Should i wake sick baby to feed

My Sweet Sleeper - How to handle sleep when your baby is sick

You’ve likely found yourself in this situation…your child has finally made progress with sleep and seems to be getting into a predictable pattern, and then - wham! They get sick.

Getting through the cold and flu season with kids can seem like a long, hard battle. We all know that having a sick baby is one of the worst feelings there is, but lack of sleep on top of sickness is even worse!

So, what is a mama to do when their good sleeper suddenly can’t sleep, or you find your baby is regressing?

You follow the tips below and remind yourself that this, too, shall pass.

1)

Give your baby some extra TLC and water.

Think about how we feel when we are sick. We want to be taken care of, even as adults! Children need us when they don't feel well, and being there to provide them comfort and love should be the number one priority. This means responding to those tears, even if holding your baby a lot is the only thing that calms them down. Keeping your child hydrated is also super important, especially if they are losing liquid by throwing up or experiencing diarrhea. If you are breastfeeding, you may offer more frequent sessions, and if not, make sure to constantly offer liquids, which can be in the form of popsicles (depending on the age of your child), juices, and fruits. Remember, even if YOU are sick, you should still continue breastfeeding!

2)

Let your baby sleep more if that's what they need.

You might notice your child takes longer naps when sick or wants to sleep all day. Let them! That is your child's way of trying to fight off the illness, and rest is key in doing so. You just want to make sure they are still getting fluids and feedings in as normal to stay hydrated and nourished, so if they are wanting to sleep past three hours for any given nap you probably want to wake them. The exception here would also be if your child is sleeping very late into the afternoon and nap starts to blend into bedtime, then you may want to wake your child so night sleep isn't completely thrown off.

3) Comfort and love doesn't necessarily mean a complete change in sleep habits.

Do your best to remain consistent with your child’s routines and sleep times during sickness. While things will definitely be a bit off, sometimes new habits that form during sickness can end up sticking around for awhile. For example, you might end up bedsharing when your child is sick, and end up continuing with this practice longer than you want to. If you aren’t wanting to bed-share, you could temporarily move your child in your room in a pack n’ play while they are sick so you can be close and keep an eye on them.

4)

Manage your child’s symptoms

If your child is very uncomfortable and has a fever, cough, or pain, these things can definitely affect their quality of sleep. Speak with your medical provider before offering any time of pain management (such as ibuprofen), and do your best to keep your child comfortable. Some natural ways to do this are to use a humidifier a cool wash cloth on their forehead (while they are awake), offer fluids, and give them a luke warm bath.

5) Run a humidifier in your baby’s room at night.

As mentioned above, even in the winter months this can really help provide moisture in the air at night. Especially with colds and respiratory issues, humidifiers can work wonders!

Finally, ask for help when you need it! When we brought our newborn home in January, our toddler (who is in daycare) was sick for a month straight. Trying to keep the two separated would have been impossible if we didn’t have help from friends and family. This might also mean you have someone watch the baby so you can take a nap or take turns with your partner so you can get some extra sleep. Making sure to take care of yourself is important too!

Many of these tips for handling a sleep with a sick baby can also apply when your baby is teething. Remember, this is a season and you will get through it! Try not to worry too much about sickness completely de-railing any progress, too. While it might set your child back temporarily, as soon as they get to feeling better, you can jump right back in to where you left off and your child’s normal routine.

Related:
How to follow your baby’s awake windows for better sleep
How to get your baby to go to sleep & stay asleep

What to do when your baby is sick

It’s awful when your baby is sick, but it’s even worse when they are sick and not sleeping!

When we sleep, our immune system is strengthened and our body has a chance to repair and heal. So if your baby is unwell, they need sleep more than ever. This doesn’t mean it comes easy though!

When your baby is sick, this can have a huge impact on their settling, sleep, feeding and behaviour. And it can be difficult to know how to help your little one during this time.

