Baby regression after hospital stay

[Jengib]

Hi everyone I really need some advice, my 7 month old ds recently had bronchiolitis and was admitted to hospital for over a week where he was on oxygen and a feeding tube. We have been home for over a week now but he has completely changed! I should mention he is still on home oxygen. He is super clingy he screams if you put him down even for a second, he screams when I lie him down to change his nappy, he has stopped sleeping altogether unless he is lying on me or dh and he wont let anyone touch his face.

I know it is early days and with him still being on the oxygen at home it will take longer for him to be back to himself but I am at my wits end I havent slept more than a few hours in over 2 weeks now. Can somebody please tell me if this is normal behaviour after an illness and that it does get better.

Yes, it's completely normal. You aren't even in the 'after illness' period yet unfortunately if he is still on oxygen. But when mine was little, things were always tough for about 2-4 weeks after illness. When she had bronchiolitis badly, it was definitely at least a month. Beyond that, those are all perfectly normal and healthy signs of separation anxiety that all developmentally on track babies go through between about 7-12 months. So it could be a pinch of that as well. The best thing to do is go with it, lots of cuddles, lots of contact, take turns holding him or staying with him so one of you can get a nap or an early night, etc. and he'll pop out the other side a completely changed baby eventually. We had a combination of separation anxiety and illness around 9/10 months, one day at 11 months, it was like a light switch flipping and she was happy, chill, confident, starting sleeping amazingly, etc.

Sorry to hear you are having a tough time, it's a very unsettling experience for a baby or child to be in such a strange environment for any period of time.
My DD was also in hospital with bronchiolitis, she was older at around 15m but a few days before she had started to take a few steps, then after being in hospital she stopped and it took a few weeks for her to try again.

Hope he continues to get better and comes off the oxygen soon, I'm sure then things will start to get back to normal.

It's very normal after illness in babies and young children. Hope he continues to improve and is back to being fighting fit as soon as possible. This must have been so worrying for you all