Are Hot Water Bottles Safe for Children When the Heating Fails?

A hot water bottle can help a child stay warm when the heating fails, but it is not a safe choice for a baby, and for a young child it needs care. The Child Accident Prevention Trust says never put a hot water bottle directly on a child's skin and to use a cover¹. NHS guidance is blunt about the risk: hot water bottles can cause serious burns². Used properly, with a cover, filled with water that is not boiling, and checked for wear, a bottle is one of the simplest ways to take the chill off a bed or a sofa.

The rules that matter most are simple. Never put a hot water bottle in a baby's sleep space, because the Lullaby Trust warns they can overheat³. Never fill a bottle with boiling water, as it can damage the seams¹. Replace a bottle every two years, and check it for wear and tear before each use⁴. If a child is scalded, act quickly: NHS advice says this helps them heal better⁶.

This page sets out how to check a bottle, how to use one around children, what else keeps a child warm when the power is off, and what to do if the worst happens. It is written for an ordinary household with no prepping background, and it applies across the UK, with notes where the arrangements differ.

Hot water bottles are not for babies, and need care with young children

The clearest line in the guidance is about babies. The Lullaby Trust advises never putting a hot water bottle in a baby's sleep space, as they can overheat¹. That applies whether the bottle is under a blanket, beside the cot or in the pram. A baby cannot move away from heat or tell you they are too hot, so the bottle stays out of the sleep space altogether.

For young children the risk is burns rather than overheating. Hot water bottles can cause serious burns, and the Child Accident Prevention Trust says never to put one directly on a child's skin: use a cover¹. A cover slows the heat reaching the skin and gives you a layer to check before the bottle goes near a child. Even with a cover, a bottle should not be left against a child who is asleep or cannot move away from it.

Older children need reminding too. The Child Accident Prevention Trust says to remind older children not to sit or lie on hot water bottles³. Lying on a bottle presses hot water against the skin and can cause a burn even through a cover.

There is a second, less obvious danger. If you froze your hot water bottle in hot weather to keep cool, it is no longer safe to use with hot water, because it could break and cause serious burns⁵. If a bottle has been in the freezer, retire it.

Checking a bottle before each use: age, wear and leaks

A hot water bottle is not a permanent piece of kit. NHS guidance says to replace every two years, never fill with boiling water, and always use a protective cover to prevent burns⁴. The Child Accident Prevention Trust says to check your bottle for wear and tear and not to use it if it is worn⁵. Rubber perishes, seams weaken and a bottle that looks fine can split when it is filled.

Most bottles carry a date mark. The Child Accident Prevention Trust explains that a flower symbol shows when the bottle was made: the number in the middle is the year, the flower segments represent the twelve months, and the dots inside those represent the number of weeks⁹. That lets you work out the age of a bottle you have had for years. The same guidance notes that most reputable manufacturers guarantee a hot water bottle for two years from the date of purchase rather than the date of manufacture⁹, so the guarantee and the replacement advice are not quite the same clock.

Before a new bottle is used, check it for damage. The Child Accident Prevention Trust says to fill it with cold water, insert the stopper, turn it upside down to check the stopper fits, and give it a gentle squeeze to check for any leaks¹. Do this before every season, and any time a bottle has been stored away.

For children, the Child Accident Prevention Trust says to use cooled boiled water that is around bath temperature¹. That is cooler than an adult might use, and it is the right choice for a child's bottle.

Other ways to keep children warm when the heating fails

A hot water bottle is one tool among several, and it is not the first one to reach for with a baby in the house. Northern Powergrid says to have extra blankets, warm clothing and a hot water bottle ready¹⁰. Wiltshire and Swindon Prepared says to keep blankets, warm jumpers and warm clothes easy to hand, because your heating may go off during winter storms¹². Layers you can add and remove are easier to manage around a child than a single hot source.

Portable heaters are an option for a room, with care. SP Energy Networks says portable heaters act as a good alternative to heating systems which often do not work during a power cut, but to take care where you put them and never leave children alone with them¹³. The Met Office also describes portable heaters as a good alternative if heating systems are down¹⁴. Keep them clear of bedding, curtains and anything a child could pull over.

For a baby, plan the feeds as well as the warmth. The Northern Ireland Executive advises preparing a flask of hot water to heat bottles and baby food, and says it is always safer to make up a fresh feed; when this is not possible, feeds should never be stored for longer than 24 hours¹⁵. If you have a baby at home, make sure you have a supply of pre-prepared formula baby milk if you use it¹⁶. A vacuum flask to store hot water is a simple piece of kit that keeps that option open¹⁰.

If the drinking water is interrupted or contaminated, use tanker or bottled water for formula milk¹⁷. Do not use unboiled tanker water to make a baby feed, and if you do not have gas or electricity to boil water, use unboiled bottled water (table, spring or mineral water) but give the feed to the baby immediately¹⁷. If the drinking water is unsafe, do not use it to wash children; use tanker or bottled water¹⁷.

