Sick Baby, Sick Mama.
How to Survive.
I am writing this blog from the comfort of the rocker in Liam's nursery. Like most parents we picked a rocker that was both cute and comfortable not realizing how important comfort was going to be the first time our little man got sick; I have spent so many hours in this room for the last 6 days not wanting to leave my little man or not being allowed to leave because he ONLY wants to sleep while being held. It was just over a month ago I was telling my husband I was kind of sad that our little guy was growing up so fast and no longer needed to be held to sleep anymore.
The first night of this common cold was definitely the most difficult because up to this point we had a healthy baby. A healthy baby is scary enough for a first-time mom but to see your baby panicky over a stuffy nose is a whole new world of mom fear and mom guilt (and in this case dad guilt over passing this cold to our little guy). I have learned a lot in these 6 days and was glad that I am a shopaholic and bought practically everything on every baby registry recommendation list.
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If you are dealing with a sick babe I am sure this is not the first or the last list you will read about how to make your little guy or lady feel better but here goes. This is everything I found useful for my little guy. Definitely the first thing to have on your list is your pediatrician's contact phone number and don't be afraid to use it f you have concerns about your little one's health. It has been act of self control unlike any other to not call our pediatrician for every sneeze and spit up...think harder than not eating the entire pint of Talenti Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
NoseFrida nasal aspirator in conjunction with Little Remedies saline spray. Squeeze 2 drops of the saline spray in each nostril, wait a few minutes and use the NoseFrida. Just prepare yourself; if your baby is anything like my little man, he/she will toss his/her head from side to side, cry, scream and look at you as if you are trying to drown them one saline spray at a time. THEY WILL HATE IT. But, it does help and they will forget about it soon enough. I usually got a big smile a minute after it was all over and the tears had dried. It wasn't until the last day of his illness that I discovered laying him on his play mat made the experience way more tolerable.
Boogie Wipes because tissues are harsh on my nose, let alone soft baby skin. Usually after 2 days of the best tissues available I still look like Rudolph and I do NOT want that for my baby. I bought Boogie Wipes upon the recommendation of a coworker who swore by them even for adults and was so glad I did. As with most things my little guy hated these but 6 fays of wiping his nose and not a hint of Rudolph; I call that a win. On a side note my husband is now searching the house for the boogie wipes in lieu of tissues. I guess I need to add those to the next Target run.
Rectal Thermometer. The nurse will likely tell you how important the rectal thermometer is before you even leave the hospital, but I just didn't want to hear it. Before baby was born I purchased a standard rectal thermometer and received a wearable thermometer and pacifier thermometer as baby shower gifts. I tried the wearable thermometer but according to the instructions baby has to keep his arm at his side in order to get an accurate reading...by all means if you can get your babe to keep his arm down at his sides for 24 hours go ahead and give these a try but my little guy is a mover and a shaker even when he's sick. I tried the standard thermometer and I was a nervous wreck and the pacifier thermometer gave low readings. I immediately went on Amazon and ordered a rectal thermometer with a guard to prevent nervous parents from inserting it too far. I found if I flip the baby over on my lap, he wiggles less and taking the rectal temp is easy and fast.
Baby Chair or Swing. I tried to putting babe to bed in his bassinet and his crib but sometimes his congestion was so bad he would not sleep that way. I also received a recommendation to elevate the mattress; I tried this but did I mention Liam is a mover and a shaker. He literally twisted himself into a C shape in his bed with that little bit of extra elevation. So, as I was holding a sleeping baby at 2 am I realized there was not enough caffeine in the house to keep me awake all night and the next day. With that I thought of the vibrating newborn lounger that came with our pack and play. It got me through many witching hours and now it worked for this cold, although we may be testing the weight limits. So, I camped out on the floor in front of him...sheesh, I am too old to be sleeping on the floor.
* Definitely follow doctor's recommendations about back to sleep but in this instance allowing babe to sleep in his napper with me at his feet felt safer than me falling asleep with him in my arms. I also relied on my Owlet Smart Sock for back up in this situation, which is basically the only thing that has allowed me to sleep rather than staring at my baby all night everything like a crazy stalker.
All these items are great for the baby, but I have a few recommendations for mama because a sick baby makes for some rough nights and days. Stay tuned for that post!
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In the mean time hang in there mama...you got this! I'd love to hear your tips for the next round.