Author Topic: How to not get into bad habits with illness  (Read 1751 times)

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Offline Beetebbs

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How to not get into bad habits with illness
« on: September 25, 2017, 07:02:47 am »
Hi there,
Looking for some reassurance and tips please!
 We had a serial sling napper at 5 months who responded really well to PU/PD taking up to 2 hour naps in the cot until last week when she got ill with bronchiolitis. She's still snotty and has a cough. I also have a 26 month old so don't have the luxury of being able to spend lots of time dedicated to getting baby to sleep. She's been only having 30 minute naps in the cot and waking a lot at night. I've had to resort to putting her in the swing just to get her to sleep so the toddler isn't left alone too long (She's also ill at the moment).
I suppose I'm just looking for reassurance that I'm not going to have to start from square 1 once this illness is over. I know I'll have to do PU/PD for a bit but it took 2 weeks before and simply can't physically do it for that long again with the toddler around now my husband is back at work.
Thanks in advance.
Briony

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2017, 18:04:15 pm »
Oh sorry to hear your LO is poorly. Bronchiolitis is horrible, mine was in hospital 4 nights when he was around 10 months old.
You have to do what you have to do.  It can take some time to recover, even when they seem to be over the worst it can still take a bit of time to really get back to being themselves, mine had to have night feeds for the first time in months so that he could regain the calories lost during his illness.
You will get back on track though.
I always say that an independent sleeper will return to independence either on their own or with a little guidance and support to remind them - they already have the confidence to do it.
I would wait until she is properly recovered or when you feel she can try for a cot nap - and when you are ready too.
Then remind her, I would think that you wouldn't really need much PUPD, possible a little but with more reassurance in the cot rather than heaps of picking up, and I can't imagine it taking as long as it did the first time either.

For now it sounds normal to me that the routine is off track and I imagine she needs lots of extra cuddles, possibly more feeds too.
Try to take care of yourself in all this, it is hard having two young LOs especially with illness in the house.  Your DH might be at work but perhaps he can pick up a bit extra house work so that you don't have all that to deal with on top of two poorly LOs?


Offline Beetebbs

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2017, 03:27:35 am »
Hi there,
Thanks so much for your reply. Its helped me feel less like I'm creating more problems going forward. My first daughter was such an awful sleeper that I'm just terrified of returning to that again and was so over the moon with how good things had been after PUPD! I'm sure she's teething too so we're keeping her dosed up. Just exhausted and feel like I've lost my instincts with it all a bit.
Thanks again for your reply.
X

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2017, 18:06:05 pm »
Just exhausted and feel like I've lost my instincts
If you had instincts then you are better at this than I ever was! :)
Honestly they say mothers are supposed to know what their baby is crying about but everything I ever knew about mine was based on his EASY routine, to the outside world it *looked* like I had instinct but I didn't - it was all based on the clock and what I knew would be coming next.
When mine needed those night feeds during his recovery from the illness it was the first time I ever heard a hungry cry, thanks to EASY, imagine my confusion when he was crying in the night...and then eventually I worked out it was hunger, yeah you get the picture.
I'm better with instinct now, 6 years practise though ha ha!


Offline Beetebbs

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2017, 20:27:02 pm »
Sorry only just seen this reply! Ha Ha, glad I'm not the only one panicking when people say "and of course as her mum, you'll know her different cries by now..."
Tumbleweed....
 ???

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2017, 13:47:09 pm »
Sorry only just seen this reply
No problem.

I hope your LO is feeling a lot better.

Tumbleweed....
 ???
;D


Offline Beetebbs

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2017, 13:09:17 pm »
Just wanted to post an update in case anyone wants to look it at in the future.
PUPD took a couple of days (and nowhere near as along as first time round, maybe 8 minutes each time and very little crying or picking up) and even though she has a cold (again) I can put her in her to and hold her arms gently (else she repeatedly punches herself in the face) and she's asleep in 3 minutes of chatting to herself.
So if anyone worries about this in future, hopefully this should help you stay positive!
x

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Re: How to not get into bad habits with illness
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2017, 14:13:44 pm »
Great update!  Thanks for taking the time to post.