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What’s your vomit protocol?

75 replies

flowagurl · 07/03/2023 18:10

DS (1) has just been properly sick again. The first time was a few months ago and … I didn’t handle it well.

How does everyone keep calm. Do you hug the sick covered child first then clear up? Is there an order/ any tips. What if you’re out and about?

I just feel so awful. I was knelt on the floor facing him and he started to wretch so I was pushed him onto the floor in an attempt to damage control. He was probably really sad and unwell and I just feel awful I panicked.

OP posts:
BobBobBobbing · 07/03/2023 20:16

*vanish

Puppers · 07/03/2023 20:19

This is a timely thread for me. I'm pretty sure we are about to commence our second sickness bug of the last 3 weeks. DD had a dodgy tummy before bed and to be fair she did look peaky. She's got a bowl with her and I've got everything crossed it's nothing.

Our usual protocol is that if I've managed to stay clean and dry, I offer soothing noises and back rubs whilst guiding the affected child to the bathroom to be stripped off, cleaned/showered, have a sip of water and wait while I grab clean PJ's and then give big cuddles if they want them. Sometimes they don't like being cuddled if they still feel sick. If I was unfortunate enough to be puked on, I just offer the cuddles straight away and then we both get cleaned up/showered together.

Puppers · 07/03/2023 20:21

And DH will clean up the puke and remake beds etc while I sort the child.

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Thomasthetankenginedrivemearoundthebend · 07/03/2023 20:29

We usually use a bowl just for this purpose. We scald and disinfect the bowl after use. If unable to get the bowl, to a toilet or sink, aim for a non carpeted floor if possible, or away from bedding, sofa, other people etc, again if possible. Clean them up with lukewarm water. Plus lots of reassurance and saying it's ok. We did once have a funny moment when my kid had a tooth out at the hospital. Was told she might feel a bit queasy. Half way to the exit, she said I'm going to be sick. Tried to get to the toilets, but it was too late. The only thing I had was my cupped hands. People moved away very rapidly, when they realised. Very weird feeling to be walking with hands full of warm sick lol.

Lovemusic33 · 07/03/2023 20:32

LargeQuarterPounderwithfries · 07/03/2023 19:14

Blimey this thread is bad for us emetephobes.

Annoyed with myself for reading it.

What a fucking twat!

Sorry your little one is unwell, Hope better soon op

Same 😬😬 why did I click on this thread?

WeWereInParis · 07/03/2023 21:00

My advice from my experience last week - don't think they're better and decide to take them for a walk in the pram. Prams are a bugger to get sick out of because it gets in all the stitching and the straps and the holes the straps go through 🤢

I'm emetophobic so normally DH does it all, but on this occasion I had to choose between dealing with sick covered 10 month old or sick covered pram. Since I thought that putting on rubber gloves and spraying bleach at arms lengths was probably better for the pram than the baby I chose the pram. DH caught the bug and I didn't so I chose correctly it seems.

Generally my protocol is to bleach everything like a mad woman while shrieking at DH not to touch anything.

CornishTiger · 07/03/2023 21:02

Shove them to the nearest hard floor or bathroom! That’s my protocol.

Do not let a vomiting child sleep in a high sleeper and move any toys from the vom path. Especially tubs of Lego without lids.

MaryKateDanaher · 07/03/2023 21:44

I panicked with DD - lifted her up out of bed to get her (a) off the bedding and (b) across the carpet. Practically did some kind of fireman's lift into my arms and of course, she vomited down my back.

And onto the carpet.

Turns out she'd already been sick in the bed.

I hope this makes you feel better.

flowagurl · 07/03/2023 22:45

Omg guys this thread has made me feel a lot better about things. Also there’s quite a few emetophobes so apologies but genuinely curious why you clicked

oh god, ok, so in summation either;

  • Hand cup - I didn’t even think of this as an option, it’s gross but genius and think I might use this one the most once I get used to it
  • Hold them close and be puked on
  • get to a toilet/ bowl/ bin if available

😆

OP posts:
Campervangirl · 07/03/2023 23:00

Pick child up by their ears, deposit in bathtub then retch uncontrollably at the smell of vomit 😁

Bunchamunchacarrots · 07/03/2023 23:15

Walk in showers are your ally. I remember when we all had Covid the first time and me and tiny DD spent lots of the night with her in my arms on the floor of the shower while she breastfed, then threw up, then screamed on repeat all through the night.

inappropriateraspberry · 07/03/2023 23:19

Keep calm and make reassuring sounds. Get them into the bathroom asap and clean up what you can/strip them off. Sit them in loo or floor with a bowl whilst you clean up the worst of it. Get them in clean clothes, put a wash on.
If it's nighttime then I just put a load of towels over the pillow and mattress and a blanket instead of duvet. Much easier to sort if they're sick again. Then cuddles, check all is ok and try to settle them back to sleep.
Once, in the middle of the night, I had to clean it out of waist length thick hair on a very upset little girl - that was fun.
My son tends to go quiet before he's sick so we get ready with a bowl beforehand!

inappropriateraspberry · 07/03/2023 23:20

And I still have a stain on a rug from projectile child vomit.

