Illness and your baby's sleep
Even the healthiest baby in the most sterile surroundings is going to get sick, but should you alter their sleep routine when it happens?
The short answer is no, but that’s not to say that you can’t make some exceptions.
- If your little one is in bad enough shape that you don’t want to leave them alone at night, move to their room as opposed to moving them into yours.
- Prepare for a lot of nighttime wake-ups. You may need to provide some fluids in the night, but try to stick to water. If you start providing night feedings again, it won’t be long before baby gets used to feeding to sleep again. (Note: If your doctor has recommended that you feed at night, do so. Just try to limit it to a couple of nights)
- If you do happen to backslide a little, don’t worry. Just start over with the encouragement of independent sleep habits and self-soothing. Baby already knows how to fall asleep independently, they just need to be reminded.
- Kids will test boundaries whether they’re sick or not, so don’t give in to every demand they make. Some may be for comfort, but some will probably be the old, “I wonder how much I can ask for,” routine.
- Kids who have already learned sleep skills are typically resistant to change in their routines, so don’t be surprised ifthey ask to be put into their crib. If you notice them pushing away from you, or arching their back towards their crib, it probably means they want to go back to sleep.