Navigating Baby Sleep During Sick Season
There aren’t many things worse than a sick baby. You feel completely helpless when all you want to do is to help your baby feel better.
When your baby isn’t feeling well, you are the person they need to help them move through their sickness. This means they may be extra clingy and need more snuggles than usual. I know this feel can like A LOT, especially if they are suddenly waking frequently throughout the night, leaving you both feeling tired and worn down.
The good news is…you and your baby will recover. Sleep skills don’t just disappear – which is why it’s so important to have a solid sleep foundation early on for your baby to help them through sick days, sleep regressions, teething, etc.
To help you get through, here are a few DO’S and DON’TS to use as a guide while caring for your sick baby:
DO follow your instincts! Respond to your baby throughout the night with extra snuggles and cuddles if that’s what they need. On the opposite end – if your baby has a case of the sniffles but doesn’t seem uncomfortable – it’s okay to stick to your normal routine and continue to monitor them!
DO allow them to sleep as much as they need to. If your baby typically has a consistent wake time between 6-7 AM, it’s okay to let them sleep in a little later. If you typically cap your baby’s nap at 2 hours, it’s okay to let them nap longer. It’s all trial and error when your baby is sick to find out what their little bodies need to help them recover. Do keep in mind you will want to wake your baby if it comes down to ensuring they are feeding enough during the day to stay hydrated.
DO stay flexible with their schedule. When it comes to a sick baby, it may be necessary to make some changes to their typical schedule. Follow your baby’s cues. When babies are sick, they may be waking often due to discomfort, and may need extra sleep. If your baby slept in longer in the morning than usual, you may need to push their nap back a little later. However, if it’s your baby’s typical nap time, and they are showing cues that they are tired, go ahead and offer that nap at their usual time even if their wake window is shorter than normal. Chances are their body just needed that extra sleep.
DON’T change their sleeping space. Trust me, I get it – when your baby is sick, you want to be close to them. We all sleep better in our own bed – including your baby! If you are worried about leaving your baby alone at night, camp out in their room with a mattress on the ground. It’s much easier for you to move out of their room once they’re feeling better than them moving out of yours.
DON’T place your baby in an elevated position such as in a swing, baby chair, or wedge under their crib mattress. These are unsafe sleep practices that put your baby in a compromised position making it difficult to breathe. Even when your baby is sick, you want to place them to sleep in their crib on a firm, flat mattress.
DON’T stress! Being sick is only temporary. Everyone will get back to restful nights in just a few days.
Need a little extra soothing power to help your baby kick that cold? Add these to your “Sick Day Survival Kit” to help ease discomfort when your baby is sick & tired:
NozeBot Electric Nasal Aspirator: three levels of hospital-grade suction to help clear congestion — a MUST HAVE!
Nasal Saline Drops: cleans, moisturizes, and washes away mucus build-up.
Epsom Salt: mix in warm water during bath time for babies 3+ months.
Genexa Infant’s Pain & Fever: free of any artificial fillers with the same effective formula as Tylenol brand.
Chest Rub: help ease the sniffles by gently rubbing on baby’s chest and bottoms of feet (3+ months).
Cold Calm Drops: homeopathic formula for babies 6+ months to help relieve common cold symptoms.
Humidifier: helps keep baby’s breathing passages moist to ease congestion, calm a sore throat, and ease coughing.
All babies are different, and each illness can affect sleep differently. Sleep is one of the best medicines, so doing what you can to help sick baby sleep is important. Sometimes, patience and cuddles can work wonders!
If your baby was struggling with sleep BEFORE getting sick, and being sick has derailed their sleep even MORE — always wait to implement any new sleep strategy until your baby has completely recovered. Schedule a call with me to create a plan and get everyone sleeping well in a way that works for the whole family.
As always, this is not medical advice, so please reach out to your pediatrician when your baby is sick — especially if they have a fever.
