Key takeaways: Safe sleep rules still apply when babies are sick: on the back, on a flat surface, with nothing in the crib. Don’t elevate the crib mattress or use wedges. Saline drops, gentle suction before sleep, and a cool-mist humidifier can ease congestion. Don’t give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to babies.
A stuffy, feverish baby often sleeps poorly. Here’s how to help safely.
Safe Sleep Still Applies
- Back to sleep on a firm, flat surface.
- No pillows, wedges, or positioners. The AAP doesn’t recommend elevating the head of the crib, because babies can slide into unsafe positions.
- Don’t let your baby sleep in a car seat, swing, or bouncer to help breathing, unless supervised and moved soon.
Easing Congestion
- Saline drops in each nostril, then gentle suction with a bulb syringe or aspirator before sleep and feeds.
- Cool-mist humidifier: keep it clean and away from your baby’s reach.
- Steamy bathroom: sit with your baby in a steamy bathroom for a few minutes before bed.
- Offer feeds often to keep your baby hydrated.
From the author
From First Breath to First Birthday is my month-by-month guide to your baby’s first year, written as a NICU and postpartum nurse. My book covers sleep month by month, alongside feeding, growth and the warning signs that mean it’s time to call the doctor.
Fever and Discomfort
- Dress lightly.
- Ask your doctor about acetaminophen or ibuprofen (ibuprofen only for 6 months and older), and dose by weight.
- Babies under 3 months with a fever of 100.4°F or higher need a doctor right away.
Medicines to Avoid
- Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines: the FDA advises against them for children under 2, and the AAP advises against them under age 4.
- Honey: never give to babies under 1 year due to botulism risk.
- Vapor rubs: not recommended for babies under 2.
Watching Your Baby
You may want to check on your baby more often. Room-sharing makes this easier.
Call your baby’s doctor or seek care right away if your baby: has trouble breathing, fast breathing, or the skin pulling in between ribs; has blue or gray lips; is very sleepy or hard to wake; has fewer wet diapers; or is under 3 months with a fever. Call 911 for severe breathing trouble.
The Bottom Line
Keep sleep safe, ease congestion with saline and suction, and know when to call. Avoid cold medicines and elevating the crib.
Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.
Related Articles
- Colds in Babies: Safe Comfort Measures and Medicines to Avoid
- Bronchiolitis: What Parents Need to Know
- RSV in Babies: Prevention, Symptoms, and When to Go to the ER
- Building a Baby First Aid Kit: What You Actually Need
Sources
- Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I; Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics. 2022;150(1):e2022057990.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Should you give kids medicine for coughs and colds? https://www.fda.gov
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Coughs and colds: medicines or home remedies? HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.
