PANIC! I'm getting a cold!

Ok, DH and I have worked sooo hard at not getting sick, that I knew once I returned to work I would catch 'something'...I work in a hospital. I have the sore throat, and drippy nose...here it comes!

We have been so diligant about washing our hands, not bringing kids around our boys, no visitors if sick etc...we have basically lived in a bubble for the last 3mths.

and now it will be MOMMY who makes them sick? sooo not fair! :angry:

Any advice?
They sleep in our living room, we have a vaporizer, but we have a wood stove, so it's pretty dry in there. (our house is under construction so their nursery isn't done yet).

I'm terrified of RSV etc...

What do we do if they get sick? How will we make them comfortable, this feels like one of my worst nightmares. Our pedi has scared the heck our of us, about not letting them get sick...what do we do??

We are bottle feeding. I should add, they eat fairly well but have reflux and have good weights...CJ is 14.9lbs and Ryan is 12.13lbs

Thanks everyone!
reb

 

I got sick when the girls were 9 weeks old (after 1 week of being back to work thank you very much). I washed my hands A LOT! My best friend was in town so she and DH took care of some of the night feedings so I could sleep. I didn't kiss the girls (that was hard). But in the end they got sick too. We used saline and a nasal bulb to keep their noses clear, a humidifier to keep the air moist, and let them sleep upright in their carseats. :hug: I hope you feel better soon and your lil ones don't get it too.

 

I got sick when mine were 4 weeks old and then I got a stomach virus. My pedi said I could still breastfeed with both.I just made sure I didnt kiss them and I constantly washed my hands. Neither one of them got it. Can your DH handle them for the first day or two or help? My suggestion would be to get someone to help handle them or wash your hands as much as possible and dont kiss them.

The biggest scare is if they get sick the first 2 months with a fever....its an ordeal. However if they are past that and had their shots you just have to treat the symptoms they are having. At that age about all you can give them is Tylenol for fever.

Good Luck!

 

Just keep washing your hands. They have probably already been exposed to whatever you have. They may or may not get it. I got sick a few times during their first year and they never got it. Hang in there. :hug:

 

I too work in a hospital and I change my scrubs at work, wash before I leave and as soon as I get home. I try to avoid MERSA and Flu people but right now thats not possible. I also have hand sanitizers stashed everywhere. I even snuck home a few face masks :blush:

If they get sick saline their noses and suck the snot outta there. Tylenol or baby motrin for a temp. Keep watch on the temp. Your Ped might have certain guidelines for when to call for a fever so I would call him/her if you think the kids are sick.

:hug:

 

The boys have gotten sick and given it to me...but as I recall, in almost 2 years, I've never passed something to them unless it was at the same time as they were already sick, if that makes sense. Bella got a cold from the boys when she was 7 weeks old, although I had a raging cold when I gave birth to her. It was not fun. However, that was before the magical age of 2 months old. Apparently, at that age, a cold with fever is not as worrisome.

Anyway...try to be good about handwashing, not kissing, etc, but I've found that nothing really works.

Saline drops (one or two down each nostril) and then suction after about 30 seconds helps to loosen and get the mucous out. If they run a fever (and I'd call the ped...if by adjusted age then 100.4 but by actual age since they are over 3 months, I believe it's over 101 that counts as a fever), you can use tylenol. No Motrin until after 6 months of age. Tylenol would be by weight too so you may want to check how much they can have.

We also use a cool mist humidifer, elevate the crib to help with drainage, and make sure you try to push formula or breastmilk, especially if they aren't eating well from the congestion...just keep offering. I know you said you bottlefeed but not sure if you do formula or bm...if bm, then you being sick is not a terrible thing as you can pass some immunities along.

Hopefully they won't get it...wishing you luck.

 

I just recently had strep throat and I wore a mask around the babies..and a lot of hand washing. Good luck!

 

I also just got a cold with a very hoarse voice and I'm praying that the babies don't get sick and if they do it won't be too bad.

 

Like PP, I would just be super-vigilant about hand-washing, and just hope that they don't get it! I hope you feel better.

 

Mine got sick from me at about 2 months despite lots of hand washing, miminal touching, etc. I think they were exposed to it before I even really knew I was sick. If they do get it, it certainly isn't fun but you can make it through - promise. Elevate their heads, use saline drops and the bulb syringe, a humidifier, and sit in the bathroom steamy for 10 minutes. That's about all you can do, but on the bright side -- you want them to develop immunities! Just be vigilant about watching for signs of RSV - breathing issues, not eating, their coloring - we ended up getting a breathing machine for ours when they stopped eating well and lost weight and it worked wonders!

 

I got a cold when my two were 4 months old. Both babies were fine. I just washed my hands regularly and tried to keep kissing them to a minimum (hard to do!).

 

I just got over a cold. Thank gosh, my boys did not get sick. I washed my hands constantly (you work in a hospital, you know all about that), I made sure that their big sister stayed away from them. I did kiss them occasionally (I couldn't not kiss them), but I only kissed them on the top of the head.

