Sick Again

This has been one really long weekend. My baby has been sick all weekend long. I took Thomas to the pediatrician Saturday, and he is now on antibiotics. I don't know what they put in Amoxicillin but both my boys love it and it is the easiest medicine to give to my kids. If only they were all this easy.
Thomas has had really high fevers, he can barley eat or sleep with any comfort because he is so congested. Thomas is a kid on the go all the time and the last three days he wants nothing but his mom and their is no putting him down.
I called in sick to work again today because Thomas is still running a fever. They come and go but they haven't stopped.
Here is just another case of why I shouldn't be working. I have already missed 10 days this year from illness and only one of those was a day where I was sick. I think if is very unfair to my employer. My husband always says he will take off next time but every time next time comes around he can't for one reason or another.
The good news is I have a very understanding employer. I don't know how employers can't be understanding these days especially when both parents work. I still think I am being very unfair to my employer but until my husband sees it that way or I get fired nothing is going to change.
What do other working moms do?

Babies Ear Infections and a Natural Remedy

Thomas has had an ear infection after each tooth he cuts. The tooth will come in and one week later he has an infection. It is amazing how they go hand in hand. Thomas never pulls at his ears or is cranky but he ends up with a fever. Once the fevers start he will not eat and that isn’t any fun when you are nursing and he doesn’t want to eat. I keep my pump at work so I end up miserable most of the time.

After the last ear infection I started doing my home work about ear infections because I hate seeing him end up on antibiotics all the time. I bought an ear checker from One Step Ahead that works pretty good. The instrument has a guide book on how to identify a healthy ear from an infected ear. There are other ear and throat exam kits out their but this one doesn’t break the bank as it only cost $14.95. They have a much nice otoscope also that looks like one a doctor would use but it cost much more. I can check his ears myself to see if they are infected.

Someone at work recommend garlic drops for his ears. I found garlic drops for kids at a health food store (Mullein/Garlic Ear Drops) and bought them. The garlic is supposed to be a natural way to relieve the pressure of the ear infection.

I have not put these methods to practice until this week. Thomas has come down with a fever over the weekend and I looked in his ears and one of them is pink so I know he has an ear infection. I have been giving him Tylenol for the pain and putting the garlic drops into his ears to help relieve the pressure. He is eating normal with the infection and that is a major step forward. His fevers have not been nearly as high and his last fever was yesterday afternoon. I actually think the drops are working. I am still checking his ears to make sure the infection goes away and if in a couple more days it doesn’t I will take him to the doctor but I wanted to see if I couldn’t avoid the doctor and provide him with a natural remedy. I hate seeing the pediatrician all the time and I feel if I can resolve this with out a trip to the doctor’s office that is great.

I have read many different things on the internet when I Googled “Ear Infections in Babies” “Natural remedies for ear infections”. All the things I read brought me to my course of action today. I have read that studies have been done and most ear infections will heal themselves with out treatment. I also read a study about babies with infections that are not put on antibiotics, heal in the same amount of time as those who are always put on antibiotics and often times antibiotics cause them to end up ear infections more often because they build a resistance to the antibiotics. I wish I could remember what web sites I found all this on so I could share the link with everyone. . I also read it is very important that children see doctors when they have ear infections so that they don’t end up with permanent damage to their hearing.
I love the internet because you can find out so much information, but at the same time you can end up with conflicting information. I feel like everyone should do their homework and don’t just trust what one person has to say. I would recommend that all parents do what is right for their child and don’t just take the advice of one source. Do your homework! That is what I have done and I still haven’t fully ruled out a visit to the Pediatrician. I will keep you updated.