With winter upon us- a little cough here and a runny nose there can put fear into the hearts of many parents, especially when our children WERE sleeping through the night and now they aren't.
When I feel sick - I still want a hug from my mum and I'm a grown up! When our little ones are ill, they want that too.
We all need as much rest as we can so our body can fight that cold or flu. Even though we do try and sleep as much as we can, it is often disjointed and all over the place. It often takes a few days to get back on track.
So what do we do when our little one wakes in the night?
- Go to them- they need you. Give them a kiss and a cuddle and tell them that you are there for them.
- Offer a sip of water. Keeping fluids up and remaining hydrated is key. It's important to note that giving milk feeds should only be given if recommended by a physician. Feeding your child back to sleep may makes things harder once their health has returned.
- Avoid rocking and patting to sleep. If they are not used to this or it was a previous prop that you have finally broken, it may make them feel irritated rather than comforted.
- Don't bring them into bed with you. If you really feel like you need to be with them, then make a 'make-shift' bed in their room. They need their space and comforts to feel better - not yours. If you start bringing them into bed, removing them later can prove difficult.
- Come to terms that the next few nights are not going to be great for all of you. You need to allow your child to continue to self-settle but you can be there to comfort them whenever they need you.
What to do if all your good intensions go out the window?
Ok, you have had a rough couple of nights and you have been in survival mode. You have done all that you can so you and your family got some resemblance of sleep. Your little one is on the mend BUT they are no longer sleeping through the night.
The bad news is that it's going to take some 'tough love' from you to reintroduce all those self-settling techniques. The good news is that if they have done it once before - they can do it again.
Phew!
Stay well and sleep tight!
Janelle
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