 

The dr. always told us to constantly wash hands and not to share anything (food, etc.) with them. I hope they don't get sick :hug:.

 

QUOTE(Specky @ Feb 17 2009, 08:49 AM) [snapback]1192918[/snapback]
Ok, DH and I have worked sooo hard at not getting sick, that I knew once I returned to work I would catch 'something'...I work in a hospital. I have the sore throat, and drippy nose...here it comes!

We have been so diligant about washing our hands, not bringing kids around our boys, no visitors if sick etc...we have basically lived in a bubble for the last 3mths.

and now it will be MOMMY who makes them sick? sooo not fair! :angry:

Any advice?
They sleep in our living room, we have a vaporizer, but we have a wood stove, so it's pretty dry in there. (our house is under construction so their nursery isn't done yet).

I'm terrified of RSV etc...

What do we do if they get sick? How will we make them comfortable, this feels like one of my worst nightmares. Our pedi has scared the heck our of us, about not letting them get sick...what do we do??

We are bottle feeding. I should add, they eat fairly well but have reflux and have good weights...CJ is 14.9lbs and Ryan is 12.13lbs

Thanks everyone!
reb


Take a deep breath!!! Our first cold wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. You obviously want to wash your hands, avoid kissing the babies, etc., but it's hard to keep them from getting it. If they get it, you give them tylenol for fever, use a vaporizer, suction out their little noses, offer them formula or breast milk more often than normal to keep them hydrated, and keep them as comfortable as possible. I remember posting on this board in a total panic about Jack's first fever, so I understand. It ended up I gave him tylenol, it broke overnight, and he never had another symptom. You will all be fine.

 

QUOTE(Specky @ Feb 17 2009, 08:49 AM) [snapback]1192918[/snapback]
Ok, DH and I have worked sooo hard at not getting sick, that I knew once I returned to work I would catch 'something'...I work in a hospital. I have the sore throat, and drippy nose...here it comes!

We have been so diligant about washing our hands, not bringing kids around our boys, no visitors if sick etc...we have basically lived in a bubble for the last 3mths.

and now it will be MOMMY who makes them sick? sooo not fair! :angry:

Any advice?
They sleep in our living room, we have a vaporizer, but we have a wood stove, so it's pretty dry in there. (our house is under construction so their nursery isn't done yet).

I'm terrified of RSV etc...

What do we do if they get sick? How will we make them comfortable, this feels like one of my worst nightmares. Our pedi has scared the heck our of us, about not letting them get sick...what do we do??

We are bottle feeding. I should add, they eat fairly well but have reflux and have good weights...CJ is 14.9lbs and Ryan is 12.13lbs

Thanks everyone!
reb


Ok, I tend to be 'over the top' but this is what I would do.... My husband is trying to convince me to not wear gloves in the house 1 week after I got the stomach flu (I can be contageous for up until 2 weeks )

First question, are you breastfeeding? If not, see if someone else can do baby duty until you are better. I think for most colds you are not *as* contageous after a week or so.

If you are breastfeeding, continue. It will make the cold less bad for them if they catch it. If you caught it first as your body starts fighting the bug immunities will be passed down.

The rest of these tips are assuming you do not want to/cannot have someone else take over baby duty.

Prevention

[b1) ]Buy a box of masks[/b]. Most colds are spread on our hands, but can sometimes get spread aeresolized . I used masks when I had a cold and the babies did not get sick from that cold. I did not wear the mask at all times because it scared the babies, but I pulled it up when I had to cough or sneeze.


2) buy a box of latex (or similar material) Gloves. Gloves help you be more aware of your hands, and you will notice if they become wet/dirty. You can put them on after you wash your hands, and avoid transfer of germs from the faucet.

If you can't wear a mask or use gloves, cough into the crook of your arm instead of your hands (for the same reason.)

3) Keep the vaporizer on at all times. There are some studies that show humidity may keep the flu from passing as quickly... i.e. lack of humidity why colds get passed around as much in the winter. I also read an article where they think this might be for colds as well... nasal membranes drying out in dry air, etc. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,490370,00.html

4) keep on washing those hands before/after handling. 2 verses of 'happy birthday' song... You can use hand sanitizers, too, but DON'T RELY on them. They don't kill all 'cold' viruses, and definitely don't kill all viruses (like the stomach flu Norovirus)

5) Don't kiss the babies until you are better


comfort




If they get sick, watch their breathing for signs of 'indentations' showing on their tummy/chest, for labored breathing, if they turn blue or have trouble breathingtake them in to the ER ASAP. When it doubt, take the baby to the doc as one of the pediatricians told me 'can turn serious quickly for young ones'

If your baby has problems but does not have to be hospitalized, they may send you home with albuterol or a nebulizer, or antibiotics if necessary. The doc WILL tell you what to do for comfort. Unfortunately, not much can be done for their comfort except saline drops, suctioning, tylenol, and a vaporizer. I like the saline spray better than drops because you don't have to turn a baby upside- down for application.

Hope this helps...

 

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