What if Baby Gets Sick?

Illness is on my mind this week, mostly because my own kids have been constantly sick since Halloween.  I understand how frustrating this can be as a parent who has finally begun to see progress with sleep training. Just when baby is finally sleeping through the night— BAM! They get knocked down with a cold, influenza, RSV, strep throat, or a stomach bug. (Can you see how our winter has been going?) Suddenly that hard-worked-for glass of wine and Netflix night turns into multiple night wakings. So how do we handle this and not move backwards?

The number one thing is to take care of your baby. Attend to their needs, without resorting back to their previous sleep props. It may help to sooth a little faster in the short term, however, is very confusing for babies and will make it more difficult to remove later. If baby needed a pacifier previously to fall asleep, maybe a little patting and humming will do the trick this time.  If baby was fed to sleep, it’s okay to offer a sip of water, but don’t let them fall asleep with the bottle.

 It is absolutely okay to provide comfort in the night as needed. Extra cuddles and rocking sessions are fine---just make sure baby is awake when you put them back in the crib.   Avoid the urge to bring baby into bed with you! If you want to keep a closer watch, I suggest using an air mattress on the floor in their room vs cosleeping.   This way you are being safe, avoiding the ultimate sleep prop, and are still there to keep watch and offer support to your little one. There is no need to let your baby cry for long periods of time when they are not feeling well.

Most importantly, give yourself some grace. Remember that we are raising babies, not training Navy Seals.  This too will pass.  Your baby already has the skills.  It may take a few days to get back on track, but you will have an independent sleeper again before you know it. And wine improves with age.