Having a sick baby is about as far from fun as you can get. A sick baby is all-consuming, the virus takes over your life and body as well as your baby’s. You cannot sleep or eat or do the things you normally do because you are preoccupied caring for your poorly baby. And babies cannot talk to tell you what is wrong, they can’t explain how they feel or what they would like you to do. They try to communicate all of this by red-faced crying which can be pretty hard to listen to for two days straight when nothing you try is helping.
If you’re currently caring for a sick baby, you’re in the midst of hell. But, it will be over soon, truly it will. In the meantime, these hacks might help:
1. Online pharmacies are a thing
When it’s cold outside and you’re cooped up with a sick baby, the last thing you need is to trek outside in the cold to run errands. You don’t want to have to go shopping or do the school run or go to the pharmacy to get medicine. Well, now you don’t have to. You can use an online pharmacy to buy supplies so that you can organise medicines and pain relief without having to leave the house.
2. A bottle teat could help the medicine go down
My first born wouldn’t take medicine, she used to spit it out like a pink-tinged scene from The Exorcist. Putting the medicine syringe into the teat of a baby bottle can help. The teat gives your baby something to latch onto, or chew, while you gently push the medicine into their mouth.
3. If in doubt, run a bath
Baths are the cure for pretty much everything. If your baby is suffering from blocked sinuses or a runny nose or aches and pains (how would you know, babies can’t talk), a bath could provide some much-needed relief. The steam is a good decongestant and the warm water works miracles when you’re feeling rubbish.
4. Load up on vitamins
If your baby is eating solid foods, you might find he goes off his food when he’s ill. Do continue to offer plenty of opportunities for him to eat, however, and make sure that everything you offer is packed full of vitamins and minerals. Fresh fruit, greens and veg are great foods to offer, so don’t give up. It’s ok if he doesn’t want them yet, try again at the next meal time.
5. Keep breastfeeding
If you’re breastfeeding, you may find your baby wants to feed more often when he’s ill. That’s totally normal and is a great way of getting some nutrients into your baby. Don’t forget, your milk is full of antibodies that will boost your baby’s immune system so the more you breastfeed, the more antibodies your baby will receive.
6. Get some sleep
Your sick baby may be struggling to sleep at night, but he’s probably catching up on some zzz’s during the day. Make sure you nap when your baby naps. You need to be feeling your best to take care of your baby, so don’t be afraid of prioritising your need for sleep. Ignore the laundry and that work deadline and that other thing you were going to do, just get some rest. You’ll regret it at 2am when you’re trying to soothe your crying baby otherwise.
7. Find yourself a good boxset
Your sick baby probably just wants to be in your arms. He won’t be happy anywhere but with you until he’s feeling like himself again. It’s not easy to be constantly needed and have a limpet hanging off your arm, but life will be much more bearable if you just accept it. The next couple of days will have to be written off. So, batten down the hatches, get yourself a blanket, set up camp on the sofa and stick a good boxset on while your baby naps in your arms. Remember, it won’t last forever. You’ll be back to reality very soon, in the meantime, you have a poorly baby to cuddle.
This is a collaborative post.