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Help my baby's sick!

Alana Macdonald

Updated: Jan 2, 2023

With winter coming, one thing is almost certain: your kids are going to get sick (sorry!)! If you have a great sleeper illness can really derail your progress. I know, I have been there time and time again. Here are some of my top tips for managing sleep through illness. The good news is if you had a good sleeper prior to the illness, it is likely they will return to their normal sleep patterns pretty fast once they are better.


Firstly lets start this off on the right foot - If your baby gets sick please give them all the love and cuddles they need and provide pain relief if you feel necessary. For me sleep schedules go out the window when my children are sick.


Let your child sleep longer, let them sleep in, or take an extra long nap.


The immune system fights and repairs during sleep periods, so it is important your child gets as much as possible!

Sick baby sleeping

My baby just won't go to sleep!

It happens! In this situation you want to begin by providing the minimal assistance to help your child fall to sleep, while ensuring your baby is comfortable. If you are able to put them down in their cot and they take themselves off to sleep this is perfect. If they are struggling to fall to sleep you can try sitting next to your baby's cot and using your presence, voice and touch to assist them off to sleep. If this does not work you can trying holding your child to sleep, then transferring to their bassinet or cot. Failing this you may need to put them in the pram, or on the breast.


The key is not do more than you need to, while ensuring they get off to sleep.


Check out this diagram below which is the ladder towards self soothing. Try soothing your baby using actions from the top of the ladder first, and only moving down if required.

Sick baby sleeping
Illness and baby sleep

Other tips:

  • offer lots of cuddles and TLC

  • offer your child more water or milk to keep them hydrated

  • use a humidifier in the bedroom

  • expect more frequent night wake ups - mentally prepare

  • no sleep training when sick

Once your child is feeling better jump straight back into your normal day & bedtime routine. If you find your baby requires a lot of assistance to get to sleep during an illness you might notice a regression once they have returned to health. If so you may need to start sleep training to get them back on track with their healthy sleep habits. If your child was a good sleeper prior to illness you will be back on track in no time.

Help sick baby sleep

Alana x


Baby Sleep Consultant NZ. Making Baby and Toddler Sleep Easy.

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