Sleep Training When My Baby Is Sick

You absolutely should not let her lay there and cry when she is sick. What kind of message does that send to her? I'm not trying to be smart but that one is just common sense. I think sometimes we as moms get very caught up in doing the right thing and following the rules. You are not sending mixed messages. You are taking care of your baby when she is sick. And by nursing her that helps her get thru being sick faster. Any time my little ones would get a little cold they would nurse like crazy for comfort and to help get over it faster.

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Rules outta window when our little ones are sick. rules i have my five year olds fly away when they're sick. i never co-slept with them, and boy, do i let them camp out in my room when they're sick. no mixed messages being sent to your baby, just, mommy loves you and she's here for you now and always.

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Whenever my son is sick I feel he needs the extra love. I also always take it as a good sign that the "sleep training" didn't break the trust he has in me--he knows now that if he really needs me I'm there--but that he doesn't need me every hour of every night! Sometimes it takes a week or so to get things back on track, but it seems to work itself out--he's almost 3 and this is still our family policy.

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You're going to probably get answers all over the place on this...I say go with your instincts and what seems right for you and your baby.

For me, it's giving them extra comfort when they are sick. You can pick the schedule back up later.

Your personal choice.

-M

Hi H.,
I'm big into schedules and discipline. BUT - when a child is sick, that can all go on hold. Yea, you feel like you're starting over, but it's okay, you're really not starting all the way from scratch: especially as your little one gets older.

Good luck. t

Sleep training is out when they are sick. I consulted w/a sleep expert and this comes up a lot. When they get better, resume sleep training. Whenever you 'change' a babies routine, it takes just 3 days for them to get back on track (being sick, going on vacation, etc...). So don't worry. It's not sending mixed messages. But she certainly said not to let them cry it out when they are sick. It only takes 3 days, so don't worry. :) Go to www.3daysleepsolution.com for more info. Davis is the best! Good luck!

We had this exact problem and were on the same time table. When our daughter was sick, my husband would try to soothe her the best he could. Before he went in there, we would let her cry for three to five minutes just to make sure she wasn't going to go back to sleep on her own. Only if it was impossible for him to calm her down did I breastfeed. We also elevated her mattress on one side and used a humidifier. Good luck. If she's not running a fever and her mucous isn't green, it's probably okay to let her cry it out, but I completely understand how difficult that is when she's not feeling well.

First of all, you should know that I'm big into the sleep training for my babies. It has worked so entirely well for both of my boys and they are terrific sleepers.

That being said my rule of thumb, however, is that when the babies are sick I do whatever I can to soothe them and make them feel better and my whole 'program' goes out the window. I just think it's more important for them to get what they need to get on the mend and once they're feeling better we go back to the schedule. Yes, it might take a few days to get back on track but it's never been a big deal and it's always worth it to me.

nothing is set in stone.

When she is sick, the priority is this... helping her feel better and comforting her.

A baby this young, and during growth-spurts, will go through sleep tweaks. Normal.
And when she is older, sleep tweaks will still occur. Sleep "training" is transient... and changes and per the child's needs and developmental changes. It is not set in stone.

And yes, for the 1st year of life, a baby needs to be fed on demand. This is per our Pediatrician as well, and when they undergo growth-spurts... which occurs every 3 months.

we have always bent the rules when our son is sick. and there's always an adjustment time when he's gotten better, where he has to start following rules again. i think it's perfectly natural.

Hi H.
You sound like a very caring mommy and want what's best for your baby girl. You are right to nurse her when she wakes up with this cold, as not only does she need the nurturing but the breastmilk as well to kick this. What she is learning from this is that she can count on her wonderful mommy to help make her well.

Breast Fed Babies are Best Fed Babies!

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Updated

Hi H.
You sound like a very caring mommy and want what's best for your baby girl. You are right to nurse her when she wakes up with this cold, as not only does she need the nurturing but the breastmilk as well to kick this. What she is learning from this is that she can count on her wonderful mommy to help make her well.

Breast Fed Babies are Best Fed Babies!

VirtualBreastfeedingHelp.com