Ok a little background - I am home on maternity leave with a 6 week old and a 4 year old. Totally sleep deprived. I think baby may have reflux, seems like she never sleeps unless you are holding her upright. but thats another issue.
I have been taking my 4 year old to her daycare twice a week so I can get some sleep, but I kept her out all last week and tuesday because it is a sick house over there, the kids and even the provider have all had either the strep or the flu.
I figured it was safe and sent her today. When my hubby picked her up our provider was taking the tempature of one of the kids that she had played with all day because she was complaning of a tummy ache. Of course she had a fever.
I am kicking myself for sending her today, I should have just kept her home this week too. but I was desparate for some sleep (My parents left town for 3 weeks and my hubby works of course and the baby never sleeps at night). The provider seemed to think it had passed around and would be ok.
My question is, should I send her to daycare tomorrow or just keep her home? shes already been exposed but I am just so terrified of the thought of her bring sickness home and giving it to baby or me! what would you do?
PS my daycare provider is great and very clean so don't even go there.
Call a friend to come over and stay at your house for the day. They can play with the baby and entertain your little one and give you some much needed time to nap. Trade off the day, you can watch hers a day in the future when she needs to do...Christmas shopping or some such thing...surely the kiddos will be letting you sleep by then.
Speaking from experience, both my 4 yr and 2 yr old, have been in daycare since 6 months, by the time we notice it, the kids have already been exposed during the contagious time. I think if you want to keep her home for your own peace of mind, do just that. But, if you really want some peace and sleeping time, send her to daycare because like you said, she's probably already been exposed. There is always someone sick at one of the kids' daycare and sometimes my boys get and sometimes they don't, there really is no way to control it.
I say send her unless she starts displaying symptoms. She is already exposed anyway. Get some sleep if you can. You probably have to pay your daycare provider anyway...
I do the same thing. I dont have newborn at home, I keep mine home if i know there is something going around. we were to late the cold/flu was going around the school. it was like wildfire. my kiddos were out for three weeks. one of my sons classmates was out this week. She was back today. I ask her mom what her symptoms were and it wasnt what i wanted to hear...so nothe germ freak i am i am thinking of keeping them home..My hubby doesnt have any more PTO. he took it all when i factured my butt. So, during the week i fly solo...so i try to always give myself way to much padding...even if it is no big thing. I dont blame you for wanting to keep her home. she yes has been exposed, there is always the chance she could not get it. so i aire on the side of health when it comes to this stuff.
IMHO..thank you to the new chart i have from the other post!!
Libby
Sweetie, you can't tell. I wish we had an easy answer. I'm like your provider. I'm a germaphobe, use bleach in my dishwater, bleach my floors, have the kids help me wash toys when we see them mouthing them, and we feed tons of veggies, fruit, orange juice etc.
I only care for 4 all day and 4 all night with a few extras that share spots by alternating days. And yet, we get this stuff coming through at random and keeping kids home or sending them home NEVER works. Just today I had 3 children come down sick all at the same time and they were fine all day and sick by tonight. We don't know where they got it because the other kids seemed fine.
Hang in there. It gets better when they get older.
Presumably she was exposed today and the baby that had the fever today should not be there. The others should have already had their rounds of antibotics and should not be contagious. Your provider probably disinfected since she had a sick child there today. You should be fine to send her for a little while and get some rest.
When your hubby gets home tonight, can you have him care for your baby while you get some rest for a while. I realize he has to work tomorrow but you will also be working all day (still caring for the baby).
If you're going to sit at home and worry all day about the possible illness then you won't really be getting the rest you need anyway, right? Keep her home and when the baby sleeps, put in a movie for your 4 year old and nap next to her on the couch. I got lots of cat naps this way when my second came home. You'll feel better knowing you did all you could to avoid illness, and you'll be back on track next week... just press through the weekend and you will have your naps next week to look foward to!
