Sickness bug - am I doomed? Emetaphobic here!

[Hannah2025]

On Friday night/Saturday morning my 11m old son ended up vomiting around 3am. The vomiting was more like wretching and like bringing up mucus at the start, which then turned into bloody vomit so we took him to A&E. They administered anti sickness and after that he was okay for a few hours. That night he was sick more and we ended up in A&E again because he was so dehydrated and not able to keep anything down/no wet nappies. Sunday was a little better, just one sick before bed. Today’s been a lot better - no vomiting and tolerated solids/water.

My husband has now felt funny all day, chills, body aches, no appetite and a little nausea. He’s gone to bed, I assume he’s going to get hit by a truck with this stomach bug tonight.

I have always suffered greatly with emetaphobia. I really thought I was going to get this yesterday/today as I was so exposed to it with my son over the weekend. I kind of prepared myself for it and accepted defeat. As today drew to a close I really felt like we were coming out the other side, but now my husband is sick it’s sent me into a complete spiral and the anxiety has flooded me.

I have emetaphobia and I feel like a rubbish mum right now with how worked up I get over stuff like this. It really affects me badly and was the part of parenting I was dreading the most as I KNEW I would struggle. I feel like I’ve coped really well so far, fighting my fears and comforting my son, lots of cuddles despite all the sick. But now my husband has it I just know I’m doomed. I feel so broken right now from all the stress over the last few days and the thought of coming down with this myself is really making me feel so panicked.

Has anyone got any positive stories or any words of encouragement/advice? I feel so silly coming on here and venting this but I’m really at a loose end right now.

You’re not necessarily doomed!! My daughter had an awful sickness bug a few weeks ago, she was sick constantly for basically an entire 24 hours and was on me for pretty much every minute of that time as she needed the comfort, I had fully accepted I was going to catch it, couldn’t see how I could possibly avoid it when I’d been the one covered in sick, cleaning the sick, cuddling her close for the whole duration. My husband had been at work that day and didn’t sleep in our bed (I had my daughter in with me) and the following day as she improved he then had caught it and spent the next 24 hours being constantly sick. I never caught it, no idea how! So it’s not a sure thing you will catch it x

No weve had sick bugs here four or five times past few years, everyone in the house caught it except me..even though i was covered in it and cleaning it..

Only one time when everyone was sick i suspect i caught it, but only sick once went to sleep then carried on cleaning everyone elses sheets 😂

I'm emetaphobic. My oldest is 11 years old and neither of my children has had many stomach bugs and through reasonably good hygiene measures and having more than one bathroom we have never passed them onto each other. I have had a couple of bugs and food poisoning in that time and I got through it and nobody else caught it. You are not necessarily doomed and if the worst happens you will get through. Adults have more robust immune systems so we don't get everything our kids get and we are all different and what make one person sick might give another just a tummy ache and diarrhoea.