The first time my daughter vomited, I yelled in terror and then she cried.
She was two and had caught a stomach bug from her daycare.
She threw up again.
I was not winning this moment.
Sometimes, in the worst possible luck, it happens in the middle of the night.
As a parent, you cant stop it, but you might take a stab at limit the damage.
I have put together a plan of action.
(Note: This post will focus on the containment of the vomit, not cause of it.
For that, consult your pediatrician.)
you’re free to keep going until it gets too bulky.
(The multiple layers are like lasagna.)
Things to include:
A barf bucket.The vessel that willoh kindly, oh pleasecatch it all.
A glow stick to put in the bucket.This is a brilliant hack that Ifirst learned about on Reddit.
When the lights are off, a 10-cent glow stick can help your sick kid aim.
Puppy pads.Use them to protect the carpet around your kids bed.
A hair-tie.Long hair and the stomach flu donotmix.
Find clothing items that can slip on and off easily.
Beach towels.For toddlers, thick towels can replace their hard-to-clean comforter for the night.
On Puke Night …
However, if you havent done any prep work, dont worry.
Heres a quick-and-dirty strategy:
- Move the kid to the bathtub or shower to contain the vomit.
(If you have a waterproof picnic blanket or table cloth, thats greatput that down first.)
The layers can be removed as needed.
From then on, comfort your kid.
Tell him youre sad hes not feeling well and that youre here.
You will both get through this, but theres no denying itthis is the worst.
The aftermath
The day after Puke Night will be a blur of exhaustion.
Dont feel guilty about turning onFinding Doryand zoning out with your kid for the rest of the afternoon.
It is a highly overlooked life skill.
We hope your little one is feeling better.
