Share your tips with Nurofen for Children on coping with night times when your child is poorly - £300 voucher prize draw NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

In winter children often seem to get every bug going and this can make night-times especially disruptive and stressful.
The team at Nurofen for Children would love to hear your tips and advice on how to make night times with a poorly child better - for yourself, your child and other family members. So, how do you change your bedtime routine when your child is ill? Are you more relaxed (or strict) about bedtimes? Do you bring up hot drinks, a favourite soft toy or comforting blanket? Maybe you're more likely to allow your kids to come into bed with you when they're not well.

Here's what Nurofen for Children says, "Night time can perpetuate parents’ anxiousness when children are sick. It’s often a time when parents can feel less in control - especially as sleep is often a crucial time for a poorly child - we all know a good night’s sleep usually means a healthier child in the morning. We know parents will often do anything to ensure their child gets the sleep they need".

So please share on this thread your best tips on coping with those endless nights of sniffles, sickness and coughing fits.

Everyone who posts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher!

Thanks

MNHQ

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Nurofen for Children 3 months to 9 years Orange / Strawberry. (Weighing over 5kg). Nurofen for Children Orange / Strawberry 3 months to 12 years (weighing over 5kg). Contains Ibuprofen. For relief of fever. Always read the label.

We've all just got over (another) vomiting bug; cramps, fever and lots of d and v. I don't know how my eldest has got to nearly 5 without me only just realising this: we lay a towel across the top of the kids beds, so it covered all their pillow and most of their upper body. When the coming started we just kept replacing the towel (we washed the sheets the next day!!!) But for middle of the night changes it really made things a lot easier on everyone!

I think the best advice I can give is to have them in bed with you as it gives them a sense of closeness even though they are ill... I could never sleep when it happens but I find stroking their face or a cuddle can do wonders and help them drop off to sleep.

I always think back to the times when I was poorly as a child and how my mam would look after me, it's my job as a mam to make my baby feel as comfortable as possible

Sick child always gets to sleep with mummy for extra cuddle and to make mummys life easier. If its a really bad sleepless night then I stop myself falling asleep by keeping myself entertained. It's easier to nurse when youre not dozing in and out.

Always give them lots of cuddles

my soon is just recovering from a bad cold and cough which would keep him awake most of the night. I would just strip him right down, prop him up as much as possible and keep a bottle of nice cool water handy and we have survived, he is getting better x

I always bring poorly children in with me or move a mattress into their room and sleep with them. I make sure we have everything we need according to the illness we are dealing with - buckets, cool flannel, fan, tissues, wet ones, steamer, medication, fluids. Plenty of cuddles, kisses and reassuring words.

Get into their bed, lots of cuddles and hot drinks

Moving in to the childs bedroom at least ensures the rest of the family get uninterrupted sleep! Just having you there can be reassuring enough so that you and the child will both get a bit more sleep.

A soothing bedtime story, rubbing a touch of Vics on the chest and a drink of lucozade helps

when my little girl is poorly I usually sleep in her room with her which reassures her and I can give her calpole and a cuddle when she wakes up in the night.

Vicks vapo rub is great (I use it for me too!) Or a few drops of the liquid olbas oil stuff on their pillow - and usually an extra pillow.

Always best to bed share when little ones are poorly plenty of fluids and medication

Not a great fan of having poorly child in our bed - both mine are starfish sleepers. When they're ill DH and I draw straws for who's going to sleep on the floor in the invalid's room, that way someone is always there for them and can hold their hand if necessary, but everyone's sleep is maximised. Also it's much easier to strip and change child's bed if they vomit rather than ours (child gets briefly bundled into bed with other parent while bed is changed).

I slept on the sofa with him so I was reassured and so was he!. A warm bath with vapours and a dose of Nurofen would also help. Plenty of cuddles and an atmosphere which is not stuffy.

Completely depends on the illness but 9/10 lots of snuggles and cuddles on the couch or in bed with me. Plenty of fluids and cool flannels help as well as mini milk ice pops.

If it's just a cold they go to bed an hour or so earlier than no normal to help them get some rest, if it's d&v or a high fever they come to bed with us so we can look after them through the night.

My boys would just get into bed with me or sleep on the sofa with their cartoons on :)

It may sound over the top but it works for me. I always take a spare mattress and sleep on the floor next to their bed. You sleep better because you are not listening out for them, and they sleep sounder knowing mummy is close. They also learn to keep in their own bed and rest.

Keeping them close, vicks vapo rub works well I will. Also nice warm bath before bed to hopefully relax them a bit.

It depends if they are already poorly or wake up feeling ill in the night.
If they are already ill I:

• Leave their bedroom door wide open so I can hear if they call
• Put the landing or bathroom light on so they can see to get to me or the bathroom if they need to.
• If they feel sick, I remove all toys/teddies from near the bed, drape a towel tucked into the side of the mattress to the floor and put a disenfected bowl there.
• Time their last dose of ibuprofen/ paracetamol around 20-30 mins before they go to bed, so they are comfortable and get as long as possible asleep before it wears off.
• Take medicines and a bottle of water up to my bedroom to save going downstairs during the night.
• Use menthol oils on a tissue tucked under the corner of the pillow to clear stuffy noses.

If they wake up ill at night, I just deal with whatever I'm presented with! I always examine them under a bright light, just to be sure there are no rashes or other potentially worrying symptoms. Also I realize that sometimes they just need reassurance and snuggling up under the duvet is the best medicine there is!

The first thing is for parents to allow this to be a time away from routine. It can be mentally very difficult to let go of the way you usually do things. If you can give yourself "permission" to just go with the flow for a bit you and your child will cope a lot better. With young children, I slept with them, sometimes in their bed, sometimes in mine. They feel clingy and need you more and you need as much sleep as you can get. This is the perfect way to ensure you both get what you need. On occasions when that wasn't an option, I used to drag their mattress onto the floor of my bedroom. It takes a few minutes to organise but the child feels safe and secure knowing you are close by and a little excited because it is like a sleepover or a holiday!

Cosleeping definitely. Unless it's the sick-every-30-minutes type of vomiting - then we grab every towel we've got and take turns curling up on the sofa with ill child. A lot easier to clear up towels than furniture/carpets!

We've used Olbas oil to help with the sniffles at night, we make sure sheets are laundered more regularly if they've been ill in bed as it's much nicer for them to get into a freshly made bed, have warm drinks and soups ready for them and just give them lots of time to recover, it might be just a cold but it can take a lot out of their system psychologically as well.

let them sleep in your bed