Why does my baby keep getting bloody sick at nursery?

[driciyfifiyf]

Please help. I'm in despair.

My 11 month old started nursery full time nearly 2 months ago when I went back to work full time.

She got a cold straight away. Fine, I thought, she's just started, these things happen. Cold turns into an awful cold plus conjunctivitis. My DH has to take 2 days off to look after her.

She goes back. Another cold. So bad that she we are up all night... cough cough, coughing so much that she's sick. Very lethargic and chesty. DH takes another day off.

DH is a teacher, so recently had half term and was off for 2 weeks. Baby is better and back to nursery she goes after this.

She's there for a grand total of four days before (you guessed it!) another cold. Now she has a temperature and is bringing back all food and milk. She's at least having water. All she's going today is sleeping (my Dad took a day off today to look after her, thank God)

I've now had to take tomorrow off. I'm in a new job and still under probation.

We have taken her to the Drs twice. They've said that it's 'just one of those things' and to 'wait it out'.

What's going on here? Why is she picking up everything under the sun? She's a porker, so at least she isn't wasting away. I'm so worried.

Completely normal when a dc starts nursery. They're exposed to all the bugs going for the first time. Bless her.

Yep, it’ll happen again when she starts primary and then when she starts secondary. All normal, don’t worry!

Standard, unfortunately. Nurseries are germ soup. It will keep happening until she has met most of the bugs and has built up some immunity. Could you consider a childminder instead? Smaller germ pool.

It's normal. Her immune system is meeting everything for the first time. Mine passed everything on to me too - I was so sleep deprived from her not sleeping that my own immune system was shot to shit!

She has gone from being home with you to FT nursery. She is probably exhausted. Have you thought about a childminder - going forward obviously. They have less children and it's more like being at home. Mine never caught bugs from the childminders.
We're both teachers & have never had to take a day off due to child illness. Sorry I don't mean that to sound unhelpful - but they have not had many illnesses. I think if they had been to a nursery then they would have got ill more often. I did go PT though so they were never in FT childcare. They were there most days but not full days.
Did you keep sending her in when DH was off work from school? I would also recommend not sending them unless you have to - they get less worn out.

Exactly what happens when babies start nursery, all the new viruses and bacteria they get exposed to. Ds1 had two hospital stays with bronchiolitus, croup, chest infection and thrush all within the first 4 months of starting, he spent more time at home then nursery before we moved him to a childminder (for a different reason). Hope your lo feels better soon.

Very much standard unfortunately. Calpol is your friend. It will get better, until you have another one of course.

I remember this when DD started nursery. I only worked 3 days a week and I remember it was a real struggle to get through all 3 days each week without having to take leave to look after her as she wasn't well enough to go for whatever reason. Very stressful!

Unfortunately very normal.

The payoff is that once she's had every bug going in nursery, she's likely to be very healthy when she starts school and every other child is catching every bug going.

She's spending her days in a petri dish surrounded by other little darlings with no concept of hygiene. Of course she's getting sick. I do feel for you all though, it's bloody awful when they're ill.

Yeah, sorry - completely normal. My DD started nursery at 13 months, I was also in a new job so on probation. Had to take 2 days off with her 5 weeks into the new role as DH had already taken 4 days off with her over the previous 4 weeks

DD is now 4 and I had to go through this again only months into a new job as she caught everything going and DH had taken loads of time off already.

We don't have any family/help nearby. It's good that you have a term time working DH and your Dad to help when need be.

I don't know why you're surprised really. The same happens in September when all the kids start school and freshers flu at uni.

I know it doesn’t help but she will probably end up with a rick solid immune system by the time she goes to school.

IME my DD is/was basically sick on and off for six months of the year, October to April.she got everything going when she joined nursery (Sept 2016) and a new wave of everything since Oct 2018.

I feel for you, it’s relentless

My ds got everything in the first 3-4 months at nursery then was pretty robust from then onwards. Just grit your teeth, call in all favours and you’ll get through it.

Aw your poor daughter.
It’s all normal. Really feel for the babies in this situation as it is such a huge shame for them to be ill constantly and not really understand why - my own son went through this at the same age. He is 18months now and (touch wood) hasn’t been unwell for ages. I hope she feels better soon.

I'm notrying sure that is that helpful converse, I think you've been very lucky to have never had to take a day off for an ill child.

My DD was at a childminder at first - still got everything going.

totally normal unfortunately.
the next few months and the first winter will be hard work.

have calpol and nurofen at home for when it's needed and build a good relationship with a babysitter/nanny agency for those days when nothing else goes.

vaccines up to date, good nutrition, sleep and plenty of exercise outdoors every day is all you can do.

it will get better!

My DD was at a childminder at first - still got everything going.

Yep, mine too! At least she'll have a strong immune system when she's older!

and if you don't yet give a vit d3 supplement - go and get some for dc.

Normal. Which is actually good news for you in a way, as your op implied you thought it was something worse. When my dc started nursery, I put them in a month before I went back to allow for this, and did some jobs around the house.

I think you are just a very very unusual case @converseandjeans

Normal, sorry OP. Mine started after Christmas and we're only just now, this week, all well for the first time. It sucks though!

My little boy caught hand foot and mouth during his settling in week! Nurseries are just brightly coloured germ pits unfortunately.

You have about a year of constant colds/illnesses. From what I have seen it’s pretty normal in nursery’s as kids all pass germs around. My DD was a similar age and had the same thing, my friends kids went at 3 and they found that being older didn’t stop the 1st year of colds.

Dd has ‘nursery cough’ again. It’s a pain but you can’t really stop it

I literally could have written your post myself OP. My little girl has been in nursery two days a week since January and we have had every blinking bug and cold going it seems, one week the bug she brought home was so bad that me and my husband had to have a week each off work sick too! I am beginning to regret my decision of nursery if the truth be told! No advice just to say your not on your own and it's hideous xx