In this article:

How to tell if your baby is sick
Do babies sleep more when they are sick?
How to get a sick baby to sleep
Do babies eat less when they are sick?
Other things that can help a sick baby
When to call a doctor
Getting back on track once your baby is well

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How to tell if your baby is sick

Sudden change in sleep

One of the earliest signs that your baby is unwell can be a sudden change in their sleep.

This can include things like:

Waking early from naps - usually between 10-30 minutes when they should be in a deep sleep. If you’re confident that their awake times are spot on for their age and you know they have fed well before their nap, then it could be a sign of illness, especially if they are crying or screaming when they wake.
Waking more overnight. Babies who are sick usually wake more frequently in the first few hours after bedtime or in the early hours of the morning. Sometimes they can wake all through the night though, or they may just have one prolonged wake during the night.

No longer able to self-settle. If your little one is experiencing pain or discomfort, this can make it really hard for them to self-settle. Your baby may suddenly want you to feed, cuddle or rock them to sleep, or to stay in the room with them while they go to sleep.

Sudden change in feeding

All babies will go through periods of fussy feeding from time to time but the following can also be signs that your baby is unwell:

Refusing milk feeds
Having smaller milk feeds, more frequently throughout the day
Repeatedly coming off the breast/bottle (often due to nasal congestion and difficulty breathing)
For older babies and toddlers, refusing solids or not eating as much as usual

Physical symptoms

Most illnesses will present with physical symptoms, but these can take a few days to appear. Your baby or toddler may experience:

Fever
Rash
Cough
Nasal congestion/runny nose
Sore throat
Headache
Vomiting
Diarrhoea

This is by no means an exhaustive list so if you notice anything out of the ordinary with your little one, it’s worth mentioning this to their doctor or health nurse.

Sudden change in behaviour

A sudden change in your baby or toddler’s behaviour is a big red flag! If they are suddenly really cranky and irritable, clingy or crying a lot, this can be a sign that they are unwell.

However, babies do often show these changes in behaviour when they are going through developmental leaps too. So if a change in behaviour is the only change you are seeing and your baby is otherwise sleeping and eating well, their new behaviour is probably developmental and will pass in a week or two.

If your baby is showing other signs of being unwell though, like those mentioned above, their behaviour may be due to the fact that they are sick. If you’re not sure whether your baby is sick or teething, check out THIS article.

When your baby is in a consistent routine, it makes it much easier to see when something is amiss - including when they are sick! Our Little Ones App has age-appropriate daily sleep and feed schedules, as well as personalised support, to help you and your little one towards more settled and predictable days.

Do babies sleep more when they are sick?

Some babies will want, and need, to sleep more when they are sick. This is especially true for babies who have a fever or who are very unwell.

Sleep gives your baby’s body time to heal and fight off infection. So if your little one is more sleepy than usual, this suggests that their body needs more time to rest and recover. It is totally fine to let your baby sleep more when they are unwell, provided they are still settling and sleeping relatively well overnight.

Not all babies who are sick will want or need extra sleep during the day though. If your little one has a bit of a sniffle but is otherwise content, it may actually be better to stick to their normal nap routine. Letting them sleep for longer than they need during the day, can cause them to be hard to settle at bedtime or wake more overnight - and that’s not going to help them get well again!

How do you tell if your baby needs more sleep?

Keep a close eye on your baby during their awake time. If they are getting tired and cranky before their usual nap time, pop them into bed earlier. Let them sleep through to their usual wake time, then get them up and do the same at their next nap if needed. Waking your baby from their naps helps to keep things on track for bedtime, and also ensures your baby isn’t sleeping the whole day away!
If your baby is still settling and sleeping well overnight, this suggests that they genuinely need the extra sleep during the day. As their health improves, you can gradually lengthen their awake times to get back to their normal nap routine.

If your baby is hard to settle at bedtime, waking more overnight or early in the morning, this can be a sign that they are having too much day sleep. In this case, you might actually be better off sticking to your baby’s normal nap routine.

