6 month old with a cold and co-sleeping

[HelgatheHairy]

I have another thread further down but need advice on this.

DH has the flu and I have a bad cold so DD has now developed a cough and is obviously pretty unhappy. I'm a bit worried because although her temp is normal now we co-sleep and I'm worried she'll get too hot. I take all the usual precautions but she won't sleep unless she's right in next to me (sometimes using my boob as a pillow). Is there anything I can do? Is this really bad?

Just wanted to give you a bit of reassurance. We've been co sleeping for years through all sorts of illness and never had a problem. I still half wake up and check their temperature (my two don't sleep under the duvet unless its really cold, they just sort of nest with duvet around them and I worry about them getting cold) and I'm sure you'll do that to.

Thanks ali. She's not under the duvet, she's in the sleeping bag with a blanket over usually. She's my PFB and it's her first time being sick so I'm worrying a bit (and feeling sorry for her a lot)

You're right to think about keeping a little distance, or somehow compensating by removing any covers if she does have a high fever.

All three of mine have co slept and when one had a high fever I was told to put a little bit of space between us so that he had air around him to cool off - you will know, if she needs that.

Otherwise just be wary of the duvet as usual...actually I have found sleeping with a couple of old wool blankets instead of a duvet just as warm and not nearly so bulky, this winter - my littlest is just 1 and I feel safer having him co sleep without the duvet being around.

Just an idea if you like to try it I don't think I ever want a duvet again!

Oh if she is in a sleeping bag - if she has a fever you will probably need to take her out of that to sleep.

Duvets and gro bags and fevers don't really mix.

Thin cover like a sheet is good so they don't shiver but can't overheat.

Keep the duvet tucked under your knees so it can't go over her. Kick your dp out of bed to make lots of space for her and give her calpol before bed. Put a few drops of carvol on a sock or something and tuck it under the mattress on her side so it's out but she can't grab it and put in mouth. She'll probably be better tomorrow but keep her in with you until she is. If she wakes in night coughing take her into bathroom and fill up with steam, this works absolute miracles. Watch out for difficulty breathing or a barking cough. Those are all my get through it tips! If still coughing in 3 days = doctor. Also how old is she?

Oh another thing to add. If they are bunged up they often want to suckle a lot in the night and will cry and get upset because they can't breathe at the same time. They also hate having their noses wiped

Hopefully she will have some protection from your hormones and not be too bad.

Thanks all. Her nose isn't stuffed up at the moment anyway and DH has been on the couch the last few nights.

What's Carvol? She's due a dose of Calpol at 9.30pm.

She's 6 months next Monday.

Karvol is menthol smelly stuff that you put on a cloth near your baby and it helps them breathe easier (helps adults breathe easier too :-)

I've not seen much of it in the shops recently, but you can also use olbas oil drops on a nearby hanky - we're using them just now, not as good as karvol (in my view) but as we can't get karvol, we're making do.

Good luck :-)

Olbas is just as good but only one drop, they're very sensitive babies. Or you can put a bowl of boiling water on the floor next to the bed and just the steam from that will help her hugely, careful not to step in it in the night!

If she can't sleep at all you can put her in pram and raise the head bit up slightly and that helps breathing when they're stuffy (I'm good with colds we've had thousands!)

Thanks all. She's sleeping quite a lot - should I be worried? She's waking and feeding ok but sleeping a lot for her.

Not if she is rousable, and esp if no temp. she is probably just sleeping as she's fighting the virus.

Don't worry unless she sleeps for way over her usual time, and is difficult to wake up. If you can't wake a child then that's the time to panic.

Otherwise just check on her every few hours.