Tips For Sick Babies

Any sick babies out there?
This is my daughter a few weeks ago - the start of a few weeks of intense sickness for our family. It was a really hard time, but a huge silver lining was we were able to maintain good sleep from our good sleepers through the time.
Impossible? Not at all. Here are my best tips:
- Don't wait when your child cries out in the night. You can tiptoe in and check on them - make sure they haven't thrown up, spiked a fever, and are breathing okay.
- If they do need some assistance, give it! We will give Tylenol or Motrin and then hold and soothe our kids for 5 or 10 minutes until the medicine kicks in. We'll re-check fevers to make sure that they dropped and then put them back in their cribs to sleep.
- If they are 6 months and up, and if you have a baby that already sleeps through the night without breastfeeds, feel free to give water during those feverish wake-ups to keep their liquids up.
- I will sometimes give a bottle or breastfeed if a child vomits in the night. But, know that you will need to fight the next couple of night's wake-ups when they are looking for some milk again.
- Naps can be short, or long, depending on their comfort levels. I rarely wake a sick child from a nap unless: 1. I'm worried about fluid intake 2. The regular last nap of the day I wake to preserve bedtime.
- Awake times could be shorter than normal - not longer. So, keep an eye on the child's sleep signals and the clock.
- If you need to (or are worried enough) sleep near your child to keep a close eye on them, bring a mattress into their room and sleep on their floor.
- Please don't start co-sleeping! Your mattress is not as cool as the baby's. You don't want to spike a fever higher than is needed.
Remember - if you have a baby or child that can sleep - let them sleep! Give comfort for sure, but, then leave them to sleep. Their bodies need it AND they can do it!
This is such a hard time, but, don't make life harder than it needs to be by starting to rock, feed, or co-sleep again... Everyone needs rest to fight this bug!
Good luck...