Feel awful being around baby with a chesty cold

[Milly899]

I’ve had the worst cold I’ve had in years, awful coughing fits to the point of vomiting, sore throat, runny nose and sneezing. Been to doctors and they’ve given me antibiotics.
DH works stupid hours so he’s never here while baby is awake, so it’s all on me. No family to help and friends work in the week. I’m really struggling as all I want to do is sleep.
baby has had a cold before but I feel so incredibly guilty coughing near her all the time. I wash my hands constantly, and try to shield her as much as I can but it’s hard as she’s a Velcro baby and wants to be on me all the time. I think she’s even got used to my cough the last week as it doesn’t stir her when she sleeps anymore!!
what else can I do?
being ill with a baby is something else my god :(

Washing your hands won't help much with an airborne virus, which most coughs are. Best thing you can do is get yourself a FFP2 mask aka N95 mask like a 3M Aura and wear it indoors, ventilate your house as much as possible too, have two windows in each room open a bit to get cross air flow.

I did this (mask and ventilation) when I had covid and no one else in my family caught it. The mask needs to be tightly fitted which is why surgical masks are useless.

Hopefully your child hasn't caught it off you yet and even if yes, wearing an FFP2 now will reduce the overall viral load she's exposed to, which is better than nothing.

PS have you tested yourself for COVID? Swab cheeks and throat and nose, not just nose, many variants no longer show up till day 3-5 of symptoms though.

Being sick with a baby is super tough. I remember having norovirus when my two were 2 and 5 months. We all got it. Vomit everywhere.

How old is baby and how are you feeding?

If breastfeeding you're doing baby a huge favour as they will likely catch this cold too but you're also giving them your immune response.

Other than that, take off all expectations. Tell your DH that he's in charge of everything else and you and baby are just going to sleep and watch TV.

Urgh it's brutal OP. Sounds like your DH needs to take some time off work as you're not up to minding the baby solo.

I have tested for Covid.. maybe I should.
I’m formula feeding.
DH won’t take time off and isn’t very helpful tbh when he’s home as he’s exhausted from work 😫I’m basically alone

*I meant haven’t tested not have

Exhausted from work? How fucking dare he.

When he's home (assuming he's home today as it's Sunday.

Leave baby with him and go to bed. He'll manage and you can rest