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How Close Should a Humidifier be to a Baby?

While most of us will enjoy a cool-mist humidifier right next to our bed, we can’t always do the same thing with our babies.

Parents need to take special things into consideration when they are both using and placing a humidifier to make sure that their little one enjoys all of the benefits, and that they are safe. 

Always Take Safety Precautions When Using A Humidifier For A Baby

When you have a baby to consider, it’s always important to learn about safety precautions and to make sure that you take them into consideration. This is the best way to make sure that your little one stays safe. 

Don’t Place The Humidifier Where Your Baby Can Reach It

 If your baby gets ahold of the humidifier, they can easily get injured. Electrocution is just one of the hazards.

If your baby makes it through the mishap okay, there’s still a large chance that they could damage the humidifier or spill the water, leaving quite the mess to clean up. It’s best to make sure your little one can’t reach it. 

Avoid Placing The Cord Where’s It’s A Fall Hazard

A baby’s room gets a lot of traffic. It’s important to make sure that you don’t place the cord of the humidifier across a path that you usually walk.

If you trip and fall, you can get hurt and your humidifier might not make it to see another day.

Even worse, if you are carrying your baby, your little one might get hurt. If that’s unavoidable, consider getting something to place over the cord to prevent falls. 

Do Not Place Humidifiers Directly Next To An Outlet

Even though they have to be plugged in, it’s important that humidifiers are placed away from the outlet.

Because humidifiers put moisture into the air, they will get moisture into the outlet if they are too close to the outlet. This can make the outlet short circuit, resulting in a fire or other hazard. 

Where Can You Place A Humidifier In A Nursery?

There are a few things that you’ll need to consider when you decide where you want to put the humidifier.

For example, you need to keep the size of the room in mind to make sure that your little one gets to enjoy the benefits that a humidifier provides. 

Keep Warm Air Humidifiers Away From Your Baby

Most people recommend using only cool mist humidifiers when you have a baby. However, there’s nothing wrong with using a warm mist humidifier either.

The primary concern is that a little one might get burnt from the steam coming out of a warm mist humidifier. If you want to use one, go for it. Make sure that it’s placed well out of the way to keep you and your little one safe. 

Some great ideas are on a nightstand in the corner. If your baby is mobile, consider placing it on a tall dresser that your little one can’t tip over.

You’ll want to push on the dresser a bit to make sure that it doesn’t tip over, or that the humidifier doesn’t fall. (Your baby is bound to push on the dresser at some point in time.)

Place Humidifiers Closer To Your Baby In Larger Rooms

Most average-sized rooms will let your baby enjoy the benefits of a humidifier no matter where you place it because it will still put moisture into the air.

In larger rooms, your little ones might enjoy less of those benefits if the humidifier is further away from them.

Instead, place it a few feet away from their bed to make sure that they get to enjoy the benefits of using a humidifier without it being too close to them. 

Make Sure Humidifiers Are At Least Three Feet Away

Parents playing with their daughter

When trying to decide where to place a humidifier, make sure that it is at least a few feet away from your little one, even if it’s a cool-mist humidifier.

This is because if a humidifier is placed too close to your baby, it can cause further problems as it covers your baby in the mist. Too much of anything is a bad thing. If you’re using a warm mist humidifier, this can result in accidental burns.

With a cool-mist humidifier, your baby can get cold due to the mist or inhale the mist as it’s pushed into the air. To test this, sit by your little one’s bed for a little bit. If the mist settles onto your skin, the humidifier is too close to your baby. 

Consider Their Age

Age is an important factor to consider when you’re trying to decide where to place a humidifier in your baby’s room. Younger babies that cannot walk or crawl yet won’t be able to pull a humidifier off of a table.

For these children, you simply need to make sure the cord is out of your way, and that it’s a safe distance away from them.

Babies that enjoy playing in their room, and are able to crawl, will require a bit more thought. You’ll want to make sure that the cord is out of their reach for safety reasons.

You also don’t want to place the humidifier anywhere that is low enough for them to get to it. Making sure that the cord is placed behind a dresser is a great idea. Out of sight, out of mind!

If you find this concerning still, consider simply not placing the humidifier in their room during daytime hours. You can put the humidifier up on a closet shelf during the day.

Then, when your little one is safely asleep in their crib, you can get it back out. They will enjoy all of the awesome benefits that come with having a cool-mist humidifier in their room, and you can enjoy some peace of mind. 

In Conclusion

When you’re trying to figure out where can I put a humidifier in the nursery, safety should always be considered first.

Next, keep in mind the age of your baby and the size of the room to find the perfect spot for your tabletop humidifier. Don’t forget to put something underneath it to absorb the moisture!