Well, some of us may be in the same boat and some of us may be blessed with uber immune system children meaning they rarely get ill and during the summer and slightly warmer times this is definitely my little girl and I. Unfortunately, she seems to have inherited mummy’s winter immune system and is susceptible to constant flus and viruses no matter how much vitamin C, iron, fresh air, wrapped up warmness I give her and you know what? That’s okay, because people handle different things in different ways. However, I can’t help feeling a little bit judged. 
Over on Instagram I post daily about what Alyssa and I are up to and how we are feeling and what we are doing with our day and so obviously if Alyssa is ill or something then I include that as well. Now, I appreciate that I may be reading too much into this and that this could be merely the ramblings of an anxious mother who occasionally suffers from bouts of mummy guilt, but on the most recent posts I put where Alyssa had a temperature etc. I had people sending their love, hugs, well wishes and then a few who commented “Wow – ill again?!” Yes, I get that she is ill again and yes it is like the millionth time this winter but what exactly am I meant to be doing that prevents her from getting ill that I am not already doing?! It’s hardly like I’m sat there force feeding germs down her in order to make her ill once again the following week?! No, I’m not doing this, it just so happens that my little bean is one of those babies who gets poorly during the Winter – and that’s okay.
I understand that by sharing my life so openly on social media, that I leave myself open to comments, ridicule, opinions etc and generally and on the whole I try not to let them get to me. However, this silly little off the cuff remark really got to me and I think it’s because it makes me stop and think whether there is in fact any more I could do to stop my little one from being ill. Am I making her ill?! No, of course I am not but that doesn’t stop us as parents feeling any less guilt about the fact that our little ones are poorly. It is a horrible feeling when your baby is lying poorly in your arms and you can’t fix it straight away and make everything better and even worse when they can’t tell you exactly what is wrong.
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16 Comments
Do they not have kids? People who have kids in daycare have sick kids all the time. Just think of how much her immune system must be building up! My baby is never sick, but I worry it’s because I’m not exposing him to enough stuff. They need these early childhood immune system boosts. #ablogginggoodtime
Small kids are just giant petrie dishes. They grow germs all the time and then they share them widely! Then, just as they seem to be getting well, they start day care or school and you get to do it all again. Try not to let it get to you. Sending tea. #ablogginggoodtime
My oldest was sick all the time as a little- now it is once or twice a year. Hang in there you two!
#ablogginggoodtime
It’s so hard, isn’t it? We have had a horrendous February. Someone is sick just about every week. Think spring.
#ablogginggoodtime
Hope she’s on the mend now. My daughter was thankfully never sick as a baby, now as a toddler we barely get through a week without a cough or cold. #ablogginggoodtime
Oh my lord,what beautiful photos,she’s adorable.I love any excuse to cuddle on the sofa,I say bring on the colds!! #ablogginggoodtime
My son was nothing but ill for the first two years of his life and I was that exhausted I don’t think I was even aware of any comments made- they could have been!! Fortunately he grew out of virus after virus and now it’s just me who goes through this every winter!
Tell me about it, ours tag team the colds and coughs and we tend to have a Winter of being non stop poorly. Last year was particularly horrendous for us with viral wheezes. We have found a big difference now they are on inhalers. People don’t think really. My husband has Crohns and between us all it may appear like we always have something. In fact a friend said the other day your family are always poorly. J was not impressed, and we do not accept that for ourselves. We all get unwell, no one is that super. You’re doing a great job of looking after Alyssa. xx #ablogginggoodtime
They say that in the first 2 years kids can have up to 20 viral infections plus kids don’t seem to shift coughs like we do. They also never stop to get better! #ablogginggoodtime
Ah you are not the only one! I have been ill since Christmas eve on and off, so has Evie, it’s been never ending for the both of us and we are getting really fed up! It’s just the time of year and whatever flu/virus/colds are going around are hitting a lot of people hard at the moment #ablogginggoodtime
You are definitely not the only one. This latest virus doing the rounds is horrendous and keeps mutating, so once your body fights it off and becomes immune to one element it adapts and comes back at you. We have had maybe one week since Mid December when we were a sick free household. My two have both been struck down again in the last couple of days and the hacking cough is back again with it. Roll on spring and the warmer weather, it can’t come soon enough. And then hay fever season will hit ?
#Ablogginggoodtime
I think the problem is that kids are all different; some have a strong immune system, others dont. As long as you know that you’re doing everything to keep your little lady on the road to recovery then screw what others think. #ablogginggoodtime
As if you’re responsible for making her sick! That is absurd. My older two boys, one of them is never sick, the other seems like always. Every child is different.
sorry #ablogginggoodtime
It’s true we can’t all deal with comments and the like being like water off a ducks back all the time. #ablogginggoodtime
Aw mate, firstly I’m sorry if I did a “oh no not again” comment – I possibly did I can’t remember, but it’s more out of sympathy. My daughter was so ill constantly last year, in the end we got her seen by a hospital specialist because i was so worried, she had temps of 40 pretty much every 10 days. It was so stressful. Its the reason why i left my job so i could be at home with her. She was fine though come Spring so I’m sure Alyssa will turn the corner soon. Two things stick in my mind… one doctor said some children get sick more than others, just like some sleep more/less than others. They’re all different and it isn’t anything we’re doing wrong. Secondly, a doctor said, one day you’ll just realise, oh she’s not been ill for a few weeks, then a few weeks turns to a month then a couple of months. She’ll get there, it’s just her immune system getting stronger. Hugs and know you’re not alone, i felt sensitive over it too with “she’s always ill” comments off my family. It’s annoying but it’ll pass xx #ablogginggoodtime