What do you SAHMs do when you're sick?

[ourbabygirl]

This week I have a really bad cold and while I know it could be worse- we could all have a cold and flu, etc., etc., I'm still feeling crappy and wish I could send DD to day care so I could stay home from 'work.' :ROTFLMAO: How do you other SAHMs make it through when you feel miserable but you have little ones to take care of? DH has to travel often for business, too, and I'm hoping I'm better in a couple of days, when he has to leave again. How do you do it when yours travels and you're stuck home with the kids?

Thanks!

[elephantmeg]

you may want to look for a home daycare that will do as needed care. I work part time and while it was hard to find someone that would do flexable care/as needed it is possible. And then I have someone who potentially can help out if I'm sick....

[ThreeofUs]

We have no support, so I grit my teeth, drink caffeinated hot beverages, and push through. And whine to DH on the phone after he notices, lol.

[g-mama]

Just muddle through, really. No family around to help, a dh with a not-so-flexible job, and unfortunately, my younger two kids don't even like to watch TV. It's rough!

[zephyr]

I work very part time, so when I'm sick I bring my blankets and pillow to the living room couch and watch ds play or he gets to watch a dvd/barney as much as he wants on the laptop (no tv here). DH knows that on those days he is responsible for bringing dinner home after he gets off work. I also prepare some small snacks for ds so he's not asking me to get up every 5 minutes to get him something. Chores/to do lists/laundry, etc. do not get done.

[daisymommy]

Lay on the couch, with my blanket and pillow, let the kids watch waaaay too much TV and eat put out a lot of snacks and sippy cups that they can get themselves.
It stinks :( All of my friends have 3+ kids of their own, and I don't have any family in the area (other than my Dad who works full time), so I'm really on my own. I've considered a drop-in type daycare, but the only ones that offer that around me are in home type situations that I would not be comfortable with.
There was a time last year when I had pneumonia and was nearly hospitalized, so DH was forced to take time off work to care for all of us. He was so glad to go back to work when it was all over ;)

[pinkmomagain]

Don't know how old your dc is so if she is an infant it wouldn't apply, but in older cases the TV is your friend!

[DebbieJ]

When I'm sick the kids get to watch lots of tv and dinners are chicken nuggets, frozen pizzas, etc. If I'm lucky my mom or sister will come over or take the kids off my hands so I can take a nap.

[alirebco]

DS doesn't watch tv yet but the last time I was sick, I laid in bed, brought a bunch of toys up, including Legos and trains and just let him play in the rooms with me. We read some books on the bed and just laying there helped. I also will shower with him, since I feel better when showering and it's fun for him. And just pray he takes a long nap!

[Laurel]

TV, TV and more TV. I will lie on the couch or floor and let the kids just play around me. I don't worry about messes. If I am really bad off, DH will come home early and let me nap. A few times that I have been really really sick, DH has used one of his sick days to stay home and give me a "sick day".

[shawnandangel]

Well, I've only been really sick once since DD was born. I could hardly move, it was coming out both ends (tmi, I know, sorry) and I was miserable. DH took a vacation day for that. Luckily (for me) DH had the same illness a few days before me so he knew how bad it was.

When I had a cold I turned on Fraggle rock, gated up the exits to the living room, gave DD a sippy and a snack and layed down on the couch.

As a SAHM I feel really lucky that DH realizes that I need "sick" days too if I'm really bad off. He didn't complain one bit when I asked him and happily entertained DD all day. DH is lucky though, that he has the option to work from home on days when the roads are bad, or he doesn't feel good. He was able to log into work a few times to check and make sure everything was going alright.

Edit: I just wanted to say that it is important for you to take care of your body and if you feel like you really can't do it, and your DH has the option to take a vacation/sick day, ask him to do it. You'll get better faster and your family will be better for it. I'm not saying for every illness, but if you are struggling, you should ask for his help. I hope you feel better soon!

