Bronchiolitis - mums, how did you cope?!

[EmsChels94]

Hey,

My son (3 months) has been suffering the last few days. Started with irritability, fussing and red eyes on Saturday with congestion and then on Monday he started rapidly breathing. Took him to the GP - chest clear, oxygen fine. Sent home.

Tuesday at 4am, I noticed he was working a bit harder to breathe with some chest recessions. Took to A&E - oxygen sats between 98-99% but with a crackle in chest so monitored for 4 hours in the children’s ward and diagnosed with bronchiolitis. Sent home and told to monitor him and come back if he gets any worse.

Tuesday night started to struggle to feed. Nose so congested that he can only manage a few ounces before getting upset (think he can’t breathe whilst bottle is in his mouth) and then the crying episodes are making his breathing more rapid. Wednesday morning the chest recessions seemed a bit more deeper, so I called 111 for advice and they sent an ambulance. Pretty much the same story as Tuesday - oxygen levels stable at 98/99%, heart rate normal, sent home. Told that it was probably day 4 for him now and he should gradually start to get better over 48 hours.

my question is, how do you manage this at home? My post natal anxiety was already awful and now it is though the roof. Sat in bed next to DH (who has to get up at 3:30am for work) with my hand on my sons chest counting his breathing rate every 5 mins. Jumping at every sound he makes. Nudging him if I feel that his breathing rate sounds a little bit too rapid for my liking. Got a calpol plug in on, humidifier running and tilted the cot so not sure what else I can do.

Does anyone have any advice for how I can cope through the next few days (mainly the nights?) Or can someone just tell me to pull up my big girl socks and stop being so calm neurotic?

Emily
(First Time Mum - if you couldn’t tell already!!)

I put olbas oil on the radiators and actually put them in (I don’t normally) I also use asdas little angels vapour bath which seems to help breathing and I couldn’t sleep

It's so scary isn't it? My DD had it at a similar age and ended up with a 5 day hospital stay as she desatted to 85% every time she tried to feed. They used humidified air and o2 to support her. If your little one will tolerate it, try the nasal saline drops to clear the mucus before a feed, it makes a world of difference. And just know that you're doing great.

Second the saline drops, they’re really effective for clearing the nose.

@HighlandPony thank you so much, funnily enough another mum mentioned that in a&e today but I worried then about him being too hot! I will try tonight, in a lower tog sleeping bag. Trip to Asda too, use their bedtime bath and it’s great, didn’t know they did a vapour one.

@Imnotaslimjim so scary! I hope your LO is better now? Just the look of the oxygen in the children’s ward was enough to send me into a panic. Thanks to you and @Pollywoddles re: saline drops, we do use the sterimar ones but he HATES the nose frida and I don’t like seeing him upset so I think i give in far too easily before I’ve actually cleared him!

ive only managed an hour and 25 mins sleep tonight, as DH woke up for work and baby woke up for a feed. He’s guzzled 4oz though from his normal of 5 so feeling a tad bit better! :)

Dd is absolutely fine, 14 years old and not so little. A few days in hospital and she was right back to her normal self. Hope your lo recovers soon.

You’ve had some good advice on how to look after your your DC.

Now, some thoughts on how to look after yourself.

1. Timeline. It’s tempting in the depths of sleep deprivation to think “this is my life now…” It isn’t. This is a rough night, but future nights will be better. You WILL sleep again.

2. Stats. Anything with a newborn sparks intense feelings of fear and vulnerability. With anything breathing related, magnify x100. But the devastating outcomes you are imagining are vanishingly rare. You’ve experienced great responsiveness from medical teams. No matter how scared you feel, your DC is going to be ok.

3. Breaks. Ask for help - parent, friend, cleaner, even random neighbour. If you asked me to watch a baby for 2 hours while you slept because you’re at the end of your tether, I would be willing - HAPPY - to do so. You don’t have to ask for much, but you have to ask for something. If you can’t line anything up for today, that’s ok. Even knowing two days out that you’ll get some relief (even if your DC is better by then!) does a world of good for your mental health

4. Get outside. You don’t have to do anything. You can sit on your front steps in your dressing gown if you must (although I always preferred getting dressed and going for a walk). Listen to a podcast or some music while the baby is in the pram, and your mood and energy will definitely be lifted

5. go easy on the caffeine (learned that the hard way!)

These are a rough few days, but you’ve got this.