Tips for the Sick Stay-At-Home Mama

It was the last week of December... I was looking forward to the New Year. I love how the New Year feels like a fresh start and can often be all you need to create a new, healthy habit. I had some super plans... yoga, zoo visits, hanging out with new friends, even a weekend trip.

And then it hit me. I was sick. With a cold.

So I canceled my weekend plans. And put off the yoga. I thought I felt better, but it hit me again. And again and again. Ugh! It was the cold that would never end (in fact, the doc said I had bronchitis).

Suddenly, my whole life felt like it was on hold so I could get better. But wait... not my whole life. I'm a mom. Everyone knows... moms do not get a day off. Especially, a stay-at-home mom with a kiddo too young for school. Damn.
So you can't stay in bed all day, sleeping. And no one is going to make you soup. Or rub Vicks VapoRub on you. In fact, it may feel like no one gives a damn at all. What's a mama to do?

Well, let me share with you my sanity-saving tips for a sick stay-at-home mama.

Lower Your Standards

This is probably the number one tip I can give you. When I feel great, I get a lot done! The house is clean, the laundry is done, the kiddo is entertained with outings/book reading/Lego tower building. I eat right, my kid eats right, I exercise. I do it all!
But today, you are sick. So lower your standards. Don't clean, don't entertain the kiddo (see below), eat whatever you can and lay around all day. You'll feel better soon. And then you can catch up on all the things you weren't able to do while you were sick.

Utilize Technology

When it comes to my toddler, I avoid all-day TV viewing and iPad games. I work hard to find activities for him that don't involve a screen. But you're sick. Let it go and utilize that fantastic technology. I may start a sick day with no screen time, but there is no way I'm going to get any rest without the TV or the iPad. My kiddo loves it, and it can keep him busy for a while, long enough to rest. Which leads me to...

Naps

Sometimes I can convince my kiddo to nap with me. But if that doesn't work, I set him up with the iPad and headphones right next to me in bed. Hopefully, I can catch some zzzzzzz's, but if not, at least I'm laying down.

Hydration

Drink lots of water. I also love tea. Since I had bronchitis, I drank Yogi Green Tea Triple Echinacea and Yogi Breath Deep. I can't say for sure if the herbs helped, but I felt better with a warm cup of tea or cool water at arms reach.

Food is Food

I fed my kid just about anything, while I was sick. I tried to make sure he had all the food groups but on terrible days he had Goldfish crackers, milk and bananas. And he loved it. My kid was fed, and I didn't have to jump through hoops (I'm talking about those fancy dinosaur-shaped sandwiches here). I even made ramen noodles. And we both loved it. I also let my husband help me where he could. I let him worry about all the food groups during dinner time.

Ask for Help

On one of my bad days, I called my husband. I begged him to please check his schedule, and come home if he could. I lucked out... because he was able to come home to let me rest. On another day, I asked him to Facetime my kiddo to talk to him, because he wasn't listening to me (and my fuse was short due to how awful I felt). I also asked him to pick up my usual duties like meals, dishes, and laundry. Just simply asking for help allowed me to rest more and get better sooner. You can get help from many resources... a neighbor, relative or friend. They can make a meal, watch your kid or pick up prescriptions for you.

All in all, I was sick for almost four weeks because my cold got out of hand and turned into bronchitis. I'm feeling so much better now, and I've caught up on my stay-at-home duties.
I hope if you're feeling awful, you're able to use my tips above to get rest and get better faster.