my baby is sick =(

[welldone]

Aren't breastfed babies supposed to stay well? : Asher caught his first cold. Started noticing symptoms on Thursday evening. I've done everything right--no crowds, ridiculously frequent handwashing...still, he got sick. He's so congested, not sleeping well (day or night--I'm a zombie!), and very mad that he can't breathe properly. Can't blame him, poor guy.

My second born, Asher's big sister, got RSV at three weeks old and was hospitalized for half a week. We nearly lost her. I'm having flashbacks. Asher's cold will likely keep getting worse before it gets better.

Gotta tell myself that he won't necessarily get horribly ill like his big sis did, right? And trust my instincts? Because I didn't believe myself last time, and we ended up with the worst drive to the hospital EVER, with our newborn baby nearly dying on the way. None of our doctors believed me, either, until after it was all over.

Just venting. Hope all of your babies are well! Gotta find time to write that birth story...

[wwisdomskr]

I'm so sorry to hear that Asher is sick. That's really hard. Can the two of you just stay in bed, skin to skin for a few days?

Yes, things are different this time and you won't allow anyone to stand in your way if your baby needs helps.

I'm sending lots of healing energy to your sweet baby. Take gentle care of yourself, Mama.

[isosmom]

I'm so sorrry to hear that Asher is feeling ill. Trust your instincts. It's crazy that even with babe #3 sometimes we can still feel this way. Take care and do what you need to do.

[mittendrin]

I am sorry, mama. My older kids and me have been sick too, and I wonder constantly when Niklas is gonna get it. Ds2 had a cold when he was 10 days old but it wasn't RSV season. Now it is...my kids' hands are rashy and dry from washing their hands but I insist on staying clean!

I hope your baby is going to feel better soon. I'd be freaked if I was you, too, given your experiences.

One thing I know for sure: This Thxgiving baby is going to stay in the sling and no one will touch him. It's not worth the risk.

[Curlita]

So sorry babe is sick... listen to you instincts, but try not to have a past attack, KWIM? It must be very scary to be reminded of the experience w/your daughter.

[marisa]

I'm so sorry, I understand your worry.

All three of my children have gotten sick right after birth, and we have a sick household right now too while I'm waiting to give birth any day now. It's so hard when they can't breathe and you can't do anything about it!! We just let them sit in a bouncy seat in the bathroom with a hot shower going, a tiny touch of vicks on the chest, some suctioning, etc.

Hope he gets well soon!

[chrysalis]

poor little guy!!! i think megh got a stuffy nose thing soon after birth... i remember it really bothering me and saddening my heart. i think i gave in and gave her infant tylenol/sudafed but i can't remember. that is one thing i DO give into when my dd gets stuffy or feverish...it always seems to help her. the stuffiness stuff she gets if ever seems to be the only thing that sticks around long...if she ever gets a fever or sore throat, etc. it is short lived...i attribute that to BFing her & EBFing her...she is the healthiest kid i know. i hope sheamas is the same...but ya never know. i need to remain open as he is a different person so i am not too surprised or overwhelmed if he nurses differently or gets sick more or whatever... hopefully not.

i hope asher has some relief real soon...and your heart too. i just hate when my megh feels sick or when she was a baby and she had her first 'fussing'...oh man that made me bawl my eyes out in desperation!!! have you taken him in the shower w/ you yet? (be careful, they get slippery in there!!!) megh used to love that w/ my ex (her bio father who has been out of the picture since she was 9 mos. old...) J, or at least sit in there on the toilet or stand while the hot steam fills the room... i'd also suggest maybe some baby vicks vapo rub and a vicks hot vaporizer w/ some eucalyptus oil in it...hang in there. i'm still not feeling so great myself and megh has a very stuffy nose as well. 'tis the season. yucky ick. grrrr.

[renaissanceed]

Poor little guy. Hoping for a speedy recovery for little Asher and some time without colds in the family. We've been lucky here and I have to admit that we are very lax about handwashing and taking baby out (as in, I take baby out a lot - like every day) so threads like this make me think maybe I should be more careful.