How to get a sick baby to sleep

Settling and Self-settling

How you settle your sick baby to sleep very much depends on how they were getting to sleep BEFORE they got sick.

If your baby is used to you patting/feeding/rocking/cuddling them to sleep, then keep doing what you’re doing. Now is not the time to try to change how they go to sleep!

If you have recently started teaching your baby to self-settle, but they are not quite there yet, hold off and go back to settling your baby all the way to sleep. A baby who is unwell is going to have a very hard time self-settling, particularly if this is a new skill for them. Wait until they are back to full health, then you can start working on self-settling again if you choose.

If your baby has been self-settling for a while before getting sick, it’s a good idea to keep giving them the opportunity to self-settle to sleep at the start of their naps and bedtime. If they are only mildly unwell, you may find that they don’t actually need your help to get to sleep.

However, most babies who are unwell will need a bit of a helping hand! You can help your baby get to sleep by patting, rocking or cuddling them until they are drowsy, then giving them a chance to do the last bit of falling asleep on their own. Older babies and toddlers might want you to stay in the room with them while they fall asleep and that’s okay too.

Try not to stress too much about HOW your little one gets to sleep when they are sick - the most important thing right now is that they ARE sleeping! If any new, unwanted sleep associations do creep in while they are unwell, I promise it’s not the end of the world. Once they are back to full health, you can gradually start to reduce your input and guide them back towards independent sleep again.

If you need some help with this, our Little Ones App has several, gentle settling methods to choose from and our sleep consultants are available day and night to support you every step of the way.

Staying asleep

It’s one thing to get your sick baby to sleep, it’s quite another to get them to stay asleep! Unfortunately, most babies who are unwell will wake more during their naps and/or night sleep. Keeping in mind that your little one needs sleep in order to get well again, it’s fine to do whatever works to resettle them when they wake. So if that means feeding, rocking or cuddling to sleep - go for it!

If your baby has nasal congestion or an ear infection, this can make it quite uncomfortable for them to sleep lying flat in their cot. So if your little one is waking early from their naps and you’re having hard time resettling them in their cot, you might want to consider doing some naps upright in a carrier instead, or out and about in the car or pram.

As hard as it can be when your baby is sick and not sleeping well, it’s important that you try to avoid unsafe sleep practices like letting your baby sleep in a swing/bouncer/rocker or falling asleep with them lying on your chest.

It’s fine to let your baby nap on you during the day but you need to be awake and alert the whole time. If you are feeling tired yourself (and let’s face it, you probably are!) the safest place for your little one to sleep is in their cot.

Do babies eat less when they are sick?

Your baby’s feeding can definitely be impacted when they are unwell. You may find that they aren't drinking as much milk, or they may refuse some feeds altogether.

When your baby is unwell though, it is important to make sure they are having plenty of liquids, as they can get dehydrated very quickly. Here's how you can do this:

If your baby is only having small feeds, offer them more frequently throughout the day. If you are breastfeeding, you may want to switch to feeding your baby on demand while they are unwell.
Between 6-12 months old, you can offer your baby additional water throughout the day but breastmilk or formula should still be the priority. Using breast milk or formula to thin out purees or cereals, or giving your baby breastmilk popsicles, are other ways to increase their milk intake throughout the day.
Some toddlers can benefit from electrolyte drinks or popsicles, but talk to your doctor or pharmacist first to see whether this is appropriate for your little one.

If your baby is over 6 months and eating solids, you may find that they aren’t eating as much at meal times, or they may start to refuse their solid meals altogether. Try to offer foods that you know they enjoy and if they are energy-dense foods, that’s even better!

If your baby is not drinking as much milk or eating as much food as usual, it’s reasonable to expect that they will wake for some extra milk feeds overnight. If you are unsure whether your baby is waking hungry during the night, play it safe and offer a feed to resettle them. If they are feeding through the night and still having a good breakfast milk feed, it suggests that they do genuinely need the extra feeds overnight for the time being.

