Expected sickness on starting nursery, but this...?

[cocoachannel]

Week two and DD(9 mths) has conjunctivitis, tonsillitis and has had D&V for most of this week, so has not been going in.

I now have the tonsillitis and D&V so feeling very sorry for DD and myself

Certainly not the biggest consideration with a sick baby, but it's a new job I've started so all a bit embarrassing.

Does anyone else have experience of this much sickness so soon after starting nursery?

Yes, my dd has had a virus every other week to be honest! It's a real pain.

yep seems normal, if it helps ds1 was like this but now at 3 is never ill. do you give her multi vitamins? might help a bit.

My DD started nursery at 9 mo and I don't think I managed a full week at work for months because she was always ill.

It gets better.

DD got most of hers done with during settling in, I think! It did get better fast. I've only been called to take her home twice (once for fever, once for chicken pox) and she's been off sick three or four more times, usually only for a day. She started at 9 months and is now 3 years. Hang in there: next week will be better.

Yes, it was constant illness for both of us for about two months, ds was 8 months and had barely been ill before that. Very normal.

Thank you all for your comments!

We had a good working week, and she seemed much better, but has developed D&V again today

Do they just catch it from other babies or is there a hygiene problem?
Is someone not washing hands after nappy-changing?

I could understand it with toddlers when they're toilet training but at 9MO babies have a lot done for them.

Do you make up your own formula or do nursery do it?

Just a bit concerned because DD starts nursery next month.

My DD was the same. She had a whole load of problems in the first term, requiring I think 3 trips to A&E, a stay in hospital, minor surgery and a 6 week course of anti-bs! Oh and she still has a scar from an accident on her second day!

Sounds atrocious, but every incident was minor in itself and not the nursery's fault in any way. I hope things aren't quite as bad for you, OP.

Yes, normal unfortunately - DD did nursery aged 8 months and she didn't put on any weight at all that month because of all the bugs.

If I had my time again I wouldn't do nursery at that age - like most people I underestimated how bad it would be.

Totally normal for babies to be sick lots on starting nursery. After that though they build up their immunity and are hardly ill (generally)

I will add I dont think it makes it difference if you start them at 8 months, 18 monsth of 3. New starters always are off loads for sickness

My wee one started nursery at 10 mo and the illnesses have been constant. My eldest, when she started nursery, had constant colds, viruses etc, they have both had a visit to short stay. Docs have told me it will be one thing after the other until DD2 turns 2, then her immune system will be well developed.

To be fair, this has happened to DD1. She is 4 now and 'touch wood' she hasn't been ill or had a cold for a looong time. Hope this helps.

I wouldn't take illness as a sign of poor hygiene, especially once DCs are mobile. You can wash hands a hundred times a day, but once they're crawling, putting toys in their mouths and passing those toys to each other, germs will find a way in.
Toddler groups are a good way to get DCs exposed to local germs before they start nursery (and you start work!).
We nursery staff really don't enjoy sending DCs home week after week, but sometimes it's the only way to halt outbreaks of D&V, and in any case, it's heartbreaking comforting ill DCs who just want a cuddle on the sofa with mum or dad.

Well I can be a bit lax about cleaning so hopefully DD has built up sufficient immunity!

Actually I now recall my mom telling me I got every illness going in first two years because I went to nursery. Never been ill other than colds since then so fingers crossed...

You have my sympathy. DD started nursery in November. Since then shes spent a week in hospital for bronchiolitis. Today she has a temperature and I will have to skip work if she's still needing carpol this evening. Everyone tells me this is normal and will get better. Girls at work told me that's where all their annual leave went after mat leave

I don't get annual leave (teacher) and I wish someone had told me how bad it would be when they first start nursery. I'd expected her to pick up a few bugs, but she was literally ill for 4 months solid, had lots of bouts of conjunctivitis, vomiting, fevers, hand foot and mouth, chicken pox, oh and headlice (lovely).

Had I known, I'd have bit the financial bullet and started her while I was still on mat leave as making hasty arrangements for her to be looked after by my lovely auntie and other random family members who all live 20 miles away from my work and still getting into work for 8.30am was all rather grim.

Thankfully, we've had not so much as a snotty nose since April

Within the 1st two months of starting nursery at 7 months, DS had conjunctivitis (twice), something that required ABs (can't remember what now), various DV and bronchiolitis where he was off for 2 weeks and in hospital for one of those. It was a bloody nightmare. But then he developed the mother of all immune systems and I cannot remember the last time he has been ill.

It's totally normal but a total pita

yes although no d&v until ds1 started school as the hygiene was very good (or we were very lucky). Lots and lots of colds to chest infections to bronchiolitis. And of course conjunctivitis (snot in eyes). This is why I've sworn that when I go back to work after the dts (currently 4 1/2 months) there is no way we can do group childcare without any other form of back up.