There few things worse than dealing with a sick baby. One of those being a sick baby that you were working so hard to find sleep success with, and worrying about how this will derail the process you’ve made.
You may be asking yourself now what do I do? The good news is that this experience will just be a bump in the road towards sleep success. Remember that with your baby being sick, they’re going to need you more than ever. They need all the love you have to give. Don’t let someone tell you that you need to let them learn how to sleep through it or be tough. Your baby needs you when they’re sick.
Sleep Disruptions
Sleep is often disrupted for anyone that’s sick. This period of time doesn’t mean that your baby is never going to sleep again. You may find that your little sickie will sleep more but in a more jagged pattern. They’ll often wake up more often when they aren’t feeling well. This sickness can stress you out, but try to stay calm. Your good sleeper will back once the bug has been beaten, and you’ll be back on track.
Tips on Preserving Sleep Training
These tips will help you not to lose too much ground during a temporary sickness:
- Sleep training can wait, so it’s a good idea to stop during a sickness.
- Sleeping their usual hours of sleep at night can/ and probably will be derailed.
- Your baby shouldn’t be made to cry it out. When your little noodle is sick, they cry because they need you. Go comfort your baby right away.
- Take care of your baby’s pain with over the counter baby medication as recommended by your pediatrician.
- Feed your baby during the night, even if they haven’t been eating at night. You’ll want to keep your little one as hydrated as possible when sick.
- Help your baby feel more comfortable based on their sickness. Use saline and a bulb to remove snot from your baby’s nose when they’re congested. Run a humidifier in your baby’s room when they have a cough. A steamy bathroom is a great option if you don’t have a humidifier on hand. Talk to your doctor about Pedialyte if a high fever, vomiting or diarrhea is present.
- Cuddle with your baby and give them lots of patience during this time.
- Keep yourself healthy by washing your hands as often as possible.
It’s completely normal for littles to get sick several times a year as their immune system isn’t mature yet. There’s nothing wrong with asking other people to wash their hands before they touch your baby since that’s the best way to prevent colds and the flu from spreading.
Sleep Routine to Keep
One part of the sleep routine that you will want to keep is where they sleep. It’s very tempting to have your baby sleep in your bed with you when they’re sick. It’s not the best choice as this may make it harder to get them to sleep in their crib again once they start feeling better.
A better alternative that still lets you stay by your little noodle when they aren’t feeling their best is bringing a blow-up air mattress or sleeping bag into baby’s room. That way they are sleeping in the most comfortable place for them, and you have a chance to be right there with them in case they need you during the night.
Our bodies are built with immune systems that need sleep. Getting good sleep helps our bodies heal with not getting the right amount of sleep can put us at risk to get sick more often.
Recovery Period
Once your darling has started to round the corner from being full-blown sick to getting better, it’s time to help get them back on track. You may want to add a dream feed again if you don’t think your baby is getting enough calories during the day. Over time, you’ll start to wean the baby off of the night feedings again once they’re eating well again during the day.
You’ll be back on track in about three to five nights. Don’t give up. If you find that you’re struggling with this process, it’s okay to ask for help. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer and how they can help you get baby back on track.
