My husband and I have had the wonderful opportunity to babysit our 18 month old granddaughter this weekend except with all the paraphernalia she brought with her, among it was something quite unexpected. Our grandchild brought a stomach virus!
She was fine Friday night. She had cottage pie, and I put her to bed as usual with a full bottle of whole milk, as per my son’s instructions, and no dummy as her parents are trying to break the habit of a using one. But then around 4.30 am I heard coughing and spluttering went into investigate and she had been sick. Obviously, changed her and the bed and put her down again but there was soon more crying. This time when I went in and picked up her, she was violently sick and this went on for several hours.
So, I comforted her in my arms and took her into bed with me. Rule 1 – broken. I also gave her a dummy – Rule 2 broken. She wouldn’t take any water, so I gave her some very diluted squash – Rule 3 broken, and sat in bed rocking her and comforting her while she continued to retch. Eventually, she fell asleep in my arms, in my bed, sucking on her dummy.
When she woke up, I gave some more diluted squash for a bit of energy and in an effort to start replacing all the electrolytes she had lost whilst being ill. We went for a walk during the day but she hadn’t wanted to eat throughout the day and hadn’t been sick again, so at bedtime, I gave her half a bottle of semi-skimmed milk. Another rule broken! It should be full fat milk. On a delicate stomach? Not sure about that.
Sunday afternoon, we had to return her to her parents, and I had to confess that I had broken several of their rules.
Now, I appreciate all small children need and thrive on structure, but aren’t all rules really only guidelines in an instant like this. I agree with my son that they don’t want her walking around with a dummy in her mouth, it can be bad for a child’s teeth, it can delay speech, but really? On this occasion, she needed her dummy for comfort. I ask myself, what was wrong with using it? I lost count how many times my granddaughter had been sick, and she badly needed to replace the electrolytes and fluid she had lost, so I gave her diluted squash. I know water is far better for you because of the lack of sugar content but on this occasion, I disobeyed the rules and used my common sense. Afterall, isn’t the idea to prevent dehydration after sickness? Bringing her into bed with me? I couldn’t put her down in her cot knowing she might be sick again and she would need comforting and, that I might fall asleep and not hear her.
When I raised the ‘rule breaking’ with my son and his wife, they were very understanding about everything, but it did occur to me that raising children is actually a lot about using your common sense and being flexible in a variety of ways. I should know, I had four children under 6!
Our granddaughter is fine now but as I write this, my daughter, husband and I have been up all night with her stomach virus. Thanks Baby Girl. Your doting GiGi.