Whole family is sick and I have a 2 month old

[dreamerkr]

My whole family (including me and DH) are down with a fever and a cold, and I have a 2 month old. Usually, everyone helps me to look after him and now everyone is sick. I don’t know what to do. I’m scared that DS will catch the fever from us, as one by one everyone is getting it, I don’t know how to protect him from it. He has a blocked nose and is sneezing too, but he doesn’t have a fever yet. I know he will end up catching it too but how can I look after him? What should I do? I was breastfeeding him and I’m so warm that he felt really hot too and I got scared. Shall I already give him Calpol for the blocked nose and sneezing? Shall I contact the GP although DS doesn’t have a temperature (it was 37.5 when I checked half an hour ago)? And what makes it worse is that he just will not sleep in his Moses basket or cot. He wants to sleep in our arms or next to us. Please help 🥺

Could try putting him in a sling or carrier if you have one and wander round/rock until he drops off. Whoever is least ill could do it. It's so horrible when you are all properly ill - I vividly remember having flu when my first dd was tiny. Had no-one to help me and lay in bed shivering, breastfeeding on demand and both of us crying. We survived! I'm sure you will too - just need to make it through. Sleep in shifts and try and take care of each other xxx

Are you feeling any better @dreamerkr?

So sorry to hear you're so ill. If you can continue breastfeeding then do - when I had covid and a newborn I was terrified but they say the antibodies should help protect them.
Maybe give 111 a call as well if the baby shows signs of illness?
Try not to worry.

You sound as though you are panicking this is all part of being a mum. We can't give the baby back when we are ill we have to cope. Dose yourself up with paracetamol and keep a close eye on baby's temp. Give calpol if needed. Calm down

The fever is what makes them feel poorly and restless. Strip him off to his nappy and vest. Let him cool down don't wrap him up. Give calpol and then just a thin cover once asleep

Thanks guys. His temperature is a bit lower now, he doesn’t have a fever but the only problem now is he won’t sleep. He fell asleep for 5 mins and woke up again. Apart from this he’s feeling a bit better than before but we’ve literally tried everything to get him to sleep and he wakes back up straight away

He’s crying so much today even when he doesn’t have a temperature. I’m thinking maybe he has pain somewhere but I don’t know where

Are you still giving him Paracetamol?

He's crying because he's tired.
Just put him in his cot and leave him for five minutes.
He'll almost certainly go to sleep.

"Your child has a fever if he or she: Has a rectal, ear or temporal artery temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher. Has an oral temperature of 100 F (37.8 C) or higher. Has an armpit temperature of 99 F (37.2 C) or higher."

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/thermometer/art-20047410

Your child is a NB. Please ignore advice telling you to calm down, undress baby to cool off, put baby to sleep etc. I'm glad you had a visit with doctor. Keep baby hydrated and monitor temp closely. Go to hospital if temp spikes.

Thank you so much guys. Me and baby are completely fine now thank god. But DH has now tested positive for covid so I’m pretty sure that’s what we all have/had. I’m stressing badly for my baby now. He’s not even vaccinated, I mean he hasn’t even had his 8 week vaccine yet!

hope you are all feeling better! Interesting the posts on calpol. I give it to my bub in cases where he doesn’t necessarily have a temperature - if I think he feels unwell I give it. There’s been times when I’m quite sure he’s had a sore throat for example and sniffly. He feels crappy and I can tell from his behaviour - I don’t see why you wouldn’t give it in that context for example even with no temp. I’d have a lemsip under similar circumstance and don’t see any benefit in him suffering through unaided xox

@dreamerkr Make sure you check with your doctor about the vaccinations if it’s likely the baby had/has Covid. My little one got it at 4 months and the nurse practitioner told me that guidance at the time was to delay the vaccinations for a month after.

Same @sjxoxo

That's a good thing. If you all had have come down with this virus/COVID in short proximity after vaccinations, likelihood is your LO would be quite a bit poorlier trying to deal with an exaggerated immune response to the vaccines as well as a separate illness.

Oh! Thank you, I’ll definitely let my doctor know. I didn’t know about that.