If they lose interest in their breakfast milk feed, this is a sign that they don’t need quite so much milk overnight. It can be easy to fall into a reverse cycling pattern when your baby is unwell, where they are feeding lots overnight and then refusing feeds the next day. We have some tips for how to break this cycle in THIS article.

Other things that can help a sick baby

There are other things you can do to help your baby feel more comfortable, which may then help them to sleep and feed better too…

Give your baby pain relief medication as directed by your doctor or pharmacist
Use a humidifier in your baby’s room during naps and overnight sleep. This adds moisture to the room which can make it easier for them to breathe, especially if they are congested or have a cough.
If your baby is congested, ask your doctor or pharmacist about using a saline nasal spray and/or a nasal aspirator (also known as a “snot sucker”!). This can help them to breathe easier during their feeds and sleep.
Give your baby a warm bath. A bath is not only relaxing and comforting, it can help to ease muscle aches and pains, and the steam from the bath can help with coughs and congestion too (test the bath with your elbow first to make sure it’s not too hot for your baby!)

When to call the doctor:

If you’re not sure whether you should get your baby checked out by a doctor, trust your instincts. You know your baby best and there is no harm chatting to your little one’s doctor or health nurse if you feel like something is not quite right with them.

The following websites contain more information about when to seek medical attention for your baby or toddler:

Mayo Clinic - Sick baby? When to seek medical attention

National Health Service (NHS) - Is your baby or toddler seriously ill?

Raising Children Network - Serious child illnesses

Getting back on track once your baby is well

While your baby was sick, their normal routine may have gone out the window or some new, unwanted sleep habits may have crept in. Many parents worry that their baby’s sleep will never get back to normal, or that their hard work has all come undone. But if you follow these steps, your baby’s sleep will be back to normal in no time!

1. Start by re-establishing your baby’s normal sleep and feeding routine. Some babies will naturally fall back into their regular routine but most will need a helping hand. You can either jump straight into their regular routine (keeping in mind they might be a bit more unsettled for the first few days) or tweak their awake times and naps by 10-15 minutes every few days to give them a bit more time to adjust.
2. If new, unwanted sleep habits have developed while your baby was unwell, like rocking/cuddling/feeding to sleep, you can gently guide them back towards self-settling again by gradually reducing your input at naps and bedtime. So instead of settling your baby all the way to sleep, try just settling them until they are drowsy and let them do the last bit of falling asleep on their own.
3. If you have an older baby or toddler who is now expecting you to stay in the room with them while they go to sleep, you can use a similar approach where you gradually move further and further away, until you are out of the room. Take it nice and slow and use your voice to soothe them if they get upset.

If you need more help getting your baby’s routine or settling back on track, our sleep consultants would love to help. You can chat to them day or night in our Little Ones App.

Caring for a sick baby can be exhausting, so make sure you’re looking after yourself as well. Ask family or friends for help if you need a break and don’t forget to wash your hands frequently - the last thing you want is to get sick too!

Tips on how to soothe a crying baby

Crying is a way for a child to communicate, but despite its naturalness, it is not out of place to try to calm a crying baby. It is logical that parents will have a question: “How to calm the child?” This may seem like a daunting task at times, but understanding the reasons will help you learn how to soothe a crying baby. Remember: you are doing great. We just want to give you some useful tips to help ease your worries. nine0004

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's crying, seek medical advice. Sometimes crying can be a sign of an existing medical condition, so it's best to pay attention to any additional symptoms right away.

Why your baby is crying

Baby crying is not only natural but also expected, especially during the first three months of life. Babies usually cry for an hour every day for the first few weeks. At about six weeks old, your baby may cry for up to two hours a day, and from eight weeks on, again for about one hour a day. However, remember that all babies are different and cry differently! nine0015 1

Crying is a way of saying something is wrong. When it comes to learning how to soothe a crying baby, it's important to understand what exactly is causing her anxiety. Your baby may cry if: ¹

he is hungry;
the baby is troubled by belching or bloating;
need a diaper change;
he wants to sleep;
wants to be picked up or rocked; nine0032
baby is hot or cold;
baby has colic;
feels uncomfortable: wants to roll over, presses on the diaper or clothes, or is disturbed by tight swaddling;
the baby is teething.

