Sleep & Sickness
Welcome to cold and flu season...the bane of every parent’s existence.
Let’s face it, it’s HARD to have sick kids. On top of dealing with runny noses, disinfecting everything, and trying to keep your other children from catching whatever nasty illness is making its way through your home, the effects of sickness on your child’s sleep are enough to send any normally sane parent over the edge.
When you’ve finally gotten into a rhythm with good sleep routines the idea of anything messing up those good habits can be anxiety-inducing. The reality of our children not feeling well can create a “tug of war” inside our hearts.
My baby doesn’t feel well and I want her to feel comforted...BUT, I also don’t want to cause unnecessary disruptions in her good sleep habits!
The unfortunate reality of cold and flu season is that difficult dance between wanting your sick child to feel comforted while also wanting them to sleep well often comes up over and over again.
It may seem like just when your child is starting to feel better, they come down with something else. For all those parents with school-aged children or little ones in daycare, this probably feels especially relatable.
What’s a parent to do?
First, let’s make an important distinction. If your little one is seriously ill, (I’m talking severe vomiting/diarrhea, high fevers, etc.) seek medical attention and don’t worry about sleep!
Your priority is your child’s health and if they need anything in the middle of the night, don’t hesitate to respond. You can deal with whatever sleep repercussions this may cause after your child is feeling better. If you are in need of help bouncing back after illness, feel free to reach out!
HOWEVER, if your child has a common cold, slight fever, or minor tummy troubles, there is NO NEED to throw all of your good sleep habits and routines out the window.
Of course, even mild illnesses may require more comfort than normal and it’s okay to bend the sleep rules a little bit but certain structures and routines should remain in place to avoid unnecessary retraining.
Sleep Guidelines For When Your Baby Is Sick
Please note this advice is for children who have already been successfully sleep-trained and have minor illnesses not involving high fevers, diarrhea or vomiting. Please always consult your pediatrician first.
For families who have already sleep trained, please use these tips and guidelines to help your little ones get through sickness and quickly bounce back to being good little sleepers.
If you have not already sleep trained and are looking for ways to build good sleep habits for your whole family, I’d love to chat! Click here to schedule a FREE call to talk through your family’s needs and preferences and strategies for building a solid sleep foundation for your little ones.
