11 Dos and Don’ts of Sick-baby Wearing

So, this is what I imagine all of you look like.  Happy and babywearing and generally enjoying this adventure together…

Except when you don’t because sometimes, you won’t.  Sometimes your baby will be sick.  Like REALLY gut-wrenchingly sick.  Sometimes your exclusively breastfed baby will be so congested, she can’t breathe and when she can nurse, she can’t swallow correctly and her gag reflexes will kick in and she’ll puke all that milk you so delicately fed her…  all over your bed. Thrice.  Well right now that “you” is me.  Don’t worry, your turn will come, if it hasn’t already.  And because of that, I’ve decided to write today’s blog post about sick-baby wearing.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 11 Dos and Don’ts of Sick-baby wearing.

1. DO enjoy All. The. Snuggles.

True Story: a sick baby is a snuggly baby.  Even a big huge  preschooler is one common cold away from being reduced to a quivering heap of “Momma Hold Me!”  Do not question what the babywearing gods have bestowed up on you.  Just get out your favorite carrier and snuggle!

2. DO pick a comfy carrier.

As noted above, sick babies love snuggling, so be sure you pick a comfy carrier when you do get your baby up.  We all have “quick up” carriers that perhaps are not built for the long-haul.  Put those in your car.  Even though you will be tempted to put your baby in one, don’t!  Last time my Little Bit was sick, she slept in her wrap for 5 hours.  That was not a typo.  I kept expecting her to  wake up, but she didn’t. I was glad I had chosen my supportive cushy hemp blend wrap. I chose… wisely.

Too bad I didn’t have better shoes on when this happened!  Oye. Five hours is a long time for standing barefoot.  I chose… poorly.

3. DO pick a carrier that can be easily washed.

These are my friend’s guys.  Her husband will usually wear this sleepy guy in his Soft Structured Carrier (SSC), but those are notably harder to clean than this wrap.  You’ll likely have to clean your carriers after you use them with sick babies, so again, choose… wisely.

And these handsome guys bring me to another DO…

4. DO let some one else wear the baby if you need a break. 

Sick babies will need quite a bit of snuggling and while that is usually so much fun and I’m all for getting All. The. Snuggles (see #1), sometimes you need a break!  Pass the snuggles along and get some rest!

5. DON’T do a sloppy carry.

Babywearing Code, Section 2762 states, “If you do a sloppy carry and crap wrap job because it’s going to be ‘just a quick up,’ baby will almost always fall asleep.”  Man, I struggle with this one. Good thing the Babywearing Code isn’t enforceable by law enforcement or subject to civil actions, because I would be in trouble with this one!  See, Exhibit A, below:

6. DO wear to regulate body temperature.

There are LOTS of benefits to babywearing.  Lots.  One of them is “thermal synchrony,” or the ability for the mother to regulate the temperature of the baby.  When so many times the temperature of baby is an issue when they’re sick, babywearing comes to the rescue!  Hooray.

7. DO wear in the shower.

Seriously.  Especially if you have a congested baby.  Even though my Little Bit was barely able to eat since she couldn’t breathe, she was super happy in the shower.  Now, babies in the shower are slippery, very slippery.  I suggest getting naked and attaching your baby, then getting into the shower.  Enjoy the snot-free warmness, dry off, THEN unwrap.

This wrap is identical to one we have in our lending library. After I rented it, I loved it so much that I went out and bought one of my own.  They’re made by a company called Beachfront Baby Wraps and are great for sick-baby shower wearing.

8. DON’T wear in bed.

This Don’t should seem like a no-brainer, but I’ll admit, the thought has crossed my mind.  We have a comprehensive safety post on this blog written by people who know more than I do.  Don’t let the sleep deprived and weary cloud of sickness distort your better judgment.  Don’t fall asleep while wearing!

9. DO wash your carriers.

Even if they are not full of vomit and snot (mine are), using your carriers with sick babies will likely require you to wash them afterwards.  Follow manufacture’s care instructions and the carriers should be fine, germ free, and ready to go onto other less-germy adventures!  NOTE, this step is easy to forget and you may go out in public with vomit all over one of your favorite black carriers and not know it… just saying… hypothetically.

10. DON’T use ALL your carriers while sick.

THIS.  When she’s sick, I just grab the closest cushy wrap.  I’m up to 4 that are going to need to be washed after this bout of the plague is over.   Learn from my mistakes.  Grab a solid, cushy. comfy carrier that can support long-term wearing and put the others away!

11. DO use a ridiculous baby hat to distract from the fact that you and your baby look… well, sick.

I’m particularly proud of this little trick.  Look at this picture… what do you see?

A baby in a ridiculous hat!  Once you look closer, you can see that Mommy hasn’t slept in two days and the river of snot coming out of baby’s nose, but that hat sure is cute!  Use it!

So, to recap, here they are: 11 Dos and Don’ts of Sick-baby wearing:

1. DO enjoy All. The. Snuggles.

2. DO pick a comfy carrier.

3. DO pick a carrier that can be easily washed.

4. DO let some one else wear the baby if you need a break. 

5. DON’T do a sloppy carry.

6. DO wear to regulate body temperature.

7. DO wear in the shower.

8. DON’T wear in bed.

9. DO wash your carriers.

10. DON’T use ALL your carriers while sick.

11. DO use a ridiculous baby hat to distract from the fact that you and your baby look… well, sick.

I’d LOVE to hear some of your sick-baby wearing tips and tricks.  Stay healthy out there, babywearers!