The British Red Cross notes that a hot water bottle is an inexpensive way to stay warmer for longer, and that a cost effective, long lasting bottle will provide a safe source of warmth throughout the night¹⁵. That is true for adults and older children; for a baby, the sleep space stays free of one.

Hot water bottles, electric blankets and heat packs: what not to mix

Electric blankets and hot water bottles do not go together. The reason is straightforward: water and electricity are a dangerous mix, and a leak or a spill near a blanket that is plugged in is a shock risk as well as a burn risk. Keep the two uses separate, and follow the maker's instructions for your blanket.

For children, the same caution applies to any powered warmer. If a child is using an electric blanket, the bottle stays away from it entirely, switched on or off.

Microwavable heat packs are not covered by the guidance here, so treat them with the same rules as a bottle: never on a baby, never on bare skin, and follow the maker's instructions. If you heat anything in a microwave, only microwave items which clearly state they are microwave safe, and do not use containers, foam trays or plastic storage bags not specifically designed for microwave use¹⁸. Never warm a baby's bottle in the microwave: the milk may heat up unevenly, leaving spots of very hot milk that can scald your baby's mouth³.

What to do if a child is scalded

Act quickly. NHS guidance says always to act quickly if your child is burnt or scalded, because this helps them to heal better⁶. The first aid steps below are the ones the NHS gives for a child who has had an accident.

• Cool the burn with cool running water. Do not use ice or very cold water, as this can make the wound worse¹⁹.
• Keep the child warm while you cool the burn. Make sure the child does not get too cold, and use a coat or blanket to keep them warm if necessary¹⁹.
• Remove clothing and jewellery near the burn unless it is stuck to the skin.
• Cover the burn with cling film or a clean, non-fluffy dressing.
• Get medical help. Use NHS 111 for advice, or 999 in an emergency.

NHS 111 Wales gives the same core advice for burns and scalds²⁰. The NHS also has guidance on what to do if your child has an accident more generally¹⁹.

Prevention is the better route. NHS guidance on burns prevention says keeping hot drinks well away from young children prevents many severe burns and scalds²¹. Keep hot drinks out of reach of children, and avoid holding a child while drinking hot liquids or making babies' bottles⁴. Do not try to hold a hot drink at the same time as holding your baby: always put your drink down safely first². A hot drink can still scald 20 minutes after it was made²⁰.

Keeping a baby warm at night without heating

The safest way to keep a baby warm at night is layers, not a hot water bottle. The Lullaby Trust advises never putting a hot water bottle in a baby's sleep space, as they can overheat¹. Use blankets and clothing you can add or remove, and check the baby's temperature by feeling their chest or back rather than their hands.

Plan the night feeds before the power goes. The Northern Ireland Executive advises preparing a flask of hot water to heat bottles and baby food, and making up fresh feeds where possible; when this is not possible, feeds should never be stored for longer than 24 hours¹⁵. If you use formula, keep a supply of pre-prepared formula baby milk¹⁶. A vacuum flask keeps hot water ready for a night feed without needing the kettle¹⁰.

If the water supply is interrupted, use tanker or bottled water for formula milk¹⁷. Do not use unboiled tanker water to make a baby feed, and if you cannot boil water, use unboiled bottled water (table, spring or mineral water) but give the feed to the baby immediately¹⁷.

Babies and young children are among those most likely to become ill if they get too cold, according to the Be Ready campaign²³. That makes the baby's room one of the first places to check when the heating fails. Keep the cot away from draughts, and check on the baby through the night.

Where to get help and what to check on

If a child seems unwell after being cold, or if a burn looks worse than a small red mark, get advice. Use NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency. The NHS 111 Wales service covers burns and scalds advice in Wales²⁰.

Check on others too. National Grid says you should make sure that vulnerable neighbours are warm, their medical equipment is working, and they have enough food and drink²⁴. Older adults, babies and young children, and people with long-term health problems are most likely to become ill if they get too cold²³. If you have a relative who relies on medical equipment, the NHS has guidance on planning for a power cut that covers equipment such as hoists, feeding pumps, mattresses, ventilators, monitors, lamps and nebulisers, and suggests considering battery back-up or an alternative²⁵.

For the wider picture, our guide to keeping warm without electricity covers the room-by-room approach, and cold homes and health explains who is most at risk. If the power has already gone, what to do when the electricity goes off sets out the first steps, and reporting a loss of electricity explains how to ring 105. Households with a baby may also want the power cut kit checklist and the household emergency plan.

If you are in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Executive's weather warning advice covers preparing a flask and baby feeds¹⁵, and NIE Networks is the network operator to contact about a power cut.