When babies become unwell with illnesses such as common colds and viruses, their sleep schedules understandably become disrupted. It’s realistic to expect multiple nighttime wake-ups: two, three, five, or even more. However, how you respond to these wake-ups can make all the difference. In this blog, I will offer guidance to support a good night’s rest for your baby and you, without compromising your sleep training efforts, helping to speed up the process of your baby getting back to good health.
Firstly, it is important to start by saying this advice is for minor childhood illnesses, viruses, colds, and the like, that require minimal, if any, medicine or medical intervention. Always consult your doctor when you are concerned, as your primary source of advice and follow their guidance. If your doctor confirms that you needn’t adjust your baby’s sleep habits, then the following will help you.
Prepare for sleep disruption when your baby is sick. Like anyone, sleep tends to be affected when unwell, especially at night when the body is more tired. But remember, sleep is the number one way to fight infection and strengthen immunity.
A familiar pitfall parents make is intervening in their child’s sleep routine and trying to rock them to sleep, feeding them more frequently or out of the routine, or reintroducing old sleep props. Offering additional comfort to your sick baby is, of course, understandable, and there is nothing wrong with going in to provide a cuddle, wipe their nose, or give them a drink of water.
However, the key is to avoid disrupting the sleep skills you’ve worked hard to establish. Avoid rocking your baby back to sleep, feeding them to sleep, or reverting to previous methods you’ve successfully moved away from. Of course, if your doctor or paediatrician advises a nighttime feed, especially if your baby has had a high fever for several days and may need extra fluids, it’s essential to follow their advice. You can reach out to the team or me, if you need help weaning your baby off night feeds when they’re well again.
Another change parents often make is to bring their baby into bed with them and co-sleep. While the desire to comfort your sick child is entirely understandable, as I experienced with my own son who suffered chronic ear infections, it’s important to try to maintain your good habits.
Instead of co-sleeping, I recommend staying in your child’s room and spending some nights nearby so you can keep an eye on them while maintaining their sleep routine. Try to limit this to what is necessary, and feel free to contact me if you require support when readjusting back to your own bedroom once your child has recovered.
If your routine does fall apart during this time, be kind to yourself. Sometimes it happens, and that’s okay. Once your baby is feeling better, simply resume your healthy sleep habits. Trust that your baby can get back on track; it’s just a matter of reinforcing their skills again.
If you find that you need assistance during any times of illness, or help getting back to good sleep habits, please reach out and we can work on it together.
Sweet dreams,
Claudine x
