So your child puked in their bed... now what!?
I think that every child vomits in their bed at least once in their life! I know that I have a couple of pretty vivid memories of waking up covered it in. It’s never fun, as the child or the parent! So how can you make it easier for everyone?
First of all, let me start by saying this. If your baby is sick, you have to STOP your sleep “training” efforts. Your baby will need lots of extra sleep, fluids, cuddles and love to recover. This is not the time to be dropping night feeds or pushing them to learn independent sleep! They might regress with their sleep for a few days, but you can get them back on track when they are feeling 100%. Don’t stress about progress, just focus on helping them get better ❤️
Alright back to the vomit 😂 There are a few different ways you can react, and I have some tips to make it easier on everyone!
🐑 Always have more than one set of sheets and bedding (including sleep sacks/swaddles, depending on your child’s age)
This seems obvious, but baby stuff is expensive and many people won’t think buying duplicates is necessary. Most of the time, you can get away with just one sleep sack or fitted sheet. However, if your child pees through their diaper or vomits in the night, you will be thankful that you have that extra set!
🐑 Keep them clean or double up!
Always keep your extras clean, so that you can use them when times like this occur. Even better, DOUBLE UP! I would get layer your babies bedding so that you can easily clean their space and get them back into bed as quickly as possible. I recommend putting their bedding on in this order:
Mattress protector, fitted sheet, another mattress protector, another sheet!
So, if they get wet or sick, you can easily remove the top two layers, while keeping the bottom two layers dry and clean! It only takes an extra minute or two to grab a set from the closet, but if you are alone, you would need to put your baby down to make the bed. This tip makes the process much smoother, so everyone can get back to sleep sooner.
🐑 Clean and assess!
I would only give them a bath in the middle of the night if necessary. Using a clean cloth to wipe them up is far less simulating, and should result in an easier time getting them back to sleep. While you are changing their clothes, do an assessment on them. Do they have a fever, congested nose, or rash? Do they need help clearing their nose? Or perhaps some medication for pain or fever? Use your judgment on this and don’t hesitate to call 811 (or your local health care phone line) if you are unsure. It’s always better to take that extra step to feel confident in your decision. Lastly, are they hungry? They did just spit up, so feeding them might be necessary.
Alright, now you have your clean and (possibly) fed/medicated baby 😆 it’s time to decide where you are going to lay them down to sleep! This is up to you and your family. You can easily have a clean crib for them to sleep in, using the above tips. Keeping them in their own sleep space will cause sleep regression. However, you may decide that you want to bring them to your bed so you can keep a closer eye on them. As long as you can co-sleep safely, you should listen to your heart ♥️.
Has your child puked in their bed yet? How did you react!? Share in the comments below!
Thanks for being here 🥰
P.S. Did you know that all these tips apply to if they wet the bed too! Potty training is HARD. Make it easier by using these simple tricks!
P.P.S. Did you know that I am open over the holidays?! Because babies sleep (or don't sleep!) on Christmas too! Book a FREE phone consultation now to make sleep happen asap!
Jane Anderson
@countingsheepwithjane
