New baby in hospital, 3-year old at home with croup - could life be better?

[HarryFlashman]

Hi all,

To paraphrase Armstrong and Miller - 'it's all kicking off, Flo!'

My wife's in hospital with our new baby daughter, Alice, who's struggling to gain weight. Fortunately I'm still on paternity leave, as my 3 year old son has suddenly developed a nasty case of croup.

Making no stereotypes, but being male I'm quite useless with the whole health thing, so when my son woke up screaming and was having difficulty breathing last night, I had to call 999. It's the first time I've ever done it, but with my wife away I couldn't bear to think anything could happen to him on the few nights I'm looking after him on my own. I hope I didn't over-react!

Took him to hospital this morning, and the Dr just said to leave the window open in his room. Thing is, I'm also a very deep sleeper, so have chosen to sleep him in our main room while my wife is away - to make sure I hear him if he struggles. I'm hoping he won't get used to it!

So I haven't seen my baby daughter (a week old today) or my wife, as we are quarantining me and my son. I really miss them both, so thought I would come on here and hope you wouldn't mind a male basically feeling sorry for himself in public. I know it's pretty minor in the grand scheme of things, but it makes me feel better just to put it in words. That way I can smile about it.

Thanks for reading - if you've got this far I'm impressed!

Richard
x

[Rindercella]

Oh you poor thing, it must be really tough for you at the moment. Not to see your beautiful new daughter or your wife must be so bloody hard. It is perfectly, perfectly reasonable for you to feel sorry for yourself, especially in these circumstances.

My DD2 had croup recently (she's 8 months old) and the best advice I had was to put her in our shower room with the shower on steaming hot. It certainly seemed to help. Or maybe boil a kettle in your son's bedroom?

Hang in there, the croup will ease up. Your wife and DD will come home. Things will get easier. Well done you so far and have a little hug (not strictly allowed on here, but sod it, I think you need it! )

[HoorahHilda]

bump

[Rindercella]

Oh, and many congratulations on the birth of your daughter!

[bunnymother]

oh, you poor thing - sounds like a v v difficult time. Hope your DS gets better quickly and that baby Alice chubs up soon so you can all cosy up at home together.

[CrispyTheCrisp]

If the croup is continuing, i would go back to the GP and ask for steroids. It cleared my DD's croup up within 24hrs. If you say you need him well asap with new baby then i am sure they will help.

And welcome to the world Alice . My 2 were both rubbish feeders but got the hang of it after about 2 weeks and i am sure you will too

[HarryFlashman]

Well thank you very much - there are people out there! Thanks also for the tips. I've got the window open wide in our room and my son's breathing is very smooth. I'll just have to wrap up as warm as him as it's reading just under 15 degrees C in there!

Spoken to DW (I'm trying to pick up the lingo) and baby didn't gain any weight today, so they are going full pelt on formula top ups and it looks promising. She should be out by Tuesday, so I just hope in the meantime I won't have completely ruined my son's daily routine :)

I have a stash of Mr Men books ready for if he wakes up early, so am prepared for all eventualities. I'll certainly use your shower trick if he wakes up doing seal impersonations again :o

[bunnymother]

I am here feeding our 2 week old twin daughters, and they were force fed formula within hours of birth (low blood sugar, then when that was sorted out and we were discharged from hospital, we had weight gain issues). So I feel for your DW having to try and get formula into a sleepy newborn. Our babies were threatened w hospitalisation if they didn't gain weight and I found it v stressful. Sounds like your DW is breastfeeding, and I wish her all the best. My midwife told me of a lady who breastfed her 1.7kg (!!) baby up to the required weight gain (hate their bloody charts - really stressful this "feed by numbers" approach) just by lots of feeding on demand - sending you and your DW positive thoughts. And good luck dealing with the Arctic conditions in your room.

Have to run, one baby fed, another to go...

[CrispyTheCrisp]

I managed to get my 2.5kg onto full BF after only 3 top ups, but it is hard work and very very very tiring. I did find it easier when my second was a reluctant feeder too as i knew what would work for me (I managed with a combination of 3hr feeds (no demand), i had to wake them lol plus expressing for top ups). Unfortunately for everyone, the 'thing' that works for one will not for another

Good luck and i hope she is home soon

[HarryFlashman]

Thanks very much for the advice and positive comments - it really is a great community you've got here. I certainly wish all the best to you here as well.

Right, downloaded an audiobook from the local library (what a good service) and heading in to listen to that before going to sleep in sub-Arctic conditions - let's hope we do better than Scott and his pals!

[strawberryshortbread]

would a humidifier help the croup? i invested in one this year when the kids starting having chesty coughs and really has helped as coughs did not linger.

good luck and congrats.

[Rindercella]

Hi Harry, how are things today? How's your DS getting on? I hope his night was more comfortable and that you both managed to get some sleep. How are Alice and your DW?

[hellymelly]

Oh poor you,actually poor all of you,as your wife must be really missing you and your son.Congratulations on your new little baby.all I can say is "this too shall pass" .Hopefully you will all be together soon,a new baby ,Christmas etc,and you will be able to cuddle down together and enjoy your new larger family.

[HarryFlashman]

Hi all,

Thanks for continued niceness!

Last night was much better, as my son slept all the way through and only woke up with a mild bit of rasping, so I swept him into the shower room and whacked it on full. He was fine in about 5 mins, and has hardly coughed today.

I did discover that he's the most fidgety sleeper possibly in the world, though, as every time I moved back over his side of the King size bed, he'd rolled back over and had his knees in my back a couple of minutes later. While he slept soundly, I did not! Needless to say, he's in his own bed tonight and seems fine so far.

My DW is out of the hospital tomorrow, as they've got her on a hormone drug to increase milk production and it seems to be working. Little Alice put on 40 grammes (quite a lot for her!) in the last day, so if it continues tomorrow I'll be able to take them home.

Tom - the croupier - won't be in nursery tomorrow as they've said to leave him another day. I've perhaps foolishly agreed to help him build a rocket in the morning, so I'm sure he'll breeze in about 6:30 and say "we're building a rocket!"

The plan is to pick up my wife at about 4pm - hospital willing - and all be home to enjoy the last 5 days of paternity leave, together.

Thanks again, all. I hope everything goes as well as it possibly can over the festive period for all of you. Merry Christmas!

Richard ('Harry Flashman' is just a character in some books I like - I was taking the advice of the mumsnet FAQ not to be so boring as to use my everyday name!).

[bunnymother]

Hope you are all happily at home together now, enjoying a "babymoon" w little Alice and bigger Tom. Well done to DW and to Alice on the weight gain!

[Bahhhumbug]

What a lovely man and husband and dad you are. Your devotion and love for your family shines through in every word. Dont ever change !