Daycare and Colds/Ear Infections

[FirstCub4Bear]

Jack has been in daycare since Sept. 14. He was doing well until the winter rolled around and it seems for the past 2-3 months he's been nothing but sick sick sick. He has had a recurrent ear infection for over a month now. He finished up antibiotics last week and seemed to be much better -- then yesterday when I picked Jack up from daycare, the lady told me he woke up screaming every time he took a nap and seemed to be in some major pain, but they couldn't tell from what. He was fine last night. This morning he was not himself. He was bawling and cranky and just unhappy.

About 9:30 a.m. I got a call from daycare saying Jack was in hysterics, he was spitting up and bawling his eyes out and would NOT be set down. I rushed over there and they were right, he was hysterical. He turned red and locked up when I put him in his car seat. I took him straight to the doctor. They looked and said he had a really horrible ear infection in his left ear again, worse than before. She said daycare was where he was likely getting this and said I might want to look into staying at home. Uh. I don't have that opportunity. I live in pricy Annapolis and we just bought our first home. There is just no possibility of me not bringing home a paycheck.

I guess I'm just venting. Anyone else having this problem with daycare = sick sick sick baby???

The good news, the doc said, was he's building up a good immunity and wouldn't say be getting this sick when he starts pre-K etc.

I don't know. I'm home from work today watching over the poor little guy and I'm sure my employer is sick of the sick-baby excuse. Motrin is already helping little Jack...he's napping now and I just feel confused...I've spent so much money on antibiotics, copays, daycare days that he's not even there (because he's sick) and unpaid work days when I ran out of vacation (due to maternity) to stay home with him.

FROWN.

[zazou]

Well I got a great job in Sydney and will be heading back home in March. I will start mid-April and Medina will be 10 months then. I am scared of putting her in daycare because of the same reason. All my friends children are constantly sick in winter (here in Germany because it's really cold) but it's the same everywhere. When the chld care centres are full and one child is sick, viruses spread rapidly and children/babies are easily prone to become sick as they have not yet been exposed to the numerous strains circulating out there. Yes it does build up his immune system, he is producing heaps of antibodies, so yay for that. But it is annoying. That I can understand because ear infections are horrible. Babies can only express themselves via crying and being grumpy and that hurts us Mums too.

Do you have family members that can help take care of him? Or at least only a few days a week? My mum will take care of Medina 2 days and my best friend offered a few days (she works part-time) so perhaps in the end I can avoid child care for a few months.

I do feel with you, I have seen friends also go through that in particular my friends who put their children in quite young. I hope he gets better soon. Poor baby.....(and you too)

[FirstCub4Bear]

Congrats on the job!
Well...daycare has been good because he gets a lot of interaction with other babies and they really spend a lot of time working on things like sitting up, jumping in a jumperoo, tummy time, etc. I like him being in daycare because of those reasons - and he's on a really good routine. I guess I will just have to stick it out. I am hoping when Spring rolls around the warm weather will kick those colds out the door. Let's hope he doesn't get allergies! Sigh.
We don't have any family around. My family lives 3 hours away in Richmond, VA and my husband's family is mainly in Winston-Salem, NC. Other family is in Florida, Canada and Ohio! We're all over the place!
Jack just had the rest of his bottle, some sweet potatoes and is wrapped up and snoozing in his Boppy swing right now. He seems tired but content for the time being. He's probably wiped. Poor baby indeed!