Now that daycare and schools are starting up again, get ready for the first colds and little bugs, and for the trickiest one of all: a sick baby.
If you’ve been through it, you know: a baby with a stuffy nose fusses, struggles to sleep, struggles to eat, and above all wants (even more) to be held constantly, and upright!
So you bring in your trusty Asteraki!
Instead of pacing around the house holding your baby in your arms until they fall asleep, you have them in the carrier and everything is easier. Instead of sitting on the couch with your arms clenched and still, because the moment you shift they wake up and cry, you can sit with your baby safe against you, upright, without carrying their whole weight.
You’ll see that your baby calms down and falls asleep much more easily this way. When a baby is sick and worn out, good sleep counts for a lot.
Watch the video below to see how to move them easily into their bed so they can carry on sleeping. The carrier in the video is KinderHop, but the same goes for any type of carrier.
For older babies too
Your baby may be little and you may be wearing the carrier every day anyway. But we might be talking about an older baby who walks and asks to be held far less in everyday life. Yet in this phase, when they’re sick, a child who usually runs around all day may suddenly not want to peel away from you. It will tire you out much less if they’re in the carrier, you can hold them for as long as they need without your arms and back aching and, if you need to, you can even get something simple done around the house.
A mom comforts her upset baby in a KinderHop carrier
With a newborn and an older sibling
The other classic September scenario is this: a newborn at home and an older child starting daycare or school.
The carrier doesn’t protect your baby from viruses on its own. But having them up against you more makes it much easier to cut down on needless contact, all the extra cuddles and the hands constantly reaching for their face. It’s one more practical way to keep your newborn a little more protected in a house where viruses are going around.
Especially if you’re breastfeeding (and with the carrier that’s easier too), you pass on to your baby the antibodies you build up from your own contact with the older child.
What to watch out for
The basic rules are the same as always:
Your baby’s face should be visible, their nose and mouth clear, and their chin shouldn’t drop onto their chest.
Be careful, too, not to overdress them. Inside the carrier your baby has the warmth of your body, so especially when they have a fever they don’t need to wear anything heavier than what you’re wearing.
Note: If you see your baby struggling to breathe, being unusually listless, or not behaving as they usually do, talk to your pediatrician. Especially if your baby is younger than three months, a temperature of 38°C or higher needs immediate medical advice.
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Nobody’s saying the carrier is a cure for a cold or a virus. But it will definitely make those days when your baby wants to be on you CONSTANTLY so much easier. And that is already a huge help!
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