“But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.”
-Matthew 12:15
The dreaded after bedtime cries. Your three year old toddler, read to, prayed for and cuddled with, now snug in his big-boy bed wakes up. Then you walk into the gross smell of vomit -soaked sheets when the sophisticated phrase resounds in your mind, “Oh crap!” A stomach bug? Food poisoning? A food allergy? Cause unknown you spring into action like a traveler caught in a thunderstorm without an umbrella.
Fortunately blessed, the Couture household rarely weathers diseases worst then a head cold (one bad stomach bug when our firstborn son was four months old). So, when faced with the above scenario, my mothering sick children my ignorance showed so I quickly learned some practical don’ts:
1. Don’t lay your kid in a bed, FLOOR is BEST: young children with upset stomachs tend to vomit in unideal locations like on sheets and carpets. After changing my son’s sheets twice despite leaving a lovely empty trash can prepared to receive his delightful stomach discharge, the distance of two feet proved too great. A blanket pillow and throw-up container all within an inch radius on the floor proved more effective.
BONUS on SLEEP: Don’t sleep with your toddler: sweet cuddles with the sick little one in your large bed, turned sour thanks to a toddler who sleeps diagonally, likes to kick, and transforms into a little fireball at night.
2. Don’t put sheets covered in vomit straight in the washing machine: apparently clothing washing machines, much like dishwashers, require a pre-rinse step. A rag (immediately throw out after) to wipe up the chunks with enough spot cleaner sprayed to give a smoky-bar vibe, saves the unexpected traumatic step of wiping vomit hunks off your washing room floor, and washing machine.
3. Don’t forgot the pull-up!: exhausted from an upset stomach (both you and the toddler) creates regression….especially with potty training. So, the next day put on that pull-up during nap to avoid cleaning pee off of the just-cleaned vomited on sheets and mattress protectors. My dear washing machine worked overtime day and night to combat all the excess undesirable liquids.
4. Don’t Serve tummy Irritants: so apparently cheese sticks, salad and orange juice given thirty-six hours after a stomach bug might me too much for little bellies. So continue with a bland diet of bread, crackers, oatmeal, applesauce and electorate drinks to coat that sensitive tummy or else your poor little one might give you more throw-up puddles to wipe away.
Overall, GENTLENESS, patience and HOPE helps, but as my wise little man states, “Jesus heals. I have Jesus with me so pray that Jesus makes me better.”
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