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Original poster

Why does calpol make my baby sleep?!

13 replies

Alexandraoko · 12/02/2021 21:38

My 9mo is currently teething for the first time so I gave him a dose of calpol tonight to help as he was clearly in pain with his gums Sad but then when I put him to bed rather than doing his usual fussing and crying as I rock him to sleep like he always does (for months, way before any teeth) he just settled really peacefully and easily?! As calpol is only paracetamol it shouldn’t have any sedating affects so does this mean my baby is always in pain at night time when I’m putting him to sleep? I always just assumed he was fussing because that was normal but now I’m worried that something might be wrong. Anyone else’s baby sleep very easily after calpol?

(P.s. not planning on making calpol a regular thing to make him sleep just a one off dose due to his teething)

OP posts:
LockdownIsDragging · 12/02/2021 21:41

He probably just exhausted from the teething, maybe not napped well and since the calpol has taken the pain away he has fallen asleep easily.

AnnaSW1 · 12/02/2021 21:48

Because he's not in pain!

Original poster
Alexandraoko · 12/02/2021 21:58

LockdownIsDragging- he’s had two good naps today, same routine as usual. Could be though that the teething is tiring him out.

AnnaSW1- True but he always cries as he’s falling asleep at bedtime for the last 4+months and only just starting getting his first tooth through his week. I’m worried if there’s another reason why he fusses at bedtime if the calpol stops it if that makes sense?

OP posts:
jarofsticks · 12/02/2021 22:05

I had similar experiences, it was all coincidental as far as I ever figured out!

Alwaysready · 12/02/2021 22:18

Always makes both of my children sleepy. But paracetamol makes me sleepy too. No coincidence.

CloudyGladys · 12/02/2021 22:38

Paracetamol lowers the body temperature, which is why it’s used for a fever.

We need our temperature to fall slightly in order to drop off to sleep.

icanboogieboogiewoogie · 12/02/2021 22:53

I'm the same. I always worry if I'm subconsciously giving calpol to get DD to sleep. Wink

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 12/02/2021 22:55

I thought calpol was known to make children sleepy, think it's very common. Couldn't tell you why though.

Original poster
Alexandraoko · 12/02/2021 23:00

Wow so relieved to see that it’s not just my ds! Was worrying if he had been in pain at bedtime all these months Sad Thank you everyone!

OP posts:
Honeyroar · 12/02/2021 23:04

I was an air stewardess. It was really common for parents on long haul flights to give calpol to get their babies to sleep on night flights (I only know because they often replied that they’d given calpol if I commented that their baby had slept well!)

Barmbraic · 12/02/2021 23:10

Sometimes when it gets to 3am and I still can't sleep I take two paracetamol and i nod off fairly soon after. I don't know why, but it works 🤷‍♀️

Vicky1989x · 13/02/2021 14:57

My rheumatologist told me to take 2 paracetamol before bed (cause I had trouble sleeping) - he said it’ll help me sleep and it does!

Original poster
Alexandraoko · 13/02/2021 20:23

So turns out it might have been a coincidence 😂🙈 did exactly the same thing tonight, just drifted off without fussing or crying and no calpol today! Hopefully the end of a very long phase. Thank you everyone for your replies really reassured me, worried first time mum 😅

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