Helping Sick Baby Feel Better (2024)

FAQs

Helping Sick Baby Feel Better? ›

By far the best way to soothe your sick baby is to give them lots of love and attention. Hold them and engage in quiet play, give them an infant massage, or read and sing to them. If you are breastfeeding, they may want to nurse more, which will reassure and comfort them.

Make sure your baby is positioned correctly when breast or bottle feeding. Incorrect positioning can cause a baby to be sick. Your midwife or health visitor can help with this. Being sick often or with large amounts may be due to 'gastric reflux' where acid from the tummy can come up again.

Speak to your GP if:

they have been vomiting for more than a day or two. your child is vomiting and has symptoms of an infection such as a high temperature (fever) and irritability. you're worried about your child. your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they're ill.

It's also normal for babies to be more clingy and only want to be sleep on you when unwell. It's common that your little one might be clinging to you like a koala (hello, contact naps!), and they will only sleep when they are being held. This is very common and normal for them to be more needy and clingy than usual.

While babies need to sleep when they're sick, and babies will sleep more when they're sick, if a nap runs double their typical nap time , it may be time to wake them up – this will give you an opportunity to feed them and make sure they are well hydrated.

Cuddles Are Magical

Your breastmilk can help to soothe a sore and irritated throat, and frequent cuddles and contact can help with aches and pains. Hold and cuddle your baby as often as you need to help them through this tough time. You may even like to have some skin-to-skin time to help your baby.

Keep Theirs Heads Upright

The best default position for your baby to be in when they have a cold is upright. This helps for congestion to clear and for breathing to become easier. And, most importantly, it helps them get that vital rest they need so much.

If your baby is younger than three months old and has a fever, call the after-hours line to speak with a nurse or physician about what to do next. If your child is three months or older, try to make them comfortable. If they're sleeping, let them sleep. If they're thirsty, give them something to drink.

Things you should not do:

Do not use rubbing alcohol or ice water to cool your child down. Don't worry if your child is not eating solid food. Liquids are needed most during a fever. Don't wake your child up to give them fever medicine.

How do you break a baby's fever naturally? ›

Give them a lukewarm sponge bath (but be sure to stop if your child starts to shiver). Ensure they're drinking lots of liquids so that they stay hydrated. Dress them in lightweight clothing and lower room temperatures. Allow them to rest – in most cases, you shouldn't wake a sleeping child to give them fever medicine.

An RSV cough can sound wet from mucus. The cough often involves wheezing or labored breathing in individuals with serious infections.

If your baby is under the age of 2, you should never apply Vicks to their chest, nose, feet, or elsewhere. You could try special nonmedicated rub for babies 3 months and older. The blend is dubbed as a “soothing ointment” that contains fragrances of eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender.

Do not bundle up a child with blankets or extra clothes, even if the child has the chills. This may keep the fever from coming down, or make it go higher. Try one layer of lightweight clothing, and one lightweight blanket for sleep. The room should be comfortable, not too hot or too cool.

Washing Your Hands

It is important to wash your hands frequently, especially after changing a diaper, using the bathroom and before preparing formula, bottle- or breastfeeding your baby. It is also important that the adults caring for your baby are up-to-date on their vaccinations.

When your baby brings up milk, or is sick during or after feeding, this is known as reflux. Reflux is quite common and babies usually grow out of it by the age of 1.

Sometimes it might feel like they're sick every two weeks. That's because kids are exposed to a lot of viruses and bacteria—often for the very first time—which makes them vulnerable to catching everything. It's normal for young kids to have quite a few colds, ear infections, or gastrointestinal upsets in a single year.

Their immunity they received in the womb from mom has faded and they have to start building their own immune system. Children before six months can still get sick, however over 6 months is more common because of their desire to put their hands (and thus germs as well) into their mouth.