Mommy Essentials to have on hand during sick season

This year really hit us hard with all kinds of illnesses. From ear infections and colds to the nasty stomach flu, we’ve basically been hit with it all in my house. I posted earlier this year about what to do when your child gets the stomach flu and you can check out that specific post HERE.

Although, it’s not always the stomach flu that your home gets hit with. Recently we had a battle with a really bad chest cold and lingering cough. I’m pretty sure I pulled out all my “mom” tricks to help my family get better. So I wanted to share with you some “mommy essentials” when you or your family gets sick to help everyone get back on track.

1. Humidifier. Every house should seriously just come stocked with one of these. I currently use this brand and model. It works by helping get the congestion out of your chest. I’ve used both warm air humidifiers and cool air misters, and there are pros and cons to each. Depending on what you’re battling you may need one over the other. However, I have asked my pediatrician and the cool air ones seems to be a better choice for your small ones.

2. Vapor Rub. I grew up in a home where Vick’s was one of our go to cure alls. And although it’s kind of a running joke about Hispanic homes, it really does work! Again it helps to clear up congestion and open airways to help you breathe easier. It also helps with coughs by rubbing it on the bottoms of your feet and then putting socks on. I tend to stick with the original, however, I have recently discovered Maty’s vapor rub that has more natural ingredients if you are concerned about putting certain things in or on your body.

3. Tylenol and Motrin (both regular and children’s). Fever reducers are almost a no brainer. When you or your child is starting to run a fever that simply won’t go down, these should be the things your grab from your medicine cabinet. Always consult your doctor on whether you can take these, and the amount you should take, or give to your child. It’s always best to go off of weight rather than age when administering these. Here are the links for children’s Motrin and children’s Tylenol.

4. Tissues. Kind of a DUH thing right? But runny noses are no joke! I like to stock up on my tissues whenever there is a good deal because let’s be honest, you can never have enough when a cold hits your house.

5. Cold Compress or Cold Wet Towel. These come in handy when you are trying to bring a fever down and the medicine just isn’t kicking in, or when you want to try a natural remedy first. I always have a few compresses on hand in case of injuries, but they work great when trying cool down a kiddo’s temperature. If you don’t have any on hand, use a washcloth and run it under cool water. It’s doesn’t always get the best reaction, but it is effective.

7. Ginger ale, Sprite or 7-Up. Again with my Hispanic roots shining through, but there is something in these carbonated drinks that help settle an upset stomach. When I was younger, my mom would open up a bottle and leave it on the counter for a a little while so it wasn’t too carbonated when she gave it to us. I’m not too sure why she would do that, but the memory of flat 7-Up has stayed with me. These days I just buy mini packs of ginger ale and keep them in the garage storage for when someone gets sick.

8. Barf Bucket. I went over the benefits of having a specific bucket for vomiting child, in my stomach flu post, linked here. However just to summarize, I normally line the bucket several times so that way clean up is easy and no matter where you go you have something easily accessible.

9. Thermometer. There are several different types of thermometers to keep an eye on a fever. I have accumulated several over the years and my favorite is this one linked here. It’s a no contact, infrared thermometer that helps me monitor my kids’ temperature without disturbing them.

10. Cough Drops. Sometimes that cough just won’t end. This is when a cough drop here and there helps ease your throat and you can find a little relief while your body finishes off fighting that illness. I don’t hand these out that often, but when that cough gets relentless sometimes this is the only way to get some relief. Here is a link to some that are organic and kid friendly.

11. Hot Tea with Lemon and Honey. An oldie but definitely a goodie for those pesky coughs and sore throats. I personally like to use a green tea or mint tea that doesn’t have any caffeine. I will squeeze half a fresh lemon and add honey to taste. Another alternative is warm lemonade with honey. In a small pot over the stove warm up some drinking water, squeeze some fresh lemon juice, and add some sugar and honey to taste and drink while warm. The lemon helps kill any bacteria while the honey helps to soothe the throat. It’s a nice comforting drink when battling a sore throat.

Did I miss any of your favorite mom sick season essentials? Comment down below with what you use to help your family get better.