[proudmamanow]

Dd is now on her 5th illness since January. They've all been minor colds, some of which have evolved into ear infections. Each one throws us for a loop and we also end up sick too. I know this is common, I know her immune system is developing, and this is all normal, and I keep giving her various supplements and encourage frequent handwashing. But I'm just so sick of her being sick…and the recurring cough, snottiness and ear infections that never seem to go away. Please tell me we're not the only ones. She is in daycare 1 day/week, and the rest of the time home with dw who looks after a friend's daughter 3 days/week. They do go to lots of playgroups which ups the exposure. We`re not the only ones getting sick like this, right?? It will end some day, right??

ETA: We are still nursing! But she seems to get sick as much as bottle-fed kids we know...

(Mods, I`ve posted about this in Health & Healing already, but I'm more looking for feedback from parents of Toddlers, so I'd really like it left here if possible.)

 

[laohaire]

I can't respond about toddlers being sick often this year (mine stays at home and honestly hasn't been sick) but I will say that my coworkers have been abnormally sick this year. Adults being sick 2, 3 times since the new year. Like, having to stay home sick. Workers who are not prone to taking sick days to play hooky.

I think the change in weather pattern is unfortunately a factor.

 

[spughy]

My girl's not even in daycare and this winter she's been sick probably more than half the time. No ear infections, thank goodness, but snotties, snotties, and more snotties. I am thoroughly sick of it. I've also noticed that the grownups around me are having a rough winter of it too.

 

[Mama2Bug]

I'm with you. My dd was been that kid who is NEVER sick- until late December. Now we've had two throwing up illnesses, Fifth Disease, two bouts of neverending snot and one lingering cough.

:

She isn't in daycare, eats healthily and is still nursing occasionally. I don't know what's going on, but I hope it's over soon.

 

[punkrockmommy]

My DD has been having a constant runny stuffy nose a cough since late December. And my Dp and i have been sick as well. My DD is in daycare full time though so i can go to school and work. But they have been fairly minor no earaches or doctor visits. She is just now finally getting over it.

 

[ewe+lamb]

No it's not just you

, your wee one is exposed to probably more than most and would have been much worse had you not been nursing - keep the nursing up and you'll pass on far more protection that you could ever imagine. When my dd first went into playgroup without me (last year) she picked up everything imaginable and of course wanted to share with everyone

, last year for us was just awful so I really know what you're all going through, it's draining, wearing and tiring, it'll pass and you're doing a fantastic job.

 

[proudmamanow]

Thanks for the reassurances and encouragement everyone, I really appreciate it! Dw & I have been sick a lot too...2-3 times since January which is VERY strange for us. But it really helps to know it`s a common thing. I think b/c she still breastfeeds a LOT and we do our best to keep her healthy I thought she'd be okay...sigh. This too shall pass!! (right?)

 

[operamommy]

Oh mama, I know how you feel! I'm so sick of everyone in our family being sick! Since early Feb. we've had mastitis (me), flu (me/dh/ds2), strep throat (me/ds1/dd/ds2), flu again (me/ds1) and strep again (dh). Ugh!!! Let's all keep hanging in there and waiting for Spring.

:

 

[My Three Boys]

This has been a nasty year for us too. My older boys (who are NEVER sick) have been really, really sick this winter. One even spent time in the hospital. We're waiting for the blood test results right now for my oldest who we think has mono.

My baby only got one of the illnesses though. But, we don't do daycare and anything that she's exposed to, so am I, so I think the breastmilk is protecting her very well.

 

[RomanGoddess]

First of all, turn the heat OFF in your daughter's room at night (or in your room if you are cosleeping). Yes, I know you are from Canada and it is cold there, maybe even now. Before you call me crazy, I am from Saskatchewan and I know what cold is. But you need to turn the heat off at night and cover her up well. Heat (especially electric heat) dries the air. Dry air causes ear and sinus infections.

Secondly, get yourself a cold air humidifier and keep it turned on in your daughter's room all night.

These 2 steps should prevent any future ear infections.

 

[mrslevine]

Ohhh it's not just you! My healthy babe (not in daycare) has been snotty all winter!

My best friend's son has been sick, too. I feel terrible for these kiddos.

