Can any mums help me out on how to prepare for this?

[Haop]

Lone parent. Baby 13 months and will be in nursery Tuesday to Thursday. No family support in a practical sense. I’ve been told basically either me and/or DD will be ill for months.

What can I do to prepare? I’ve thought about always having second set of bedding ready and clean, lemsip, paracetamol stocked up etc.

Would you get DD the flu spray or whatever it is as a vaccine? I’ve had a flu jab.

I am worried I will lose my job and as ex is paying the grand total of 84 pounds a month I don’t know what we’d do if I’m not employed. We’d definitely lose our home.

Practical tips I've picked up:

Get a couple of waterproof (non noisy) bedsheets. Make up childs bed with however many layers of sets you can. So i have matress, waterproof, fitted sheet, waterproof, fitted sheet. That way if a night time wee or puke occours i can ninja strip the bed and have a ready made bed to go underneath. I also have a spare duvet with a cover on it in case top ones gets soiled.

Get a puke vessel. I chose a kitchen tupperware, large, with a lid and handle. If you're sick too you can seal the lid until you can make it to the bathroom to clean up.

Stock up on vitamins and any meds you might need..calpol, baby ibuprofen, thermometer, chicken pox cooling foam. Whatever it is, get it in and then it's there when you need it.

Nesquick. My kid won't take medicine direct from the syringe or spoon. I make a very small milkshake (not too much as if they don't finish it you wont know how much medicine they took down). I add the meds to this and just tell them its a yummy milkshake for your throat.

Wipes and Dettol areosol spray. If you're unwell too at least you can spray loo, flush, handles in between boats of d and v till you can get to it properly

Ice lollies and watermelon are good for kids who refuse to drink much if they're ill

Finally, just keep telling yourself you'll get through, because you will.

Colds etc yes but often not illnesses that wld keep her from nursery. Both of my children went to nursery from 10/11 months old.

The first year is hard and sometimes it might end up she has a few illnesses over a short period. It's just ur luck though.

My first dd had impetigo and had to stay off with it for a few days. Other than that I think she had a temperature and had to come home and that was pretty much it. We did have a fair few colds and coughs but she was able to go in with it. I wld give her calpol before and in her bag and tell them to give her it at the right intervals. Makes u feel rotten that ur sending them in when they don't feel that great but not much u can do.

She also had chicken pox at age 2 but that was caught from a cousin not nursery and I was on maternity leave with dd. Wasn't fun though having 10wk old baby and a 2yr old who both had chicken pox. That was hell!

Second dd had impetigo twice within 3 months which was hugely frustrating. I don't think she got anything else that had kept her away though.

You will be absolutely fine! A lot of women end up doing it all themselves even when they have partners at home to help.

I'd get her the chicken pox vaccine if taking a week off work would be a serious issue.

Get the Vicks plug in and a nasal spray. Get in the habit of washing hands when you get in the house.

Yes to spare bedding, a sick bowl with supplies for a D&V cleanup stashed upstairs.

But there's no point in worrying too much.

Oh, and buy an in the ear thermometer. So much easier and more accurate than the under the armpit variety.

That is a really good suggestion. I wish we'd dove it for ours. DC1 was ok but DC2 was really not very well and has a few scars.

It's part luck but also part (a) the attitude of your nursery about having kids in who are slightly snotty and (b) your own inclination as to what to do when the kids are slightly tired / grotty.

Even now, every week, we get parents on the extra curricular group saying X won't be at Beavers or Cubs or whatever because they're tired / have a cold / are under the weather.

Our kids went in unless absolutely necessary. We both work full time.

If your nursery sends home for the slightest "he/she doesn't seem themselves" or "they have a temperature" (whilst teething) you'll be at home a lot. Find a nursery with a decent policy 😂

For you -
Vit D
Vit C
Zinc
Echinacea
And if feeling grotty- Vicks first defence

For baby a well rounded diet, sleep, exercise, a multi vitamin and meds as needed.

I think this is just something that people say, it doesn't always happen and some children are more prone to illness than others in any case.

I think posters have given some really good tips. Even if your DC does catch something, as they are going Tue to Thursday it might be that they become ill after, and then fine by Tuesday again.
All the best.

You can prepare by socialising your DC right now! The reason some children catch every bug going is because they haven't been around other DC before they start nursery.

Mine got occasional illnesses but nothing major.

I've had 2 children in nursery, one still is and neither of them get in more than once or twice per year.

