Constantly ill from nursery. Advice please.

[lifeisazebracrossing]

I've been up with 10mo DD since 3am - standard two hour awake 'insomnia' period she gets at night whenever she is ill. Which is all the time since she's been going to nursery! I expected some illness but she gets colds/coughs back to back, making her miserable day and night and sleep-deprived with the awake periods.

Is this par for the course? Or do you think/have you had experience of it being better with a childminder? Fewer kids = fewer germs?

Out of four days I work (back today!!), three are covered by grandparents (I'm very grateful!) and we chose to put her in nursery one day to socialise. My mum would cover the other day but we're talking years until school starts and it'd be hard-going plus DD needs to socialise,

Has anyone had a similar experience? Any advice would be appreciated.

Sorry about the rogue comma!

It does get better, but yes, constant illness. It's bloody annoying! My DS was ill for what felt like the first 6 months he was in nursery.

It's normal and it will get better. DS1 started nursery at 20 months and had pretty much back to back viral infections combined on and off with teething for around 4 months. He barely ate, slept terribly and it was cranky all the time.
I was at the end of my tether, then it just stopped.

He's 5 now and started reception in September last year. He's never ill and hasn't missed a single day. I think his immune system must be pretty good from his nursery experience. Hang in there, it will get better.

DD2 started nursery 3 days a week in January, and up until Easter she was off at least one day a week pretty much every other week! It's been a little better this last month (only 1 day off last week) so I'm hoping we're past the worst of it.

I don't remember it being this relentless with DD1, though she started nursery in the summer so maybe that made a difference. As a pp said, she is never ill now she's at school, so I'm hoping DD2 will go the same way!

I think it's normal as they gradually build up more immunity. I think it stopped after about 9 months for my 18 month year old. Hang in there, I suspect it will improve.

I was ready to give up work mine had so many, but she barely had a day off throughout primary school.

Yes par for the course I'm afraid! Everyone used to tell me that once they start nursery you'll never be at work. DD's only been at nursery since Jan and had various colds, coughs, stomach bugs and Scarlet Fever so far..

Honestly it does improve after the first year or so, and mine rarely had time off by the time they started school. I remember those days well though

My son started 2 days at week at 9 months and was constantly ill. He's now nearly 28 months and doesn't get ill anywhere near as much.

It does improve but it's godawful at first. We use up most of our annual leave covering nursery bugs.

Thanks for the replies and support. I shall ride it out then. People in work said the same today. It's good to know that it will improve in time!

Yes, I'm afraid it's the norm. DS went to nursery last June and was pretty much ill with back to back things (coughs, colds, ear infection, tonsillitis, d&v, hand foot and mouth, etc etc etc) up til Christmas. Since then though, he's been absolutely fine so I think that things do improve.

It's really tough though, I had just gone back to work and had to take time off repeatedly to cover him being ill.

Yes afraid so. Mine were ill for a year. On the plus side they've never had a day off school. Think they caught every possible thing in that year at nursery.

Completely agree that 10 month olds don't need to socialise. Children start school full time very early (when they are under 5) in the UK. There is absolutely no difference in outcomes between those who have been to nursery and those who haven't.

It's tough when they are always ill, but I recommend persevering with nursery. You already rely on grandparents for 3 days a week and whilst they may be happy to take on a 4th, having her in nursery gives more flexibility. What if grandparents are ill or on holiday? Also if your DD is happy in nursery at 10 months (despite the illnesses!) it may be easier for you all in the long run. My DD1 didn't start nursery until she was over 1 and took ages to settle. I wish I had got her used to it sooner.

If you are worried that your DD is getting very run down from never recovering from one illness before the next one strikes, are you able to take a break from nursery for a few weeks to recharge her batteries? She might then be less susceptible to catch every illness going.

Having had two DDs in almost full time nursery (who amazingly were hardly ever ill) I did notice that certain children did seem to always be ill, while others weren't. No idea why!

Thanks enid. Yes, we gave her a break after the third (and worst) cold/virus in one month as it was clear she was struggling. I could use my mum for this now and then too. I do need nursery or a childminder for the reasons you said so I'll have to persevere. I breastfed for 9 months so expected better than this!

I work in a nursery and quite a lot of the bugs go round between October to April.. after April we don't really get any illness apart from when chickenpox goes around! So fingers crossed the warmer (ha) weather will kill the bugs for a while

My 7mo DS is in nursery full time (can't be helped unfortunately - maternity leave in this country is relatively short) and was never ill until he started. So far he's had two colds, one of which turned into a minor chest infection, and has just got over a virus that made him throw up enough for the nursery to send him home, but left him well enough for me to agonise over whether to miss work!

I did miss work, in the end, as did DH, partly out of concern for our bouncing, happy, puking baby, and partly because we both caught it too. And that's been the icing on the cake really - me and DH keep catching everything DS brings home!