LadyJ2023 · 07/03/2023 23:20

3 babes and been there to..our 2 year old had a sick big last week, woke and vomited all over his bed. Just gently took his pjamas,talk soothingly wrapped him in a towel, ran a warm bath and popped him in and left dad to deal with the dripping bed and stinky bedding.

MeinKraft · 07/03/2023 23:27

I'm a fan of letting them just be sick all over me (when they're tiny) easier to clean myself than the carpet Blush

Thelnebriati · 07/03/2023 23:32

Ever since the epic projectile vomiting episode (I had to throw away the dustpan and the rug) I installed plastic wastepaper baskets in every room. They have a plastic bag lining them, and in the bottom is a roll of bags and a pack of tissues.

Thomasthetankenginedrivemearoundthebend · 08/03/2023 09:57

I used to be ok with sick. That was till the time, the kids had a stomach bug and gave me it. I couldn't get rid of it for a month. Felt better for half a day, then back to nausea etc. Now, under my calm exterior, I get panicky when they do throw up lol.

AtleastitsnotMonday · 08/03/2023 11:12

Thelnebriati · 07/03/2023 23:32

Ever since the epic projectile vomiting episode (I had to throw away the dustpan and the rug) I installed plastic wastepaper baskets in every room. They have a plastic bag lining them, and in the bottom is a roll of bags and a pack of tissues.

I do this. Trained them to just grab the bin if the can't make the bathroom!

My best tip is to keep a packet of extra strong mints in the nose. If you have one in your mouth the strength of it masks the smell somewhat, there for less likely to reach.

mrssanchez · 08/03/2023 12:04

My best tip is to use two sick bowls. That way you can empty and clean one without leaving the child to puke all over the bed/carpet/soft toys while you are gone for two minutes. Just keep swapping them, works a treat.

Ladyofthesea · 08/03/2023 15:28

I used to be sick a lot as a teen so vomit doesn't bother me at all. We have hard floors with carpets so I hold DD somewhere away from the carpets for practical reasons. I don't care if she vomits over me (most times) or herself (sometimes), I just cuddle her, whisper soothing things in her ear and stroke her back till she's done and then we clean up. I hope it makes her feel less bad about having been sick.

Ladyofthesea · 08/03/2023 15:31

Maybe carpets are rugs. The ones that you can roll up and don't cover the whole floor. English not first language)

BiddyPop · 08/03/2023 15:38

Yup, deal with actively vomiting first by grabbing bin and thrusting under chin, then dragging/carrying/propelling bin and DC to bathroom to use the toilet to vomit into.

Parent on DC duty then soothes DC and mops them up. Clean first, poss shower or bath if needed, then clean pjs/clothes and drink water. Then any further snuggles, pain relief etc needed before back to bed.

(OrYes we're often middle of night with 2 parents available).

Other parent deals with mess - whip sheets from bed before soaking in happens, then floor, other surfaces, then clean sheets. Then put dirty sheets in wash and get fresh water for child.

Parent on child duty could help clean up if bath was needed once child was old enough. Also if it was fast and not much cleaning of child needed, both of us would do room once child sorted to get back to bed, then both deal with aftermath outside Troon (clean bathroom, sheets in wash etc) once child back in bed.

When solo parenting, priority was get child to stop vomiting then settle/clean them, then clean up mess as soon as possible before it settled into anything soft (carpets, bedding, sofa) and only then - subject to child settling, doing harder surfaces cleaning, putting in wash, emptying bins etc.

Ihavekids · 08/03/2023 15:51

Lol vomit protocol!

  • desperately try to catch vomit in hands only to have it mostly drain between fingers
  • frantically call oh and wake everyone who wasn't already awake
  • carry vomiting child into bathroom spreading vomit through various rooms while panic screaming 'I need help I need help'
  • dump vomiting child in bath then rush around trying to prioritize clean up... arthritis! Bed? Carpet? Child?
  • palm child off onto shell shocked partner and strip bed, wet wipe carpet, chuck everything in washing machine muttering about fucking kids under breath
  • return to child, soothe, tummy rub, shower down, fluffy robe, cuddles, little sips of water, tiny smudge of toothpaste to take taste away, keep vomit mixing bowl very close
  • question life choices
  • nervously snooze fitfully next to child ready to spring into action at the slightest burp for the rest of the night.
BiddyPop · 08/03/2023 17:40

(I should have added that Dh and I are both eldest DCs so we're used to looking after younger DSiblings. And that DD had silent reflux, complete with projectile vomiting after almost every feed, and was prone to being car sick - so while not a "protocol" per se, we did have a well oiled machine to deal with it. And as he spent 4 years working abroad 2 weeks away, 2 weeks working at home office in city centre, I was also well used to responding solo as Dd grew older (she was 4-8.5 in that time frame).

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/03/2023 18:16

Oh God, another emetophobe here. Why do we torture ourselves reading these threads? ☹️

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