If your baby cries for more than three hours a day and more than three days a week, he may be suffering from colic. However, this is not a reason to panic, and there are several ways to soothe a child with colic. Find out here about colic, its symptoms, and how to soothe a baby with colic. nine0004

If you think reflux (regurgitation) may be the cause of your crying, you can learn more about the different types of reflux and how to manage it here.

Be sure to contact your child's doctor if your baby seems ill or has the following symptoms in addition to excessive crying: ¹

fever;
shortness of breath or cough; nine0032
vomiting;
diarrhea;
rash;
crying worse when the child is picked up or moved;
increased irritability or lethargy.

How to soothe a crying baby

Once you have ruled out some potential causes of crying, you will have a better idea of how to soothe your baby. The most important thing to remember is not to get upset and stay as calm as possible. nine0004

Here are some tips and tricks on how to calm your baby: ²

1. Swaddle your baby.

One of the most useful techniques to soothe a crying baby is swaddling. When doing this, make sure that you do not cover the child's head and do not overheat him. Don't swaddle your baby too tight: swaddling too tightly can interfere with your baby's natural body position, breathing, and blood circulation: your baby may not like it, causing him to cry. Don't swaddle your baby when he starts to roll over, which usually happens around four months of age. nine0004

2. Hold the child in your arms and comfort.

When your baby is crying, it's natural for you to want to pick him up. And when your newborn cries for no reason, he probably wants to be picked up. If you're trying to calm your baby at night, try keeping him upright or in a rocking chair until he falls asleep. Any gentle strokes or vibrations can be very soothing. You can also give your baby an ultra soft pacifier, which is recommended for soothing newborns. This pacifier will help your baby feel comfortable and safe. nine5

For any parent, the question of whether to wake up the baby is not an easy one. On the one hand, there are fears that a child who has been sleeping for a long time will not be able to fall asleep in time later, and on the other hand, how to raise such an angel who has been put to bed for so long. ..

so that his sleep is not affected.

Let's start with the smallest children. You've probably heard the phrase "never wake a sleeping baby." But it is not always fair. Some newborn babies wake up on their own for feedings, while others need to be awakened. Whether or not you need to wake your baby depends on their age, weight, and overall health. nine0004

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waking your baby for feedings if he sleeps more than 4 hours in the first two weeks of life. On average, a baby needs feeding every 2-3 hours.

Frequent feeding is very important for several reasons:

The baby's stomach is very small, the baby quickly digests breast milk. Faster than a mix. Therefore, physiologically, the child necessarily needs frequent feedings every 2-3 hours.
Babies can sometimes sleep even when hungry, thus malnourished, which affects their development. nine0032
After birth, the baby loses 5-10% of its body weight. And in the first weeks he needs to gain weight. Lack of milk or formula slows down this process.
A short interval between feedings helps to maintain lactation. That allows you to avoid problems with a lack of milk in the future.

Tears already signal strong hunger. Therefore, it is better to breastfeed the baby before the baby starts crying. Learn to recognize the early signs of hunger: the baby puts his hand in his mouth, smacks his lips, tossing and turning when he sleeps. nine0004

Should the baby be woken up to feed during the day? In general, if an infant sleeps for more than 3 hours in one dream during daylight hours, he must be awakened. Then the mother can feed the already awakened baby. This makes it possible to adjust the work of the biological rhythms of the baby.

How to Wake Up

Help your child gradually fall asleep by stroking their arms, legs or lightly tickling them.
Change diaper. Often this is enough for the baby to wake up and be ready to eat. nine0032
Undress and place skin to skin on your chest. You can squeeze a few drops of milk onto your baby's mouth. He will smell and taste it and begin to suck on the breast.
Speak - he will hear your voice and wake up.
Do not turn on bright lights. A dim light is sufficient. The bright light will blind your eyes.
If the baby has latched onto the breast but has not begun to suckle, stroke his cheek.