We did lots of baby groups which helped their immune systems early on.

The nurseries my children attend have always been very clean and good with hand hygiene which I'm sure helped a lot.

Get her vaccinated against chickenpox, you can do the first jab 4 weeks after the one year vaccinations so now's the time.

Defo get the chicken pox vaccine.
Other than that I would think about how to manage work. Are they flexible. Could you pick up tasks in the evening etc?

I think you're really wise to prepare.
Another yes to a sick bucket or bowl, the extra bedding and towels in stock
A thermometer.

Surprise presents stashed away for when they're fine and you're ill and need something to entertain them while you veg on sofa. I think that's the hardest time tbh. Vitamins etc to avoid this.

When you're both ill they're much quieter too - strangely easier.

Big vote for the plug in vaporisers - they make a massive difference when you are bunged up with snot, especially trying to sleep.

My daughter is 3, she's been going to nursery since she was 9 months. She's been off ill 3 times (conjunctivitis, covid and scarlet fever) Yes she's picked up colds and been snotty too but just your tun of the mill winter bugs. I don't do anything special- she has a good diet, has a multivitamin and any vaccines offered e.g flu. She has always been exposed to different environments and people which helps build their immune system. I've only been off to look after her- I've never caught anything from here. I recommend getting a humidifier which really helps them breathe at night when bunged up.

Oh I I think I've only caught what they've had once or twice. The only one I really remember was when out of a Class of 33 only 6 made it into school and lots of the parents were wiped out with the virus too. Had to have some time off with that one as I was hallucinating and work is weird enough with that going on

Agree with others Ds was poorly sometimes but not much.

I'd say always have calpol & ibuprofen in for DD and always have a well stocked freezer & food cupboard - you can't just nip out if you need something so bear that in mind but it's true for any time

Plus with work try & stay ahead so it's not a total disaster if your have to take a day off x

The flu injection is licensed from 6 months and available privately.

We were below par for at least 4 months straight Jan -Easter when dc started nursery. In hindsight I’d would have gone out more before to mix with more babies and build immunity up a bit and have instances of illness. It’s a good and necessary thing but irritating too. Stock the freezer up with batch cook/ready made meals for when you can’t be bothered. Agree re tips for d&v to get tidied up asap. Conjunctivitis always confused me- nursery refused DCs due to it but GP said it was basically eye snot and to get on with it and even wrote a letter for nursery to say their rule to exclude kids with conjunctivitis and to get antibiotics was bonkers and wrong- nursery still made us stay away for 3 days. Be prepared to have some home days when you feel DC is well enough to be in nursery. Bags with changes of clothes are handy and go to mop up kits you’ve put together for emergencies- it’ll be fine - after a few months DC will be robust and if it’s any conciliation won’t be as poorly as some when they first start school

My son was ill almost every other week in his first year at nursery, and we have to take him off nursery 4-5 times. This meant WFH, AL or unpaid time off for us.
My main advice would be to check your nursery policy regarding sickness. Ours follow the NHS guidance to the letter, meaning that the threshold is actually quite high and they will take him even if he is sick (as long as he is well enough to attend of course).
Other childcare provider are very strict and would send the kids home me for any rash, loose poo or mild fever.

Watch out for nits from nursery too- it surprised me - for some reason I assumed small ones were immune and that delight wouldn’t need thinking about until school age!

It might not be as bad as you think. I think a lot of people who had a really hideous time with illness when their kids started nursery either had Covid babies or children who, for whatever reason, spent very little time with other kids before starting.

We had a really awful time with my oldest but he started in August 2020 having not really seen another child since March. Also, at that time, nurseries were sending children home at the drop of a hat.

When my youngest started it was a completely different story - I think he’s missed perhaps 3 or 4 days of nursery in a year.

The 'just you wait' brigade have struck again ! I feel for you op. I'm delaying nursery start until March for this reason (luckily my savings and changing my mortgage to interest only allow me to do this)

You're entitled to sick days at work without being fired and can use carers leave or annual leave if dc is ill.

You might also want to have a back up plan for any absolutely essential high stakes days at work eg a babysitter you know or a friend who is stay at home parents JUST in case your dc is ill that day (I'm assuming the father won't be on call a couple of days a year)

Good advice I will do this

Op are you also taking baby to lots of baby groups and stay and play etc so that nursery isn't their first exposure to the common cold that's going around etc