We had been lucky. Three kiddos in, and we had avoided the one thing as a parent I dreaded the most, a toddler sick with the stomach flu. With a whole lot of luck, blessings from above, or perhaps some random fluke, none of our children were struck with the stomach bug until they were old enough to make either the trash can or the potty.
Then our luck ran out.
I should have known with three kiddos all in school that the chances of my youngest, who was officially entering toddlerhood, coming down with a school-aged illness was highly likely. Looking back now, I fully believe that I was living in denial that the stomach flu would ever be one of them.
Yet it was. It hit her hard, fast and with no warning sign. It started in the car and didn’t stop. Each time I thought there was no way she could have anything left, she again got sick. To her credit, she handled it like a champ. She would get sick and then be happy after, but it left quite the mess for her dad and me to clean up.
Having never been in this place before with my babes, I reached out to my fellow mamas for some guidance. I felt lost and overwhelmed about how to keep up with everything needing to be done and be the loving, snuggly mom to her that I needed to be. They gave me some awesome tips, and I felt that it was my duty to pass some of them along!
- When it comes to clothing, less is more! Once we got home, she was in nothing except a diaper. We could put her in for a quick rinse in the shower and she would be good to go. She loves bath/shower time, so this was a win as it kept her happy and occupied, allowing one of us to clean up the other mess.
- Do your best to keep them in a non-carpeted area if possible. We weren’t as fortunate in this category. The bug hit when we were living with friends while our new home was being built, but we did our best to get her off the carpet or at the very least, keep towels down where she was so the carpet wasn’t affected.
- Put extra covering on their beds so if they get sick, you can just pull one layer off and throw it in the wash, then get them back to bed as quickly as possible.
- Fluids, fluids and, well, more fluids. For your little one to get better, the bug has to get out of their system. While you may want your little to stop getting sick (who wouldn’t?), it helps get the virus out of their gut. It can also lead to dehydration. I won’t promise that it won’t immediately come back up, but toddlers and dehydration equal a very scary thing. Push those fluids the best you can. Pedi-light, water, popsicles, applesauce, etc.
- Avoid the BRAT diet. Growing up it was always BRAT diet this, BRAT diet this. It’s been my go-to. My doc advised binding and stopping the process could keep it in her longer. We stuck to fluids and started small with foods. Chicken broth, applesauce, jello (not red; it can mimic blood!).
- Clean with bleach and use gloves no matter what – or you could infect yourself and NO ONE has time for mama to be sick! Along that line, WASH, WASH, WASH YOUR HANDS!!!
- Oils – as in essential oils. I have never been fully on the oily bandwagon. However, I was desperate to make my baby feel better. We got some tummy-taming oils from a friend, and it seemed to decrease her discomfort. Since my LO is only 19 months, I couldn’t really ask her, but I’ll choose to believe it helped… It certainly didn’t hurt!
- Don’t immediately medicate a fever. I choose to let it ride and keep a close eye before medicating. I didn’t want to hurt her little belly more by putting medications in when it was already unsettled. A fever is a body’s way of fighting off a virus. This is NORMAL. Obviously, we don’t want our babes to be uncomfortable, but at the same time, I want their little bodies to be able to fight off whatever is thrown their way!
- Wine for mom. You will deserve a glass (or two) when all is said and done.
No one wants their toddler/child to get sick, but with tips and tricks, even the stomach bug can be manageable, and the extra snuggles can be enjoyed while they last!
What tricks of the trade have you learned along the way to survive your kiddos being sick?
