Thursday, October 23, 2008

Again? or shall I say STILL?

Ethan is sick again. I don't really know if he ever ridded himself of his stuffy nose last month, though it stoped running. Now, it's full blown runny-snotty yellow goop that has taken over his nasal passages. He's coughing, too. I just don't get it. Is it a myth that breast-fed babies rarely get sick? I heard it be true and as much breastmilk that my son has had, he should be well for the rest of his life! But, needless to say, he's been sick almost monthly. It's very sad and I just don't know what to do. I'll most likely sanitize EVERYTHING in the house, which will probably take a couple of days especially tending to a sick baby. Anyway, that's what's going on here. At least both kids are sleeping right now, which is unusual at 10am, but both kids need it. And so do I!

9 comments:

Mel H. said...

Are you sure he's sick and not allergies? Seasons are changing and allergies start kicking up...it just seems like the little guy always has the sniffles that sometimes take a turn for the worst...I'll say a prayer for him.

Unknown said...

mel h. has a good point about allergies.
I don't know about breastfed babies getting sick more or less. It's supposed to help their immune systems, but I think some kids are just more prone to sickness than others. This age is bad, too, when everything goes in their mouths.
Don't stress about sanitizing the house...relax, force fluids into him and let him sleep. We're sick over here too, so I'll pray for you guys as I wipe noses!

Melanie said...

Thanks for the input; each set of sniffles has had different symptoms so I'm not sure about allergies, though it could be a possibility. I see the ped in a few weeks for his 1yr checkup and this will definitely be a topic.

Thanks for the prayers! E's on his 3rd nap today and it's only noon! This round of sniffles is kicking his butt.

Joy said...

I feel your frustration. Last year I felt like we had some new ailment at our house every week.

I don't usually mention to people some changes I made because of my frustration (because, honestly, I can do without the scoffing and raised eyebrows which I sometimes get) but...

1. I started giving the kids (and myself) a probiotic. If you google it, you'll get lots of info. I buy mine at a local store. I also don't give it to them every day - that saves a little $.

2. I started really pushing the fruits and veggies. Hard to do, but you get used to it.

3. I started buying some organic foods - I look for what I have easy access to, and what's easier on the budget. Google organic food, too. The evidence is out there.

4. Other smart things (which we don't do as well!) are cutting sugar and getting outside a lot.

Since we started doing this more than a year ago . . . one weekend, 3 of the kids got a 12-hour fever. And that's it. I'm a little surprised, but not complaining! However, it could be a coincidence, so I'm just telling you some things I tried-for what it's worth.

Also, I'm anything but a super-sanitizer. I'd rather focus on keeping their immune systems healthy so they can develop resistance to and fight off germs. Avoiding germs is impossible.

And, as the other two said, it is possible Ethan's sensitive to something or more than one thing.

Courtney said...

I'm sorry. It's hard when your baby just won't get better. That's where we're at right now, too. Though ours comes from a new daycare - and we ALL get everything MD brings home. It's fun, really.

Good luck to ya...and Ethan, of course :)

Melanie said...

Joy, thanks for those tips!!! And thanks for the reminder about boosting immune systems rather than ridding the germs; you're ALL right - germs are everywhere!
1. We have a probiotic here that I usually give when there's a stomach ailment. I should give it to both kids during sickness and probably around the weekends when they'll be around lots of kids
2. Fruits are no prob, but veggies is another story. I'll have to stick with that.
3. I was just talking about organic food today since I went to our new Earthfare ALL the way across town. It was nice but SOO pricey. We'd really have to cut out a lot if we shopped organic since it's so expensive, but I guess it may help. What do you usually buy organic that you've seen make a difference?
4. Another thing we have to work on, especially the getting outside part!

Thanks again for the tips.

Unknown said...

I'll second what Joy said (I guess I was too afraid of the scoffing...).

Also, whenever one of the kids is sick, I give everybody echinacea. I don't use it all the time, because your body can build up a resistance just like any other antibiotic.

I use a brand called herbs for kids, and I buy it at Lowe's foods.

Sugar in general weakens your immune system. It's hidden a lot in the form of high fructose corn syrup, which is everywhere (bread, cereal, etc.).

I also avoid giving a lot of dairy when the kids have sniffles, because it thickens mucous and makes it hard to clear. Opt for calcium-enriched OJ instead of milk when they have a cold.

Anonymous said...

Awww...Mel...I'm so sorry to hear about little Ethan. It's good that he's able to sleep though. I second the probiotic suggestion (as if that's any surprise :-) The gut is your second immune system, so a healthy gut gives your body a better chance of fighting off illness. We take a supplement called Juice Plus...we've taken it for almost 5 years. It's a great way to get extra fruits and veggies into the kids. They make a chewable, a gummie, and a capsule. Our pediatrician is a big fan of Juice Plus and recommends it to all of her patients. We have never actually taken the chewables or gummies, but have just used the capsules. Any easy way to use capsule for your kids is to just open the caps and mix them into something like yogurt or applesauce. And lastly, yes breastfed babies tend to have stronger immune systems than babies who are not breastfed. This doesn't mean that he'll never get sick, it just means that his immune system is better capable of fighting off sickness. Breastfed babies tend to be sick less often and with less severity than those who are not. Just imagine what he'd be like if you didn't breastfeed. Props to mama Mel. Love you girl...~Kristin

Joy said...

To answer your question about organics . . . no, I don't know if I've seen a difference with any specific food. I think with organics, it's more of the "general" benefit.

And as far as prices ... I hear ya. In Charlotte we certainly have different options, though. I get my food at a variety of places - farmer's markets, Trader Joe's, regular grocery stores, local farmers, and occasionally a health food store. Also, I get reasonably priced produce delivered to me (actually Kelly told me about this service).

Over time, you may become aware of better options in your area. Try not to stress out about it like I did!