One of the things which is drilled into you as a new parent, is how important temperature is. Your baby must be neither too hot nor too cold at anytime. You need to apply just the right amount amount of layers to them at night to make sure that they are warm and snuggly but don’t overheat because their tiny little bodies haven’t learned how to regulate their own temperatures yet.

And bath time is just as hard. One of the many pamphlets handed to me the first time I had a visit from my health visitor, outlined the risks of a bath that is too cold or too hot, as well as telling me that the majority of A&E admissions in our area are due to babies being put in bath water which is too hot.

So the thermometer becomes the new parents’ best friend. And the Ray thermometer by Brother Max is a particularly good thermometer because you can use it for both air temperature and water temperature, meaning that you only need to buy one item instead of two. The digital temperature reading on the front is large and clear, making it easy to read at a glance, and it also has a helpful reminder of the ideal temperatures for both air and water. Plus if you put it in water which is too hot, the word ‘hot’ flashes on the screen. On top of that it’s a cute looking little thermometer which doesn’t look out of place floating around in the bath as a bath toy, and is safe to use as one.

Where the weather has recently turned cold, we have found it really useful in the little guy’s bedroom so that we know what layers to put him in for bed. We kept a thermometer in his bedroom when he was tiny but have since got out of the habit. But the difference of a few degrees can mean the difference between putting him in a vest as well as his pyjamas, or whether or not we use a summer or winter weight sleeping bag. Thankfully since using the Ray thermometer he’s been sleeping better, and I think that is in part thanks to the fact that we started putting him in an extra layer because we realised his room actually gets quite chilly at night. And extra sleep is every parent’s best friend, just like this thermometer.

You can buy the Ray exclusively from Kiddicare for £14.99. Click here for more info or to purchase.