I agree that this ever-fluctuating weather is a factor. For example, Saturday we went to the park wearing fleeces -- it was 60!! Sunday, SNOW! Can you imagine?!? Yet, global warming isn't a problem....

I hope everyone feels better soon!!

-Jaymie

 

[Cujobunny]

DS has had more colds since January than he's had his whole life, plus one NASTY virus that caused very high fevers and awful mouth sores (herpangina). Then DH got it. I thought maybe it was because I nightweaned him and I'm pregnant so he is definitely nursing less.

It's definitely not just you guys.

 

[vxclayborn]

I'm in the same boat.

DD isn't in Daycare but her nanny brings her daughter occasionally- I think they keep infecting each other. I asked my ped because it seemed like every other week she was catching something. He said that its a normal stage but if it continues for over a year then he would want to run labs and check some stuff out. Any mommas w/ older toddlers? Is this "phase" thing true?

Every thing DD daughter comes down with my DH catches and I have been healthy all winter

I'm the one with her almost all day and nursing! Crazy huh?

 

[proudmamanow]

thanks again for the reassurance mamas...I'm glad to know I'm not the only one! (Misery loves company, yk?). I hope we all feel better soon!
cmlp-you're right it is freezing here, but I think you may be on to something. It is very dry in our bedroom at night, and we have forced air heating. We do often run a hot vaporizer to try and counteract it, but maybe turning off the vent to the room would do the trick...I personally am finding it very dry at night and it's exacerbating my cough, so I can only imagine what it's doing to her wee eustachian tubes. On that note, we're off to the chiro next Monday so hopefully that helps.

Here's to a warm, sunny, healthy April ! Only 25 more days!

 

[skg_7]

I hear you! We're in Montreal, and DS (almost 2 now) has been sick several times since November. He goes to playgroups once or twice a week and that seems to be enough. The December illness was extremely bad, with tonsilitis and an ear infection at once.

We've recently been keeping his heat turned way down (set to come only at 15 degrees celsius) and we have a humidifer we use for the first few hours of every night. It really helps.

Another major tip I have is something called the Baby Noseblow. It's a European contraption that really lets you get the mucous out of babies' and toddlers' noses. It's a little gross conceptually, but it works 10 times better than the little suction bulbs everyone has.

I can't find a link to the one we have, but here's a great article on the whole idea, which is very much normal in Europe: http://www.thingamababy.com/baby/200..._nosefrid.html

It's basically a little nozzle that fits just inside the nostril, then a small canister with a flexible hose a few inches long that leads to a mouthpiece that goes (yep) in your mouth. You use your own inward breath to pull the snot into the cannister. Of course, you have to put an alcohol-soaked cotton ball into the canister to prevent germ passage to yourself, but it really, really works. There's nothing like it for those bad monents when the little one really can't nurse or eat or sleep because they're too snotty. We use it constantly when DS is sick, and sometimes he even asks for it.

Good luck, everyone.... Here's to spring and summer!

 

[proudmamanow]

Hi Sarah!
Thanks for that tip...it does sound much better than the suction bulbs which dd HATES and don't really work very well. We do keep heat down to 15 C, but even still it is so dry in our room....we'll see.
(Nice to see another Cdn. 2 mom family too

)

 

[tbone]

We've been sick this entire winter as well. Dh, myself and DS1 usually never get sick and we've all had at least 6 colds this winter, including flu, walking pneumonia, sinus infections, and on another note conjuctivitis. I cannot wait for some warm weather and the end of cold and flu season!

 

[RomanGoddess]

Quote:

We do often run a hot vaporizer to try and counteract it, but maybe turning off the vent to the room would do the trick...

You need to run it EVERY night ALL night, whether or not your DC is sick at the time.

 

[skg_7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmlp You need to run it EVERY night ALL night, whether or not your DC is sick at the time.

The thing about this is that you can really start getting some mold and mildew problems... at least we did. And that won't help anyone's overall health.

 

[gret the great]

My dd2 has been sick all winter. Still nursing. Sibs go to school & DH & I are teachers. She's had multiple colds, chicken pox ( I asked for that one!), vomiting bug... I think we're healthy today though