How being poorly affects your little one’s sleep
Illness sure takes its toll on babies and toddlers and disrupts their sleep, these are common things you may notice when your little one’s sleep may be interrupted when they’re poorly
Occasional illness can be part and parcel of life and babies and toddlers are no exception. Except little ones can pick up illnesses quite often and can frequently takes its toll on their ability to sleep well.
You soon realise how being unwell can affect your baby’s sleep in one of two ways. They either:
1. They sleep more
As we do when we’re unwell, tiredness is a common symptom of most illnesses and sleep is the best way to help your body fight back, so let your little one sleep when they need to. Don’t worry about bedtimes or nap times, it’s important to let them sleep off their illness.
2. Waking more frequently in the night
Particularly if you’re little one is suffering with a cold or stuffed nose, they are likely to wake more often than they would usually as they can’t settle into a good sleep with a blocked nose.
How can you help them through?
The key to getting through disrupted sleep when your little one is unwell is easier said than done but simply go with it! They are not themselves, just as we’re not when we’re ill so normal life doesn’t exist so be led by your baby, when they sleep, let them sleep, if they are unsettled in the night comfort them and help them resettle.
Don’t worry about how much or little sleep they are getting, they'll settle down once they are fully well again.