[*Lindsey*]

Poor Asher and poor mama! I hope he gets better soon and doesn't get RSV. My DS had RSV (thankfully no hosptialization) and it was awful!

[GinaRae]

Holy trauma! That's scary for you and no one can blame you for being angry that Asher is sick. I am full of anxiety that Lachlan will get sick too. I hope he gets relief soon!

[monocyte]

It's not fair. I'm paranoid about sick babies as well (see my post about my day...) Hopefully he will have a speedy recovery and you wont have a repeat of what happened to your other. Scary. I can't even imagine...

[yarngoddess]

My little one's had cold's pretty early also. Very upsetting and depressing. I heard once that LO's have a hard time adjusting to our sad enviornment, and thus is why they get conjested. Try a pot of water on low boil with a few drops of eucalyptis oil in it- your whole house will smell but it usually helps LO get his nose cleared up. Get a air filter for your house, and suck out DS's nose- I have a trick to doing that so that DC doesn't scream! Wrap baby up in burrito/swaddle whatever makes you comfortable, go into the bathroom and turn on the faucet. Allow baby to listen to the water, hold in the football hold under your arm and put baby's head near the faucet (sink of course) and then start the nose suctioning- and baby will love the water and probably won't cry! Works on all my babes! I hope it works for you.

Also don't forget to take care of that baby's mamma! You are very important, and when baby is sick it's easy to forget to remember you.

[welldone]

Originally Posted by renaissanceed

We've been lucky here and I have to admit that we are very lax about handwashing and taking baby out (as in, I take baby out a lot - like every day) so threads like this make me think maybe I should be more careful.

Perhaps, but we're proof that no matter what you do, sometimes *sick* just happens. RSV, especially, is nearly impossible not to get--I think 90% of all kids have it at least once before age two?

Thanks for all your thoughts, suggestions, and well wishes. I'm sorta glad no one else has chimed in to say that their baby is sick, too. (As much as misery loves company, I hate it when babies are suffering.)

Asher seems a bit more content and able to breathe during the day. (Still won't sleep, but I'm not expecting miracles here.) But the nights--gah, the nights!--they're awful. I've tried sleeping with him on my chest, sitting up, but even that doesn't help.

[Undercover Hippie]

Just a thought, mama... baby may not necessarily be sick, I've read that congestion (very similar to a cold) can be normal in the first few weeks, it is actually them getting more amniotic fluid out of the deeper parts of their lungs. So definitely listen to your instincts if you think it is getting serious... but until then it may just be what is normal for his little body to do. Still worrisome but better than thinking he is going to get sick. Hugs!

[Isaac'sMa]

how stressful. I'm sorry you're going through this, esp with the flashbacks about your dd. Isaac is sick now with (yet another cold--dang preschool!) and baby is stuffy. I am wondering when/if it will get worse? I hope not...and I hope your LO feels better soon.

You could probably up your B and C vits, zinc etc since babe will get it in your milk

[ChiaraRose]

I hope Asher will feel better soon. Lilly got really sick on her third day, stopped eating and just screamed. We went in because I knew something was wrong and she got diagnsed with ulcers in her throat and a nasty cold (she got it from ds).It was bad, she almost had toget an IV because of dehydration But I was able to feed her with a syringe and after a week her throat was better and she started gaining weight. The congestion lingered much longer,but she is almost sall better now at 3.5 weeks. It was scary. Trust your mother instincts!!!
BTW she is back on the breast full time and that was really difficult. So much struggling.
And just one other thing. NEVER give your newborn tylenol or any other pain reliever. They will mask a fever and that can be really dangerous, a fever in a newborn starts at 100.4. I had asked about that because Lilly was in sso much pain with her throat and losing weight. but that was a big no-no. just wanted to let you know

[Valerieg]

So sorry to hear that your LO is sick...that's no fun.

DD got a lot of colds in her first year due to my in-laws and it was terrible. Babies with colds just aren't fun!

I've actually had friends try to tell me that I should FF because my DD was sick and their FF babies were not. Hmmm...let me see...that's ridiculous! It does help and will likely help to keep the symptoms at bay at least a little. I know DD's colds were shorter than most.

GL! And take care of yourself too.