Seeing your little baby sick can break your heart. It’s also often a time of no sleep, for baby and for you. It can be exhausting, overwhelming and confusing to navigate an illness with your baby, while running on no sleep. Here are my top tips to make this time a little easier:

Mindset 

Let it all go

Sleep will go up in smoke whether you like it or not. You know what they say: If you can’t beat ‘em, join ’em. You will not be getting sleep, so just go ahead and formally join team No Sleep. It’s coming anyways, you might as well be part of the winning team. Accepting this reality instead of fighting it will help you feel more relaxed during this time. Yes, you’ll be tired. And you’ll get through it.

Release the fear around sleep habits

It’s natural to worry about what will happen to your baby’s sleep habits as you struggle though endless nights with a sick baby. I want to reassure you: once your baby is feeling better, you can get back on track to what works for your family. For now, try and release the fear and focus as much as you can on helping your baby heal.

Accept the irony

When babies are sick, they need sleep more than ever. And it’s never harder for them to sleep than when they’re sick. Don’t fight this paradox: roll with it instead. Support them to get the best sleep they can, in whatever way they need. Let naps go longer. Soak in the snuggles. Sleep is the best medicine: it helps boost our babies’ immune systems and fight off infection.

Caring for your sick baby

Keep them close

This might look like having baby sleep in a pack n’ play in your room, or bringing baby into your bed in a safe way. Babies need us even more when they’re sick and having your baby close by makes it easier to respond to them, plus it gives them additional comfort and reassurance. It also make breastfeeding easier, which you’ll want to do more frequently to provide antibodies, hydration and comfort. 

Feed Frequently

 If the goal is to keep baby hydrated, soothe a tiny sore throat and provide virus-fighting antibodies, breastfeeding is your secret weapon. It’s pure magic: If baby is sick, it will create specific antibodies necessary to help baby fight their sickness. If you’re sick, your breastmilk will provide antibodies to protect your baby from the sickness that you’re fighting. It will either prevent them from getting it, or make it less severe. It’s freaking genius. G-d is amazing.

Symptom Management

Your best friends over this time are going to be the Nozebot (code BABYSLEEPMAVEN), saline, natural chest rub, a good humidifier, and medication or homeopathic remedies, both under the guidance of your pediatrician. 

Close contact with your doctor

Flu and other viruses can be dangerous for little babies. If a baby under 3 months has a fever over 100 degrees, immediately call your pediatrician. Never hesitate to call if something concerns you. G-d bless the answering service. 

Flat Sleep

Don’t elevate your baby’s head if they are congested. This is not a safe sleep position for babies because it can compromise their breathing. This is true whether you bedshare or if your baby sleeps in a crib. Firm, flat surface – even when they’re sick.

Decongestion

Babies are nose-breathers, as we all should be for optimal health. Congestion can make feeding and sleeping really uncomfortable for them. Saline and suction are the magic words.

You can turn your bathroom into a baby suana by turning on shower to the hottest temperature (don’t worry baby is NOT going in there). Strip baby down and stand in the bathroom with the door closed. Let baby breathe the steam in to clear their tiny nasal passages. You can bring the bouncer in there, nurse them in there, or read them a book. Conversely, you can try a cold mist humidifier. Whatever feels good to you. It’s your house. Your baby. You make the rules. 

Pro Tip: Turn on the humidifier BEFORE nap time. Get the room nice and humid before nap time, and then turn it off when you put baby in for a nap. Humidifiers can be a fire hazard if they overheat so be sure to always turn it off when baby is sleeping.

Sleep tips for your sick baby

Support them to sleep with confidence

Give them whatever they need to sleep. Rocking, nursing, coming into your bed – and do it with confidence. This is a time for deep nurture. You were made for this. And when the panicky voice in the back of your head wonders will I ever sleep again? What kind of sleep habits are we setting up here? You can reassure it: “It’s ok. We got this. We’ll get back on track once baby is better“. No one ever regretted comforting a sick baby.

Keep routine
This doesn’t mean sleep will follow. Your baby won’t necessarily sleep through the night or take their regular naps (and you may have to rock or nurse or lay with them to sleep). It means you’ll be keeping the time and pre-sleep routine predictable to give them a sense of familiarity. Because I can assure you, nothing else will be predictable. Or familiar.

Not the time for sleep training

When your baby is sick, your main focus should be on helping them recover, and on supporting them through this time. It’s not the time to make big changes around sleep. If you’re in the middle of sleep training, pause until baby is better. If you were planning to start, wait until your baby is feeling back to themselves.

Bedshare safely  

If you’re going to bring baby into bed with you at night, make sure you’re doing it safely. Download my free guide for safer bedsharing here.

Once baby gets better, sleep will fall back into routine. If you’re still struggling once baby has been back to themselves for about a week, be sure to check out my free mini course about why Cry It Out won’t work for your baby. It will teach you three reasons I recommend avoiding Cry It Out or Ferber methods, and what you can do instead to help nurture your baby towards better sleep! Grab the free course here.