HELP! baby's first stomach bug (7mo)

[BuckminsterFullerene]

I need your help, advice and tips for managing this.

(I haven't had a stomach bug myself for 20+ years!)

DS has puked spectacularly today. We've been doin BLW so I'll stop offering him solids for now. He's half BF & half FF now. He hasn't taken a bottle since this morning before he was sick.

I'm pretty sure his stomach is now empty.

So, what should I do? Offer him the breast (not a lot there now, but there'll be some), formula, or just water?

At what point should I call a doctor?

And practically: any tips for someone with no tumble dryer and an existing laundry backlog?

In fact, all tips welcome.

(he's now sitting in my lap playing with the as yet unused 'standby' bowl. No temp and not appearing too unwell apart from being a bit more cuddly)

Try to keep him hydrated little and often , water on a spoon etc. When starting back on food start with simple things like toast , plain rice and pasta etc .
Call doc if he really can't keep anything down at all , has a continued high temperature, starts to get drowsy ( at non nap times), he doesn't do wet nappies or the wet nappies really smell ( wee ) as this is a sign of dehydration.

Thanks Rosa

He's just 'asked' for a BF so we'll see if this stays down.

breast milk will be the best thing for him, so let him feed whenever he wants and if you feel he is at risk of dehydration, then 10-15ml of water every 15mins, as its such a small amount he shouldnt throw it back up but it will help keep him hydrated :) hope he gest better soon xx

Thanks!

BM didn't stay down. :-(

I've given him a bit of water.

Hi Buck - we had this last weekend with DD - same age. Poor you.
The vomiting was quite shortlived - over in less than 24 hours. Gradually started to keep milk down a bit longer each feed.
Tried to do little and often - and also offered cooled boiled milk from a bottle regularly.
Also skipped solids until is was all over - milky sick much more bearable than real food!
Bought Dioralyte in case of dehydration but was also advised not necessary if plenty of breast milk being offered.
Kept a close eye out for dehydration - nappies were dry for a a while - but then recovery started.

Not sure you want to hear this - but laundry mountain was a nightmare - as I kept catching 'rivers' of sick in clean towels (PFB?).. and then DH and I both got struck down with the bug...Hope you will escape that!

Now we have moved on to a chesty cough / cold thing! :(

HTH

Thanks Live, I really hope we don't get it.

Rivers here have been caught by clothes & playmat so far, although the last one went in a bowl with a muslin. I think tonight might get a bit chaotic though.

More sick. Green mucus, then the BM he took. So the previous lot stayed in.

Back to sips of water now though.

He's still pretty happy and lively in himself, which is good. But I wish this thing would go away.

Thanks, for the advice and for being here at this time of day.

So far he hasn't developed a high temp. Haven't given him calpol yet.

He's BFing now. I expect I'll be wearing it in a mo.

Hope you might be coming out the other side now - just wanted to add I couldnt believe how content DD was throughout it - especially based on how dreadful I felt when it hit me!
Appreciate it isnt likely to be identical bug - but no temperature and calpol not needed.

Hi, yes, it seems to be over

He's been chirpy and happy throughout too!

I am refusing to succumb to it. I don't 'do' ...

... Another massive sick when will this end?

DD had her first gastrobug at 10 months and it lasted a week.

With bfing, even if they bring it back up, some will stay down as it's easily digested.

Sadly, if he's happy, hydrated, no new symptoms etc, it's usually a case of waiting it out. They bounce back as quickly as they went downhill. It's just miserable while it's happening.

Oh shame - we had one last massive vom in the night when we thought it was over - so maybe this is the final one for you - sure hope so.

Good plan re refusing.. I have never been so ill since DD started nursery. I know everyone says it normal but I just dont 'do' ill so found it really depressing!

Ah, you have my sympathy. DD1 had a couple of nasty stomach bugs when she was little, and it's just horrible. I don't know what's worse, seeing them so unhappy or dealing with the mountain of washing.

Sounds like you're doing everything right, as everyone says just keep him hydrated, lots of cuddles and hope it wears off soon!

Dioralyte good if seeming dehydrated.

Also, apparently children can develop a temporary lactose intolerance when tummy bug, doc told me, so avoid dairy when possible.

Poor thing ... my son used to do absolutely epic pukes when he had a bad stomach. Used to find avoiding milky stuff and giving boiled water, dry toast and porridge made with water helped.

He's refusing water now, but happy to BF. Hope the lactose isn't a problem. Seems counter intuitive.

Yes, seems weird! My dc was ff, so doc said dilute bit more, obviously can't do that with bf baby. But doc said to avoid cheese, etc (can't remember exactly how old dc was, all merged into one!)

he is a smart boy the breast milk is the best thing for him, just let him feed on demand :)

BM is best for him, for comfort too. Dairy can be an irritant when their guts are struggling, but as long as you aren't in fact a cow, it shouldn't be a problem.

me again - yes even local pharmacist told my DH that BF was best when my husband went in for Dioralyte :)

Poor you and DS hope it doesnt last a week - I have only just caught up with the laundry from 24 hours worth.

Thanks for the support. I'm just feeding him now, about to put him down for the night.

It's been a horrible 30odd hours, more the anticipation and worry. The perpetual vigilance is so exhausting. Even when he's asleep I need to be listening out.

The plan is to leave him with DH tomorrow while I go into work. We've got 2 last bags of frozen breast milk which DH will probably have to spoon into him. If it doesn't work I'll come home to BF him (although work aren't that supportive of BFing, and I suspect my legal support has expired now he's past 6mo)