Have posted a couple times on this subject over last six months and am now getting to the point where the constant illness (or what feels like) is really getting me down.
Have 2 dc (3.5 and 20 m).. both in nursery 3 days a week (not consecutive unfortunately). DD1 was in nursery from 6 months to 20 months and then from Jan this year. DD2 14 months when she started. Prior to them starting, both had very bad dose of chicken pox. The recovery coincided with the start of nursery. Ever since then it feels like we have been stricken with constant viruses and illnesses including multiple tummy bugs, colds, hand,foot and mouth, random temperatures etc.. Not exageration, one of us is ill almost every week and with comparison to friends etc, it's almost become a joke (if only I could see the funny side)
There are a number of factors behind this situation for me. Firstly I am not the world's most natural when dealing with illness (used to have big vomiting phobia which is now much better thanks to hypnotherapy).. I can cope but inside find it very stressful and my anxiety levels rocket and I find it hard to eat and sleep and relax. Secondly there is the guilt, I am a working mum and can't help but feel that if they weren't in nursery they would be healthier. They have a long day (we leave the house at 7.30 am and get back around 6.30pm) and I wonder if our immune systems just aren't getting the opportunity to recover. There is also the guilt to my team when i can't make it into the office because the dc are ill. And thirdly there is exhaustion and horrible sinking feeling that I get when I pick up the girls on a friday (it almost always seems to start on a friday) and one of them is ill, just at the point of the week when we are the most knackered.
So what to do? Firstly looking for tips, advice from anyone in same position, reassurance it will get better! As I type DD1 asleep on sofa with temp so am going out this afternoon to get us all some vitamins and immune supplements. DC moving to nursery closer to home in sept and hoping their week becomes less hectic (I work 4 days, they do 3 days in nursery, 1 day with in-laws which really seems to exhaust them)...
I know that illness is part of childhood but this seems excessive and right now I feel so anxious and worn out with it that I could cry..... I was really hoping that with the summer it would reduce but this doesn't seem to be the case. I should point out that we are generally a healthy family, rarely ill but since the girls I have had more doses of illness than I have ever had.