A baby becoming unwell in the middle of the night can feel much harder than the same symptoms during the day. The useful first step is not to diagnose everything yourself. Check what you can, look for warning signs and know where to get help.
Start with how your baby seems
Look at your baby as a whole.
- Are they waking and responding normally?
- Are they feeding?
- Have there been changes in the number of wet or soiled nappies?
- Is their breathing comfortable?
- Does their colour look normal for them?
- Are they unusually floppy, difficult to wake or impossible to settle?
You know your baby's normal behaviour. The NHS specifically advises parents to trust their judgement if their child seems seriously unwell.
Check their temperature
If your baby feels unusually hot or seems unwell, check their temperature with a digital thermometer.
For children under 5, the NHS recommends using a digital thermometer in the armpit.
A high temperature is 38°C or above. If your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C or higher, seek urgent medical advice.
For more information, see what temperature counts as a fever in a baby and choosing the best thermometer for a newborn.
Know when to call 999
Call 999 if your baby has signs of a life-threatening emergency. NHS warning signs include a baby who is unresponsive or floppy, is not waking as usual, has severe difficulty breathing, has a seizure, or has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue.
Do not wait for morning if you think it is an emergency.
When should you call NHS 111?
NHS 111 is available when you need medical help but it is not a 999 emergency. It can be particularly useful outside normal GP hours.
You can contact NHS 111 if you are unsure what to do, your baby seems unwell or you need help deciding what level of care is appropriate.
What should you keep nearby at night?
You do not need a miniature pharmacy.
A few useful things are:
- a digital thermometer
- any medicines that are appropriate for your baby's age and circumstances
- the measuring syringe supplied with children's medicine
- saline nose drops if advised or suitable for your baby
- your GP details and access to NHS 111
For a complete checklist, see the baby medicine cabinet checklist
Should you give medicine before seeking advice?
Age matters. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be useful for pain or a high temperature when appropriate, but they are not suitable for every baby. If your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C or higher, seek urgent medical advice.
If a young baby meets an urgent medical-help threshold, do not delay seeking advice simply to see whether medicine brings the temperature down.
For more information, see when babies can have paracetamol and when babies can have ibuprofen.
Preparation helps when you are tired
You cannot prepare for every illness, but you can make the practical steps easier. Keep the thermometer in one place, keep medicines in their original packaging and out of children's reach, and know where you will go for reliable advice.