When Mommy and Baby Are Ill

Help!

As recently as yesterday, I felt horrible. Vomiting, diarrhea, and all the rest of it. Gross I know, but you get the picture.

I was weak and tired, wanting to sleep, sleep all day. Pre-baby, no problem, I would call in sick to work and then rest became my drug of choice.

Since the birth of my daughter all of that has changed.  I am ill this week and  so is my little girl. Trying to juggle a regular day with baby,home and work is hard enough. But when my daughter is ill, the neediness is exponentially increased. Add to that my run down immune system. I felt like I was drowning, with no energy to fight back to the top.

How, how does anyone do it? Work, get sick, take care of yourself, and your child while baby daddy ploughs away at work. I am not sure there are any good answers to that one, except, get help fast from anyone and everyone.

Here are some of my suggestions to surviving your families illnesses:

1.) make your doctor's visit early on.

2.) take your medicine, (especially if it is sleep)

3.) have a back up plan ; someone to help you, a friend, neighbor, relative or a babysitter.  If you cant get a sitter, find another mommy, have a barter "illness" system worked out. She looks after your kid while you are ill and you look after hers the next time.

4.) take shortcuts. I am not one to take a shortcut to most things, must be the medical training. But if there is anytime to take shortcuts now is it!

5.)have frozen food ready for your kid, go online to get groceries, ask a friend to run an emergent errand. 

6.)and occasionally, if it is really bad, call in sick to work or ask your spouse to.