When you have lots of little ones, cold and flu season seems to be one long marathon until summer. It’s definitely not just cold and flu circulating to make your family miserable either! In my 15 years as a mom, we have our ever present run of the mill sniffles and sicknesses as well as plenty of doozies that’s taken all us out. In this sick season survival guide for moms included tips I’ve learned along the way to make things a little easier to manage so you can care for your family when everyone’s sick.
Sick Season Survival Guide for Moms:
💛Stock Up Before the Sickness Hits
Sick season happens every year, but somehow it used to ALWAYS caught be off guard and unprepared. So inevitably I would be sending my poor husband out for infant Tylenol in the middle of the night! Nowadays as soon as the weather starts to cool I have it in my planner to start the great sick season stock up 🙂
Stocking up on supplies you know you are going to need that won’t go bad, especially if you can catch them on sale is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It saves so much time, stress and money. You aren’t scrambling when a baby with a fever is screaming, wasting time you could be using to rest or spending more than you know you should in the middle of night willing to pay anything so you can get back home at the nearest store.
💛Medicines to Stock:
I’ve included a printable list of things that I like to stock up on here. Tissues, digital thermometer, a variety medicines–natural or over the counter. I personally prefer over the counter used wisely nowadays. So for me things like acetaminophen and ibuprofen for fever and pain, cough medicines, antihistamines, Vics rub, nasal saline/ Flonase, cough drops, decongestant, are all things you are going to want on hand when it hits the fan so to speak lol.
💛Stock the Pantry:
Staying hydrated is usually the top priority no matter the sickness. Teas, honey, electrolyte powders or pre-mixed electrolyte drinks and juices are really helpful in addition to plain water.
In regards to food, if it’s mild I think it’s good to just keep cooking nourishing meals. If it’s a really bad one a large pot of chicken soup and some homemade bread (try my favorite easy bread machine recipe) or a big pot of rice or noodles.
Keeping soup ingredients on hand in the freezer for easy to throw together soup in the instant pot or crockpot are super helpful. Alternatively cans of soup/cartons of broth are even easier. I’m working on a super simple dump chicken soup recipe. It never fails when I’m sick I crave chicken soup then I’m too sick to make it! I have in the past prepared several emergency dump freezer meals and those are great to have on standby.
Other comforting foods good to have on hand, applesauce, crackers, peanut butter and granola bars.
I also think having extra paper products on hand like paper plates are also really helpful. No one really wants to stand and wash a bunch of dishes when they are super sick.
Thinking ahead and stock up on things you know that you will need at some point, you can focus on taking care of yourself and comforting your sick little ones instead of scrambling to gather your supplies.
💛Keeping Everyone Comfortable
Sick days are hard for the whole family, especially the littlest ones who feel miserable but who haven’t really learned to ride it out yet. Making a cozy resting place really does help. Setting up favorite pillows and blankets, loveys and teddies on the couch really do make one feel more comfortable. Playing a favorite movie or show or listening to an audiobook can help pass the time when they don’t really have the energy to play but aren’t sleeping. Asking an older sibling that isn’t feel so under to weather to cuddle land read a book can be helpful too.
Having some extra liquids like juice or tea made up help keep everyone hydrated and it’s also comforting. Microwavable rice packs or a heating pad are great comforts as well.
💛If you have lots of kids like me I think it’s helpful to write down each child’s name, when they had what medicine and when they are due for a next dose. If it’s a medication that needs to be taken a couple of times a day for extended amount of time I find it helpful to put it on my planner (setting a reminder in your phone would work too).
Other handy items:
A bulb syringe if you have an infant, saline mist, humidifier or diffuser and breathe essential oil, rice pack or heating pad and disinfecting wipes are all some other handy items to you have around.
💛A Special Note for Infants:
If you have a baby you know it can be a really long night/or nights if you have a sick baby. They can’t really do much to comfort themselves and rely on you. This can be really hard depending on the temperament of the baby. These long nights are certainly allowing for lots of extra time for prayer and driving us depend more on the Lord’s strength, especially if we are also sick ourselves.
A few things I think are helpful. Zarbees brand of medicines are great because babies, toddlers and young children really can’t have much in the way of medicines. There may other brands as well look around, they are making more and more baby products it seems. Using a diffuser with breathe essential oil, letting younger Babies sleep elevated in a swing or bouncy chair–older babies with their mattress elevated a little by putting a towel or folded blanket under the head also helps with congestion. Bulb syringe to suck the snot out. Spoons of honey seem to work well for a hacking cough for toddlers over one.
💛Expectations:
Depending on the severity of the illness and whether it includes mom or not, you are going to have to lower your expectations. More screen time is going to be ok if little ones are cranky and not feeling well. If you homeschool, light school or no school is ok. The house is going to be messier than usual, that’s ok.
During sickness when the whole family is down, it’s best to keep everything pretty simple and low key. We do try to muster up a few minutes where everyone takes like 10 minutes to pick up a few things, take out trash, load or unload a few dishes and switch the laundry over. If everyone that feels at least half way capable pitches in for a few minutes a couple times a day, you don’t get completely swamped and at least have clean laundry and something to eat.
💛Don’t Forget:
When you aren’t feeling well and/or you are tending to sick family members it can be really easy to neglect your spiritual health as well and feel a lot worse for it. Try to spend at least a few minutes in God’s word and prayer. Likely you are sitting holding a baby or laying in bed yourself scrolling anyways so why not spend a few minutes in bible app or meditating on a few verses and asking God for his sustaining grace. Actual time with a real bible is even better 🙂 It will really lift your spirits and will help get you through some of the worst of it.
It can be hard to rest when you have a bunch of sick kids, but try to prioritize your rest. Try to just let things go. The more rest you can get the more likely you won’t end up sick as well. If you do end up sick this is the time to ask your husband to bring home dinner or have your older children pitch in a little more. I KNOW this feels like unreasonable advice but adjust it to what you can do in your season.
Once everyone are feeling much better you can spend a couple 15-20 increments, a couple hours or even a day, according to what season in life you are in recuperating whatever you have gotten behind in.
In the thick of the long days of illness it can feel like the days stretch on forever. Especially true if you have a large family and the plague takes FOREVER to make it through everyone! But eventually it will come to an end. The Lord is sovereign and He is adequate. He gives us strength for whatever the situation when we draw near. Sometimes fevers, sleepless nights and sniffly noses are what God uses to draw us closer to Himself and make us more like Jesus.
Verses for the Sick Season Survival Guide for Moms:
💛He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. -Isaiah 40:29-31
💛God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. -Psalm 46:1
💛She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. -Proverbs 31:25
💛And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. -James 5:15
💛Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7
💛I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. -Psalm 21:1-2
💛My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. -2 Corinthians 12:9
Last note, we all know I’m not an expert or a doctor, just a mom with a few hopefully helpful suggestions I’ve picked up over the years. 💛 You should always do your own research, follow your mom intuitions and ask your pediatrician for your own family’s health.
If you would like a free printable to help you prepare for the Sick Season, click on the button below.
I hope that you found something here that helps and encourages you.
💛Mandy