Every year we are warned that winter is coming…which means cold and flu season is near.
Break out the humidifier, hand sanitizer and get ready to hunker down!
Reality is that you can take all the precautions you want, but kids (and sadly you too) still get sick.
If you are lucky, only one of your twins will get a bug, but we’d bet money on the fact that when one goes down, the other isn’t far behind!
Raising twins has its own unique set of challenges, so what in the world is a mama to do when both of your twins get sick?
Surviving Cold and Flu Season:
Prevent, prevent, prevent:
Battling a family who’s been slammed with the flu, colds and other miscellaneous stomach bugs, can feel a bit like your own personal hell as it makes it way to each person in your household.
It begins to seem like you are spending an eternity nursing someone back to health.
And while we like to take all kinds of precautions to prevent illness from bombarding your life, it happens.
Nonetheless, you’ve gotta try right?
We have two key tips that aren’t foolproof, but we’d like to believe that employing a these has helped manage the number of illnesses that invade our lives. Thus, we want to share with you these two tricks that are commonplace for us:
It’s all in the colors:
Color code and label EVERYTHING in the house to help keep the germs isolated to each kid. When your little ones are in the care of someone else, a simple color coding or label system helps everyone know what belongs to who, minimizing the transfer of germs a just a little bit more.
We aren’t going to lie to you, our twins inevitably pass germ back and forth, especially at a younger ages before their immune systems are stronger. Right before your eyes, they have stolen toys, bottles and pacifiers from one another and put them directly into their mouths…without leaving you a single second to react.
As they get older, it does become easier to teach your twins not to share things with each other, especially when they are sick, but again, that is not a perfect method.
Channel your inner Mr. Clean:
Germs spread…it’s what they do. Keep a mental checklist of where those pesky things may hide around your house and remember to disinfect those areas at least one time weekly during cold and flu season. Our favorites include: the remote control, refrigerator handles, door handles, cabinet doors and handles, cell phones or iPads and sink/faucet handles.
Wiping things down more often might make you feel like a germaphobe and make you a bit crazy…we’re right there with ya!
But when everyone is getting sick…it helps control how far the germs spread within your house.
So what is a mama to do if the germs win and your kiddos end up getting sick?
Keep ‘em Comfortable:
Sick children tend to be fussy…they are trying to communicate with you in the only way they know how; there really is no other way to tell you that they have a headache, sore throat and phlegm that they can’t cough up.
As hard as it may be at times, have a little sympathy and try to be patient. Finding ways to make your children more comfortable will help immensely.
Cuddling up on the couch to watch a favorite cartoon, soaking in a warm epsom bath or adding some essential oils to an aroma diffuser are some of our go-to comfort tools.
Once your kiddos are sick they tend to be more clingy. They will be needy and want to constantly be held. What’s better than a baby snuggle? Love on those kiddos as they need all of the affection they can get. There is nothing more comforting than a hug and some TLC when you don’t feel well.
Let Them Sleep:
Parents of twins are fanatics about sleep schedules. We even say that as a twin mom you must wake a sleeping baby in order to keep their schedules beautifully in sync.
When our babies are sick the schedule typically goes out the window. We let them sleep longer than normal and won’t wake them up so they can get the extra sleep they need to fight the illness.
At times they may need fall asleep at unusual times warranting additional naps throughout the day.
Let them sleep.
Their little bodies are working double time to heal or fight off a bug and they need the extra zz’s.
Be Equipped for Combat:
The worst part about cold and flu season is the fact that illness can hit at the most unexpected times. Does a sudden spike in fever at 3 a.m. sound familiar?
You surely don’t want to to be running out, in the middle of winter, to your local 24 hour pharmacy. Grab a plastic tub at Target and always keep it stocked with necessary supplies, so you are never caught of guard.
Mamas, with little ones, make sure your cabinets are stocked with our favorite cold and flu products:
- Good humidifier – Colorado is an extremely dry climate, especially during the winter. A humidifier is as crucial as your toothbrush. By adding moisture to the dry air in your house, it does miracles for helping sick kids sleep at night.
- NoseFrida – This crazy little tool might seem a little scary, but it will change the way you look at boogers FOREVER!
- Saline Spray – This helps keeps noses rinsed and moisturized. Make sure each kiddo has their own to cut down on passing germs.
- Vicks Waterless Vaporizer – This will help temporarily relieve cough and congestion at night.
- Thermometer – You never know when you need to take a child’s temperature. Our new obsession this season is the Temp Traq. It’s a comfortable patch that goes under your child’s arm. The beauty of it is that it sends a continual temperature reading to an app on your phone. It is worth the $20 investment to help put your mind at ease when your kiddos are sick! It’s truly an amazing gadget that you can’t live without!
- Epsom Salt – Make sure you consult with your doctor first. We love Epsom Salt baths because it helps easy muscle aches. Its also promotes a good night’s sleep enabling everyone to get well sooner.
- Infant/Children’s Tylenol/IBUProfen – Fevers will strike without warning. While we don’t love filling our little ones full of medicine, at times it is necessary to manage aches, pains and fevers.
- Antibacterial Soap – Establishing a hand washing routine, especially getting in the habit of washing their hands as soon as you walk in the door, will help keep the colds away. We also love Germ-X Wipes. You can wipe your kids’ hands down when they come from from daycare or school. This will help control spreading germs.
- Wine – You will definitely need a glass or two when your kids are sick!
Feeling under the weather is tough, especially for children.
Being a mom of two sick kids only makes life feel a bit more chaotic. While we don’t have the perfect solution for staying sane when illness has ransacked your house, remember that this too shall pass.
Sometimes you just need to ride out the nasty bug with your family snuggled together on the couch for a movie marathon!
It’s not an easy task to keep everyone in your family healthy…including you! Hang in there, mama! You’ve got this!
Chime in below. What are some of your favorite tips to prevent the cold & flu season from taking over your household? We’d love to hear from you.
