Advice if anyone can answer this?

[BlueMoon1103]

I’ll try to be as brief as possible. I’m a single mum to 1 year old and am wondering what the bloody hell I’ll do it if I get coronavirus?! Who will look after my son if I’m ill? I wouldn’t want to give it to him so would try to keep the 2m distance between us at home but was wondering if anyone else had experienced this? Also if we ended up in self isolation not only would be mental health become an absolute disaster (can’t abide staying in the house, have to get out at least once a day or I get very anxious/depressed and my son gets bored and moans which makes it worse!) but how on earth would I get food for us? Online shopping seems to have gone to shit, no one can get delivery slots and half the products aren’t available.

Just want some advice really as I’m freaking out badly now.

Heya, first of all are you breastfeeding? If so, it's recommended to keep on doing so as helps baby. If not don't worry. It affects children less anyway. Do you have any friends or family nearby?

Is his dad around? Any friends/family/neighbours?

Also there are delivery slots, just keep looking. It's still ok to go out, so maybe get a few things each day (under the limits) but go each day and then you will be gently stockpiling but also giving supermarkets time to replenish. Even if there is full on lockdown, food shops and pharmacies will still be open so you can always get some.

Also - a single mum to a 1 year old, I salute you! You got this.

No I’m not still breastfeeding and no Dad isn’t around at all. I don’t have symptoms right now but I’m being my usual self and panicking in case I get any! Also my son is asthmatic so that’s worrying me.

Thank you, I salute you too

I'd start trying to make contact with any neighbours now, post on local facebook about community groups or churches - try to have some kind of back up in place so if you can't leave the house you have someone to call on to drop food or medicine off.

I absolutely would not want my neighbours (strangers) in my home or taking care of my son, which is what my main concern is. I have no idea how anyone can afford or practically manage to self isolate? I’m tying myself in knots over it. That’s not even considering my mental health if I couldn’t have contact with anyone or leave the house. I actually think it would finish me off.

They won't come into your home, but you might need someone to leave food or medicine on your doorstep.

Go to the supermarket tomorrow and do a big shop, get lots of freezer food that just needs shoving in the oven enough for 2-3 weeks. Chances are you would only have it mildly and be able to look after your son. If you needed to go to hospital social services would need to be involved.

If you were too ill to look after him you would need to get a relative or friend to take care of him. If no-one can do that then you would need to ring social services and a foster carer would take care of him until you had recovered. My mum and dad were foster carers when I was a child and frequently cared for children whose parents had to have surgery or were in hospital etc.

I have a weekly budget and can’t afford a big shop

Can you get a loan or use a credit card? I would prioritise having enough food to keep you both going!

I’d rather not in case I have to stay off work and keep him off nursery, I’d still have to pay fees whilst not getting paid properly and don’t want to put myself into major debt as I’d never be able to pay it back.

Better debt than starve

get lots of freezer food
I often see this sort of advice. Do most people actually have freezers? I don’t have one. I have a small compartment at the top of the fridge, that’s it. No room for anything else.

The chances are that nothing at all will happen to you. A few weeks ago you weren't worrying about this, were you? You weren't thinking, "What if I get flu" were you?

As a single mum (I was one, too) you just have to manage. There's no other option. Try to make sure you have paracetemol in for you, milk and Calpol for your baby and some things that the baby can have if they have a sore throat (so yoghurts, that sort of thing.)

Do you have any local friends or family?

No I wasn’t but this seems to have all gone mad! It’s more about being stuck in the house and how I will manage if we run out of something, how will I cope with being stuck in the same 4 walls all day for a week or more. I do have friends and family but none that could be at my beck and call and none that could provide childcare.

It will be difficult, I know. I think if you can get into the habit of buying for the week ahead it will help, so at least you don't have that worry. I can't see it turning into a police state where we're not allowed even to go to the park, though obviously you'd have to avoid the swings etc. Try not to worry - we'll all get through it!

I've started with a cough since yesterday evening, not feeling unwell atm but will be self isolating for 7 days. My husband is off today and has done food prep etc and the majority of interaction with our 1 year old but there's no way I can keep him a 2m distance, I personally don't feel it's worth the upset. I'm 35w pregnant and very aware of giving him anything to be insecure about at the moment, with the impending arrival of a new sibling.

My husband is going to do the nursery drop offs this week but I take care of him myself two days a week so won't be able to avoid making his meals, washing him etc, I'm just going to be very vigilant with hand washing before I do any of these things. My mum could come over and take him for these days but she's diabetic so don't want her having to see me.

You'll just cope. You'll not be too ill and you'll get through. You will.