How do you cope with a baby when you're poorly?!

[Natale28]

I have tonsillitis which is causing fever, vomiting, no appetite, aches and pains etc and I have a 4 month old DS. DP was at home today so has looked after DS but tomorrow I'll be alone with DS and not sure how I'll cope. Any tips? Or will my body just miracously get on with it because there is no other option!

Early night tonight. Paracetamol for the temperature. Sorry yes you do just have to get on with it. It's crap but you'll get through. Are you on antibiotics? Lie on the floor and wave stuff at your baby. Introduce them to cbeebies!

Really feel for you as I've done this many a time with my three when they were babies. You need to do two things: help yourself get better by eating/drinking well and taking it easy. That's it. The baby will just need to be fed and have naps. Put tv on, open windows and just rest. I recommend garlic as it's a strong effective natural antibiotic, and lots of tea! Really hope you get better soon x

Cbeebies (Timmy Time got my DDs attention from a young age) iPlayer should have a few episodes to download.

Drowse whenever Ds naps and when DP gets home go for a nap. I could always hold it together if I knew a nap was coming.

I had a horrific flu like virus when dd2 was around that age. Dd1 also had it so she was off school (a mixed blessing - no school run but no break either!) and dh was away. Those 3 days were my worst days as a parent ever. I was so ill, dd1 was ill so miserable and dd2 was still bf every 3 hours day and night. I can just remember turning the TV on for dd1, lying dd2 on her playmat (luckily she was still immobile) and lying on the floor next to her. We survived on frozen pizza and toast and fruit purée pots for dd2. I can remember crying with exhaustion when dd2 woke for feeds during the night. When dh came home I went straight to bed!

Good luck, it's awful

Any friends nearby who can help? I had s&d bug when DS was 5 weeks old, had friends help look after him whilst I slept, luckily he'll both bf and ff, so they could do 2 bottle and then they woke me for a later feed.

Thanks everyone - I really hope DS isn't having a cranky day tomorrow! I'll definitely try cbeebies and hope that holds his attention for a while! Unfortunately my Mum is at work and can't get the day off and I have a few friends nearby but they all work. My sister-in-law is off work tomorrow but she is 30 weeks pregnant and has a 3 year old DD so I don't think it's fair to ask her for help!

I just really hope I don't pass it on to DS.

And yes beccajoh they gave me penicillin but I never do well with medication and was sick within a couple of hours of taking it!

I'll just have to ride it out on paracetamol!

Can DP not call in sick to work? Tell work why he is having a sick day but they should understand.

I recall one horrific day when I had to get a taxi home from work due to an awful vomiting bug. I walked into the house to find my DP and DS1 (aged 14m) there unexpectedly - both also ill with it. DP had managed to get to pick DS up from nursery then collapsed with it as he got in. DS had awful diarrhoea too and the smell made me even sicker! We all just ended up laying on the floor together in a daze.

Now I'm a single parent I dread getting ill when in sole charge of DS2, but I suppose DS1 is old enough to help out a bit now (8).

I've asked DP if he can take a day off but he's so busy he doesn't know if he can, he might be able to leave a couple of hours early to relieve me!

Fruitbatauntie - that's what I think I'll be doing tomorrow - led on the floor in a daze with DS on baby play mat!