Caring For Your Baby While You're Sick

Even supermoms and super dads get sick every once in a while. Exhaustion and stress from changing diapers, feeding, and keeping the household together every day can often make you prone to illness. Building up a strong resistance to disease also doesn’t work so much if you’ve got bad seasonal allergies to deal with.

Sleeping in all day isn’t always an easy and viable solution when you’re a parent. Even when you’ve managed to come up with alternative solutions for this type of problem, the fear of transmitting nasty germs and bacteria to your little ones can often prevent you from feeling much better. Here are a few tips, tricks, and tidbits that can help put your mind and body at ease during a nasty sick day.

You Don’t Have To Stop Breastfeeding

If you’ve got enough strength and determination to breastfeed even while you’re feeling under the weather, go ahead and do it! Your baby already becomes exposed to common communicable illnesses like colds and the flu even before you get sick, so the best thing you can do for them is to continue breastfeeding. Healthy and strong antibodies in your breastmilk help strengthen your child’s immune system against common diseases so that they don’t suffer any serious symptoms or infections.

It’s still important to practice proper precautions when you’re sick. Proper hygiene and handwashing before and after breastfeeding prevents harmful bacteria and germs from spreading to your breasts and baby’s mouth. You should also avoid sneezing or coughing on your baby so that they don’t become exposed to harmful germ and bacteria-filled liquid droplets. If you can’t help sneezing or coughing more than you like, you can use a handkerchief or face mask to keep any harmful microbes from flying in the air.

Exhaustion can get in the way of healthy breastmilk. If your body feels too tired or weak to produce milk, do get as much rest as you can. You might feel a bit guilty about not feeding as much as you need, but keep this in mind: your baby will only feel frustrated if they have to strain to suck and swallow breastmilk. Allowing your body to recharge will make things much easier for both you and your child in the long run.

Dehydration is another huge obstacle to healthy and productive breastfeeding. Even if you don’t feel too tired or weak, you won’t be able to produce much breastmilk if you aren’t hydrated enough. Drinking healthy fluids will ensure that you’ll be able to maintain good breastmilk supply and recover from your illness much faster.

If you plan on taking any medication, be sure to inform your doctor that you’re breastfeeding. They’ll be able to prescribe medicines that won’t inhibit your production of breastmilk or make you feel dehydrated.

It’s Okay To Get Help

Parenting isn’t a burden that only one person should carry. After all, they say it takes a village to raise a child. You won’t get any better if you keep running around trying to manage the household, so don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. Your friends, brothers, sisters, and other members of your support system will be able to care for your little one without too much trouble. Who knows, they might even learn that caring for a baby isn’t as easy as it sounds.

You Should Still See A Doctor   

 Taking a few pills at home and sleeping won’t always guarantee proper protection for you and your baby. The best way to keep both of you safe from any serious infections or contamination is to pay a visit to your doctor. He or she will have a better idea of what could be causing you trouble and help you know if you might be exposing your baby to any serious viruses. What could be a minor cold or cough for you might turn out to be something painful and life-threatening for your child.

Visiting your doctor is also a good way to ensure that you don’t stay sick for too long. Symptoms like runny noses and coughs won’t go away any time soon if there’s a serious underlying cause. If you continue to cough for more than a week or still feel woozy after a long nap, your body might be suffering from more than a simple cold or fever.

How Can I Avoid Spreading Whatever I Have To My Baby?

Proper hygiene goes a long way. Simply washing your hands with soap is one of the best ways to prevent the transmission of harmful germs and bacteria. If you can’t avoid coughing or sneezing too much, do remember to use tissue paper, handkerchiefs, or face masks. People with the sniffles should also dispose of used tissues right after use so as not to leave bacteria and germs on any surfaces around the house.

Keep in mind that babies who are younger than two months old aren’t well equipped to fight off any serious infections. If you really want to keep your little ones safe, limit any contact with their hands and mouths. Your baby won’t experience any problems while breastfeeding, but they might become exposed to harmful germs when you kiss or play with them too much.