 2 hours before we could attempt to go to bed. When we did venture upstairs, it was such a strange environment that Tilly would not settle and spent the night in bed with us.

So much for a smooth transition from car to bed. And so much for a nice weekend away, I'm already stressed.