Hey mamas! Hang in there! Having a sick baby is so miserable for both of you but it will get better!
Just a couple of weeks ago my son started running a fever of 102.1 and had terrible diarrhea. He’s been sick before but it wasn’t as bad the last time so I had to tend to him a little differently this time around.
Fortunately Emmett has only been sick once before, but he had the flu. Whereas this time he had a stomach bug.
When Emmett had the flu he was running a fever of only 100.1 but he also had some congestion. He didn’t seem to feel bad though as he was still playing and running around.
When he had a stomach bug he was MISERABLE. It broke my heart to see him so sick! Anyone that knows Emmett knows he is a very active toddler and when he was sick he laid in my lap for almost five hours 🙁
Being a new parent is hard enough on a regular day when your child feels great. When your little one can’t tell you what’s bothering them or what’s hurting, it’s really hard to feel like you’re doing a good job.
I had a really tough time figuring out what tricks and remedies worked best for Emmett, but when I did I made sure to save them for next time! And now I get to share them with all of you!
You should always make an appointment with your doctor when your baby is sick- I wouldn’t have even known Emmett had the flu if we didn’t see his pediatrician- but hopefully these 10 hacks will comfort your baby while they’re fighting off a nasty virus.
1. Let Your Child Hold The Syringe When Taking Meds
Giving babies medicine is pretty simple. But when they’re old enough to fight you, they will do just that!
I learned that letting Emmett hold the syringe when it was time for Tylenol or Motrin, he would get more of it down and less on my floor because he felt more independent.
2. Mix Tamiflu With Fruit and Veggie Pouches or Coffee Creamer
Liquid Tamiflu is awful! Not over exaggerating, it’s the absolute worst. It’s mixed with a “tutti frutti” flavor and doesn’t smell all that terrible so I was surprised when Emmett spit it back out at me. I tried it to see for myself and WOW. It’s gross!
I had to get a little creative for Emmett to get his full dose down, but he didn’t seem to notice the Tamiflu when mixed with fruit and veggie pouches. His full dose was 5ml and because of how pungent Tamiflu is, I had to break the doses up into 3 pouches. But hey, he was definitely getting enough fruit and veggies while he was sick!
It wasn’t until after Emmett was done taking Tamiflu that I saw you could mix it with coffee creamer to mask the taste. This probably would’ve worked better!
3. Hang Out In a Steamy Bathroom To Relieve Congestion
This is an oldie but it works! Emmett and I would go sit in the bathroom while his daddy was taking a shower and it really does help clear congestion.
4. Homemade Vapor Bath
You can also make a homemade vapor bath with coconut oil, epsom salt and essential oils such as eucalyptus and lavender. I honestly just eyeballed all the ingredients to make enough for one night and poured the mixture into Emmett’s bath and let it soak for 10 minutes or so.
You can’t use Vicks Vapor Rub on children under 2 so this vapor bath was a nice alternative.
5. Essential Oil Diffuser
Use eucalyptus and lavender in an essential oil diffuser as well to help with your baby’s nasal congestion and sleep.
6. Aquaphor
Unfortunately if your little one has a stomach bug and has diarrhea the whole time, their bottom is going to be very irritated.
I learned quickly that diaper rash cream such as Desitin, burns when your baby has open sores on their bottom. We tried Aquaphor for Emmett’s diaper rash and it didn’t seem to bother him one bit while applying it. It also helped heal his diaper rash pretty quickly!
7. Pedialyte
Emmett had diarrhea for almost a week straight and he became a little dehydrated. (Yes we did see his pediatrician again!) We were told to give Pedialyte a try because it has minerals that help treat dehydration. It’s super sweet so Emmett loved drinking it as well!
8. Probiotic
Along with Pedialyte, we also gave Emmett a serving of GoodBelly Probiotics a day and we saw improvement in his bowels almost immediately! This stuff was a game changer!
9. Forehead Thermometer
Not only are forehead thermometers more accurate than digital thermometers, but they only take a few seconds to read your little one’s temperature whereas a digital thermometer takes a few minutes. And anyone with a toddler knows getting them to sit still for a few minutes is a headache!
10. Cooling Pads
These were my favorite! I bought Be Koool Soft Gel Sheets and all you do is peel off the backing and stick the gel sheet onto your child’s forehead and they help reduce your little one’s fever!
Holding a heavy wet washcloth on a 1.5 year olds face is not realistic, so these are a must have!
There you have it! I hope these tips help your little one feel better and please feel free to share this post with anyone who might need it!