Just when I think I have it.....
Babybear70
member
So lately I've been feeling very confident about my role as a mom, wife, daughter, architect, maid...all of the above. I got this down! Until today.....I think I might be coming down with a cold....now what!?
Most of DS's care falls on me, and that is fine, but I'm feeling so run down...I can hardly keep my eyes open here at work. Before kids I would have just gone home and gone to bed...but not anymore. I have to go pick up DS after work, and DH won't get home until after DS goes down for bed. Then it is clean house, make supper....and I just want to go to bed now!!
For those of you who have been sick since you've had your LO, what tips can you give me to make it through this. I hardly EVER get sick so this is totally out of my rhelm of dealing (last time I was sick was more than 3 years ago). Drugs? Zicam? Sleep? Coffee? I will try anything to be able to keep up with my little boy while being sick.
Re: Just when I think I have it.....
Yep exactly. Don't worry about cleaning the house or making dinner. Get delivery or take out and let the dust settle for a few days while you rest and get as much sleep as you can.
Two weeks ago, my husband got a respiratory infection that had him off work for a week. Halfway through the week, the baby got it. Then, after I'd been gone for two days to take care of him, I was sick and didn't have the option of staying home and taking care of myself.
Letting everything go just makes me feel worse in the long run because I know I'm going to be the one cleaning it up. What I did was buy the Costco sized bottle of DayQuil, made the simplest dinners I could (grilled cheese and tomato soup, pasta, etc) and decided what was absolutely essential. Then, I took it a little at a time. I'd put in a load of laundry and put on water to boil, then sit down while it boiled. I'd unload the dishwasher and then let the baby play in his jumperoo while I rested for ten minutes.
It still sucked, but it kept things going just enough to manage. I also made sure I drank a ton of water and emergen-c to make myself feel better as fast as possible and went to bed as early as possible. My husband also works late so during the week, it's mostly on me as well. It took a while, but I made it through! I used to be the type of person who didn't use cold meds but forget that! Whatever it took to keep me on my feet was what I did!
I hope you feel better soon! Sleep will help a lot. I agree with PP to try to avoid too much caffeine. Also be careful with your medications. Anything with a decongestant in it makes me very jittery and sometimes so miserable that I'd rather go without the meds. Sudafed PE (the little red pills) and NyQuil are my go-to medicines. Mucinex (the kind with the expectorant) also helps when I have a lot of sinus drainage, but it is one that makes me more ADHD than a 6 year old hopped up on Coke and Skittles, so I have to be careful when I take it. When I feel really yucky, I like egg drop soup and other very salty foods. I also swear by rinsing my sinuses. I got a squirt bottle at Walgreens (I can't remember what it's called but it's near the Neti Pots), and it really helps me cut my sinus infections down when I use it.
Thanks girls for all the responses. DH is bringing home something for us to eat, and promptly after I snarf down some food tonight I'm going to bed with drugs. I'm not a drug taker since mostly I have reactions similar to how unaveragejane puts it "a 6 year old hopped up on Coke and Skittles" That gave me quite the laugh by the way. Sudafed does this to me which is why I can't take it at night. And Nyquil messes me up for days. I'm still "drunk" 2 days later....potent stuff. I will stick to alka seltzer and chicken soup I guess.
The house isn't bad, just drives me crazy when it is a complete pit. We are hosting a small dinner tomorrow that we cannot cancel so I'm going to try and recover as much as I can tonight to be as best as possible for tomorrow. Thanks again girls. Here's to feeling better!
First cut out unnecessary things like dinner & cleaning. Take out for dinner! As for taking care of LO either hold him while you recline & just hand him toys or if LO prefers put him on the floor and lay next to him.
When I was sick I put LO on her back on a blanket and layed next to her handing toys over every once in a while. Also take some Tylenol.
This and if you can have family member watch baby for a little while so you can rest
This. I also agree to try to rest on the floor and let LO play around you, she'll be happy you're right there and you can rest some. If you must do any cleaning, just keep it to the essentials. If you can spend any time at home by yourself tomorrow while she is at daycare, then that will give you additional rest time.
Married 8/27/2011
BFP #1 9/28/2011 DS born 5/22/2012
BFP #2 4/24/2013 m/c 4/25/2013 at 4w
BFP #3 1/31/2014 DD born 10/14/2014
BFP #4 1/20/2016 m/c 2/12/2014 at 7w2d
BFP #5 8/19/2016 DS2 born 4/29/2017
BFP #6 3/7/2018 EDD 11/18/2018