[maestramommy]

If I wasn't so sick I couldn't suck it up to function, well I'd suck it up. But if I was incapacitated because of vomiting or something like that, Dh would take a sick day. He almost never uses his sick days for himself. So occasionally he will take one for me:love5:

[niccig]

TV, TV and more TV. I will lie on the couch or floor and let the kids just play around me. I don't worry about messes. If I am really bad off, DH will come home early and let me nap. A few times that I have been really really sick, DH has used one of his sick days to stay home and give me a "sick day".

:yeahthat: You solider on, and do the minimum to get through. The first time I was sick and DS was a baby, DH came home and asked what was for dinner. Ever since then, he asks if I want him to pick something up. DH has used some sick days to stay home if I'm really really sick.

[BabyMine]

If I wasn't so sick I couldn't suck it up to function, well I'd suck it up. But if I was incapacitated because of vomiting or something like that, Dh would take a sick day. He almost never uses his sick days for himself. So occasionally he will take one for me:love5:

:yeahthat: This is our plan B. Plan A we have what is called backup care. It is paid by DH's employer. http://www.brighthorizons.com/back-up/what.aspx . When M was really young I would put toys in his crib to keep him occupied in there as long as possible.

[KrisM]

Typically, the kids just get more TV and things get neglected. If I'm really sick, DH will take a day off work to stay home. That happened only once, fortunately.

[Indianamom2]

Honestly, I just keep going. I might take a nap, if I can, while the baby is sleeping (the 5 year old can entertain herself, if she's feeling cooperative that day!).

It's not fun. I type this through the end of a migraine that started yesterday. It stinks. When Dh gets sick (like on Monday), he got to stay in bed all day and play on the computer. Granted, he had vomitted overnight, so I quarrantined him, but the only difference was that he was upstairs in our bed instead of on the couch.

When I get sick, life goes on.

Feel better.

[belovedgandp]

Yeah, no time to be sick is one of the hardest things about being a SAHM. It just doesn't fit in the schedule. I just came off a horrible two week sinus infection while very pregnant. I had friends offering to help, but sadly, one or both of the kids has usually been sick or is sick at the same time, so you don't want to be sending them off to others. This past time, my 6 YO was fine, but he's easy to self entertain. The 2 YO had the cold and is much harder. Both of us whiny was a pitiful sight.

DH is usually good about taking over as soon as he is home and I check out. The two biggest arguments we've had in the past 6 years are because of the two times I called him in the middle of the afternoon begging him to come home early to relieve me and he didn't make it either time.

[Tondi G]

I keep plugging along. Try to keep my DS entertained with the tv/movies/computer. If I am lucky my mom or sister will be free and will take the kid(s) off my hands so I can sleep. I had the flu last spring ... fever, aches, throat, sinuses it was bad. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. It just so happened to be my moms day off from work and she happily took my 4 year old off my hands for the day... I slept all day and the following morning felt like I could at least get out of bed so we were all good.... thank god for my mom being available that day!

[nov04]

I'm very lucky that occasionally, dh can take a vacation or sick day and stay home. The others day I do the bare minimum: Keep the kids fed and happy and let the house go.

We have no family that can take over and can't give the sickies to our friends.

[TwinFoxes]

The one time that I've been sicker than just a cold (I'm pretty sure it was H1N1) DH came home early one day, and took the next day off. I was really lucky he didn't have meetings. I have no family here, and my friends all work (plus I have a surprising number of childless friends who I'm pretty sure would have no idea what to do with two toddlers). I am really going to get serious about finding child care, because I do worry about times where I will need help and DH will either be out of town, or can't take time off.

[hellokitty]

We have no support, so I grit my teeth, drink caffeinated hot beverages, and push through. And whine to DH on the phone after he notices, lol.

:yeahthat:

[lchang25000]

Good question...I have yet to be sick (knock on wood) and be alone with DS, since the last time I was sick was back in May when I had a part-time nanny.

[ncat]

I was a SAHM for 2 years. Honestly, being really sick when DD was about 13 months old was a huge push to get me back to full time work.

We were in a temporary apartment - without our own stuff - and in a new town where I knew no one who could help me. DH had just started his job and didn't want to take a sick day or even leave early. It was truly and absolutely miserable.

I've never had a job before where I was so important that I couldn't take a day off when I really needed it! And being a SAHM is a much more physically demanding job than my office job.