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Original poster

How do you cope looking after your kids when you're sick?

16 replies

imsoscared2022 · 02/06/2022 21:42

I'm home alone looking after 2 kids who are vomiting and I'm vomiting myself. Plus all other symptoms of being ill. How do you manage? How do people who have 3 or more children manage? It's hard with one, extremely hard with two...Constant vomiting etc changing sheets, pillow cases, getting the bucket...how do u do it...any advice...

OP posts:
KindergartenKop · 02/06/2022 21:49

Put towels over the pillow/bed. Give them all a bucket/saucepan. Give everyone a bottle of squash to rehydrate.

How old are they?

Runnerduck34 · 02/06/2022 21:50

That's grim, I've been there and it is awful, is there anyone you can call to help?
Failing that just give everyone a bucket/ bowl in case they cant make it to bathroom. Only do what is absolutely essential, if you end up sleeping on a mattress and no sheet so be it.
Plonk kids in front of TV if necessary.
Hope its a 24 hour thing and you all feel bitter very soon

PicturesOfLily · 02/06/2022 21:51

Honestly, I ring my mum and ask her to come round for a bit! Not helpful to you I know. The towels suggestion is good though and bowls/buckets around so hopefully less to clean up. Hope you feel better soon 💐

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ScarlettOHaraHamiltonKennedyButler · 02/06/2022 22:44

It's awful isn't it. My eldest had an awful bug just now and despite my constant bleaching I feel like DD and I are sitting ducks. DH is away so if it happens I will call MIL, she never catches anything and is the most useful person I know.

My own parents would help but they are elderly and I wouldn't want them getting it.

All you can do is ride it out OP. Amazon some sick bags it saves on cleaning up and just do the bare minimum until you are all better.

Benjispruce4 · 02/06/2022 22:47

If you have a partner, can they not take time off work to help?

Benjispruce4 · 02/06/2022 22:48

It’s grim. As a pp said, bucket/ containers each, drinks to hand, loo roll and whatever gets you through. It will pass.

Lindy2 · 02/06/2022 22:57

As already said - towels over the sheet and pillow. If they get messy change the towels not the whole bed. The dirty towels can just go in a pile elsewhere ready for washing when you feel better.

Keep bowls nearby for easy use too.

If you can use drink bottles that you can sip from while lying down.

Dose up with whatever medicine helps and rest as much as you can.

Anyone who is well enough and able, helps the others.

Hopefully you will all feel better soon.

knowinglesseveryday · 02/06/2022 22:57

I have no clue. I remember pregnancy with extreme morning sickness (all day) alongside older toddlers. No idea how I coped, but I did. Poor you. You'll get through it. I hope you can get some help.

user7637293 · 02/06/2022 22:58

We just survive somehow! It's grim though. I feel for you.

Luredbyapomegranate · 02/06/2022 23:04

That is just extremely hard.

can you call in any help.

if not, just hold onto the fact it will be over soon, keep the washing machine going, lower all standards and stick them
in front of the telly once they feel better so you can have a rest.

ForestFae · 02/06/2022 23:04

I ask someone else to come and help me, it’s grim doing it by yourself.

Helenknowsbest · 02/06/2022 23:07

Been there, husband was away on a stag do and I had covid (I felt like I was dying) and my kids had it too. I'm not sure how we survived those few days. Tv, calpol, paracetamol, tissues, pyjamas, think I did a couple of baths a day just to break it up. Couldn't even leave the house at all to pop to the shop as I was quarantined. How do you cope? We just do dont we. My husband would never have coped if shoe was on other foot. I feel for you.

My advice would be try and starve out the bug. Kids when they have stomach bugs wouldn't really want to eat but fluids is super important. I think the less you eat the quicker you get over a stomach bug

Runorsleep · 02/06/2022 23:13

I’ve been there a good few times with three small dcs , two already bad sleepers
so when sick would be worse, I remember feeling despair that when I was sick I couldn’t even sleep at night or rest during the day as toddlers who are sick still move the whole time !
My dh would take over when I was Ill. The few times it happened when I and my dcs were sick and dh was away , it was extremely difficult. I had bacterial tonsillitis (I get extremely ill with it, v high temp, vomiting, unable to swallow, in a lot of pain) and I felt so awful but two of my 3 dcs had it too and I felt so bad for them. Thankfully we have an excellent dr and they were so caring when we went in. I have lots of family but they didn’t and don’t do any help practically , never have. My dh was away and it was just awful but I coped by getting antibiotics into me as quick as possible and into kids, painkillers, setting up the house so it was v v safe, I set up the sitting room with a duvet and pillows for all, v easy snacks , loads of water and cartoons and just hoped they’d settle a bit . It is tough op so hope you get through it . Vomiting bugs are v tough as you have to change sheets whole feeling horrific and deal with crying kids etc too. Loads of towels, bowls and detol.

Carrotmum · 02/06/2022 23:21

Don’t go to bed it just gives you more to wash, I remember with Novovirus and I physically couldn’t manage to walk from bedroom to bathroom making up a cuddle pile of blankets/ towels in the bathroom and just staying in there with my DS ( only had the one). Just after being sick you usually get a few mins so grab water juice whatever then to have nearby. If you have any paper napkins (IKEA ones are especially thick and strong) use them for mopping up etc better than kitchen roll and saves on towels. If you can afford to, put on your heating and take off some clothes - less to have to change and wash. Use buckets, washing up bowls whatever you have in the house, carrier bags sometimes have holes in them but freezer bags don’t and the large ones make good sick bags. If your kids are very young watch out for dehydration they can get very dehydrated quickly. My son when he was 2 ended up being taken to hospital because he was so dehydrated after only 4hrs being sick ( not the Novovirus time I mentioned above just a common tummy bug he picked up at nursery.

Change123today · 02/06/2022 23:23

You have my sympathy!! I remember when I had a 5 week old baby I was breastfeeding with both me & my 6 year old with the sick bug. Husband was 3rd day into a new job so couldn’t really stay home!

it was a tough 48 hours till the weekend! When he then got it I still felt rough with a lot of washing!! Everything got ignored we all just flumped on the sofa watching films!!

AncientAzalea · 03/06/2022 08:05

I brought them all into my bedroom. Ds was in bed with me. Dd2 set up a nest on the floor. I had water and buckets and the en suite. Was grim but we got through it. Hope you all feel better soon op

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