Wiggle Bean's First Cold

With all the great first we have had since Wiggle Bean came in to our lives, First smile, first laugh, first time sitting, first tooth, first solid food experience, I was least looking forward to her first illness.

Clearly I was caught unprepared for the experience of having my little Wiggle Bean sick. The feeling of helplessness is almost unbearable. Unable to determine what hurt or how to help her made me feel like a terrible parent.

Last Thursday, when we picked Wiggle up, the providers youngest daughter was not feeling well and her mom had her "confined" to her room so as to not make the rest of the kids ill. We did not think anything of it since she had them separated.

Friday when I picked Wiggle Bean up from daycare, the care provider informed me that Wednesday one of the parents brought their child to daycare sick. She told the parents he could not stay but he was there for about 3 hours before they picked him up. This is what caused her daughter to be sick on Thursday and she wanted me to watch Wiggle for signs of illness as she was starting to get a little stuffy nose.

By the time we got her home, she was fully congested and by 6:00 she was running a fever. I knew that I did not need to panic about a fever unless it was over 101 but that was the extent of my knowledge on how to care for a sick baby.

All I could do was hold her and try to soothe her . I admit it, I am a helicopter parent. The tiniest sign if her unhappiness and I am right there. I pick her up when she fusses and rush to her room in the night at the smallest peep. I know, I should not but what can I say I am a first time mom!

To say I felt helpless is an understatement. I was lost. I felt useless.

The only thing I could do was hold her. We put cool washcloths on her neck and forehead and stripped her down to a diaper. She was so congested by bed time that I could not lay her in her bed. I tried but she could not sleep, she kept waking up. We have a small twin bed in her room so I propped up on a pillow and put her little body on my chest, hoping to absorb her sickness while we slept. I know that sounds ridiculous but there was nothing else I could do for her, they no longer suggest cold medicine for infants.

By morning her fever broke but her congestion was as bad as ever. We snuggled all day Saturday and by Sunday morning, I was experiencing a sore throat, sniffles and minor body aches. If she felt this bad, I am so sorry Wiggle Bean. I wish there was more I could have done for you.

Fast forward a week and she (and I) still has major congestion. I am not sure what I can do for her at this point so I put a call in to her doctor. They tell me that I should put a cool mist humidifier in her room (check), elevate the head of her bed (check), and use saline drops for her nose. I think her congestion is breaking up because she is draining like there is no tomorrow but she hates the sucky bulb (Nasal Aspirator) and wants it no where near her.

No cold medicine and no baby Tylenol since she no longer had a fever. Oh, and she told me that she is seeing the congestion lasting about 2 weeks in infants. Great, another week of feeling helpless to look forward to.

Any advise for the first time mom?