heating?!!

MonkeySaving?

IMHO i reckon that cot deaths are in the realm of SADS (Sudden adult death syndrome) regardless of what the government or medical "experts" say. Hell, medical experts say that E makes holes in your brain and we all know that has been disproved.....As has been mentioned by a previous poster it might be worth sharing the same room with them and perhaps using an oil filled radiator rather than a standard electric heater.

mshterry

hi glad to see some people are being helpful lets hope that the person who asked for the help will come back and read the good posts?

keep a diary of temps for evidence for the council
perhaps blind and curtains will keep some heat in
although this is not a substitute for a basic need of heating.

As i said earlier CAB will have all the local knowledge and will even assist you in approaching the different places for help.....if all else fails you could apply for a house transfer not the best idea but in the extreme it might help.

let us know if you come back and how you do ....i hope that the attitudes of some have not driven you away from the many on here that want to help
good luck

seven-day-weekend

Right, OK, I don't think the person who suggested keeping the rooms cooler was intending to be offensive, merely suggesting how to keep the bills down. It is NOT necessary to heat the rooms, I personally never have and my son was born prematurely and it was January! And our house was built in the 1850s and has no insulation to speak of, ice on windows etc.

Keep them covered, stick a sleep suit on and maybe mittens and they should be fine. If it's cold breastfeeding take them in bed with you.

You want to save money, well that's the best way to do it.

Fran

bigbrummygirl wrote:

it might be worth taking a look at this website who can help you get some more heating installed..


http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Bfsl1/BenefitsAndFinancialSupport/DG_10018661

This is the best thing to go for, a friend of mine just had 2 extra radiators and a new boiler, new insulation put in.

nats3006

wow thanks for all that help i have only just had a look at them! in regards to ringing the warm front grants i live in a council house and you either have to own your own home or privately rent it so no good for me! but thanks all for your good help!
nats
x

Fran

nats3006 wrote:

..... in regards to ringing the warm front grants i live in a council house and you either have to own your own home or privately rent it so no good for me!...

I didn't realise that - I know of council tenants that have had some work done like this so contact your council as they might be eligible under the scheme as a landlord.

Three_Dancing_Dragons

You could start by getting a thermometer and checking what the temperatures in the rooms are overnight. I saw these GroEggs on amazon that show at a glance whether the temperature is within the right range.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gro-Group-Grobag-Egg/dp/B000DZF1WE/sr=8-2/qid=1170951186/ref=sr_1_2/026-3727983-4457217?ie=UTF8&s=toys

I'm sure a moneysaver would be able to help you find them for a lower price.

As a council tenant I think you would still be eligible for a free assessment (and free low energy lightbulbs by the way) but would then have to take it to the council for them to do the work.

Best of luck and wrap up warm.

CFC

A couple of people on this thread have got hot under the collar about cot death, having experienced one of these tragic events in their family.

Olderbutwiser is right - there is strong medical evidence that overheating rooms can contribute to cot deaths. There is no medical evidence that cold rooms can contribute to cot deaths, provided the child is dressed and wrapped sensibly of course!

The recommended range is 16-20 but there is a lot of evidence that most parents will underestimate the heat of a room. Please also remember that probably the ideal temp. would sit in the range of 17-19 degrees in order to avoid extremes, especially the worrying overheating option.

Perhaps you should get a thermometer Nats, and see what temp. the room is for a few days before going down any other routes?

Advice on avoiding Cot deaths, apart from the above on room heating -

Other important ways of reducing the risk of cot death include:

putting your baby to sleep on his or her back.
not smoking - both during pregnancy, and in the same room as your baby.
keeping your baby's head uncovered when sleeping and place his feet at the foot of the cot to prevent any wriggling down under the covers.
not letting your baby sleep with a hot water bottle, next to a radiator, in direct sunlight or near a heater or fire.
avoiding the use of duvets, quilts, cot bumpers or sheepskins that may cause your baby to get too hot.
avoiding falling asleep with your baby on a sofa.
avoiding bed sharing with your baby, especially if you or your partner has been drinking or taken anything that could cause extreme tiredness.
avoiding crowding the cot with soft toys.
putting your baby to sleep in a cot in your room for the first six months.
seeking medical advice promptly if your baby seems unwell.

Why cot death affects some babies but not others is unknown, and in most cases no cause is found and it is not due to anything the parents have or have not done.

Fran

***Boardguide comment***

Please keep to OP's original topic.

I am moving this thread to the Gas/Electricity Board.

............................................................................................

nats3006,

A good start meanwhile if you haven't already is to read Martin's Article and read the info on the Gas/Electricity board to make sure you are paying as little as possible for the heating you have at the moment.

chas1937

Recommended temps are 21c living room and 18c elsewhere and thats not very warm.Even if you sit in l/r for any length of time you will start too feel that temp cold