How long to feed

As soon as the baby wakes up and starts to eat, make sure that the feeding is long enough to empty at least one breast. So we will know that he ate hind milk, which is necessary for the growth of the child's body. Some babies take 45 minutes or more to feed one breast, and some do it in 10 minutes.

Sucking reflex promotes falling asleep. Therefore, make sure that the baby does not fall asleep while feeding. If he falls asleep, change position, lift him up to burp, and then start feeding again. nine0004

By 6 months you will have a more or less predictable eating schedule. But each baby will have his own. Some of the children eat every 2 hours, and someone is able to stay without food for 3-4 hours by the second month of life. This is especially true for children who are formula fed.

The length of time between feedings increases as the child grows older. By the age of six months, many babies can already go without supplements at night or are able to sleep for longer periods.

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If a baby wakes up too often after 6 months and asks for food in the dark, perhaps this is no longer hunger, but a way to relax and fall asleep.

Avoid using a pacifier in the first weeks after delivery. The pacifier helps the child to calm down and prolong sleep. So you may not notice that your baby is hungry. Therefore, start using a pacifier no earlier than 4-6 weeks and when you are lactating.

Should the baby be woken up to feed formula? As with breastfeeding, the newborn needs frequent formula feeding. But the interval will be more than 3-4 hours. nine0004

When it is necessary to wake up the child

It is important to wake up the baby in the morning if he slept later than 7.00. This is especially true for children who still sleep 1-2-3 times during the day and have already developed a relatively stable routine. So you create the perfect routine in the morning.

After waking up, children need time to work up their tiredness for their next nap, the ideal window for which is around 9 am and 1 pm (depending on age).

Therefore, if the baby slept until 8 am, he simply will not be able to fall asleep in his first daytime sleep. nine0004

In order for the baby to wake up calmly without tears, you can enter a wake-up ritual. It allows the child to smoothly transition from a sleepy state to wakefulness.

Example of a wake-up ritual:

Opening curtains/lights on
Welcome words and a kiss
Snacks, nursery rhymes after sleep
Cheerful song

Then you can get up and start breakfast. For older children, such a ritual is also necessary. nine0004

The awakening ritual has different purposes:

Marks the end of sleep,
Teaches a child that everyday sounds are not a reason to wake up,
Helps prevent baby from crying when waking up.

It will also be useful to have a light alarm. If the baby wakes up early, he will stay in bed until he sees the light on the clock.

When to wake your baby up after a nap

Many babies from 4 to 8 months sleep three times a day. nine0004

In this mode, it is important to wake up the baby after the third nap no later than 17.00. The duration of this segment is about 45 minutes, but not more than an hour. Then you can easily put the baby to bed by 19 o'clock.

Transition to one nap

At the age of 15-18 months there is a transition to one nap. It can be long and take place in different ways.

For example:

In the morning, the baby falls asleep easily and sleeps up to 2 hours. But then it is difficult to put it in lunch. And by the evening without rest at lunchtime, he is already overworked and falls asleep with difficulty. nine0004

So if this is your case, you can pick up the baby after 60-75 minutes. At the same time, move the start of the second sleep 15 minutes later. But if the baby sleeps for 1 hour in the morning and then it’s already difficult to fall asleep a second time, start putting him down only at lunchtime.

One nap after 2 years

Between 2.5-5 years, naps may disappear. Here again, the story described above is often repeated. It seems that the child falls asleep perfectly during the day, sleeps for a long time, but in the evening, laying down is delayed until 10-11 pm. The problem is that getting up early in the morning to the garden usually does not allow you to sleep the necessary 10-11 hours per night. And again, you will have to gradually limit the duration of daytime rest. Wake your baby up after 60 minutes first, then skip the daytime so your baby sleeps better at night.

Should i wake sick baby to feed

My Sweet Sleeper - How to handle sleep when your baby is sick

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