I'm pretty sure you guys have the same memories of having the stomach bug as I do. Ginger ale and saltines. vomit. rinse. repeat.
So...I have been following this same pattern of behavior with my own children up until today. Why did I continue doing this when I know that sugar is the worst thing you can give someone with a stomach virus and when I rarely give my kids white flour on a day when they are in picture perfect health? Hmmm...let's explore this.
Let me paint the scene. Its 4:30 a.m. and I hear, "MO-mmy! I think I just bawfed on the couch!!!" So I'm up, bathing the kid and throwing in the laundry. Okay. She's clean, the couch is clean (why she was on the couch?), husband is awake and getting ready for work, and now my other daughter, who heard me turn on a movie to try to lull the puker back to sleep, is awake. I have no chance of getting to the store to pick up mentioned "sick food." Now this is serious chance to explore old habits and start trying new things.
First thing- sipping water. One teaspoon at a time. Kept it down. Next, moved on to Ginger Kombucha Tea. That came up- possibly because she chugged it before I could get the cup away from her.
*note* This is the kind of child who has the appetite of a 360 pound male wrestler on steroids.* I was not shocked that she hadn't finished vomiting before she had asked for something to eat. I'm not kidding, her head was still in the bucket. At first I was strong. "No, you have to wait until you can keep this teaspoon of water down for 1 hour until you can eat." I forget where that came from but it sounds reasonable.
Then the whining started. I suck at listening to whining. I hate it with a passion. "I'M HUNGRY!" Now the pulling on the pants has started. "MAWWWWMMMY!!!" Oh no. I was weakening. I quickly headed to the greatest parenting resource on earth: Google. Typed in foods to give a kid with a stomach bug. Came up with brown rice, bananas, toast and some other foods. I went banana. Okay, kid. I'm going to do the polar opposite of everything I have been told in life and give you fruit in the midst of vomiting. You are my guinea pig. Good luck. I gave her a quarter of a banana and a quarter cup of lemon and lime juice mixed with stevia and water upon her request. Guess what??? She's still alive. And hasn't thrown up in two hours and is playing her ass off with her sister, thus leaving me alone long enough to blog.
Life lessons of the day:
Its hard to kill kids, even the sickly ones
Listen to the sick person and help them to listen to their bodies (remember: the lemon/limeaide was my daughter's idea)
Trust your gut (no pun intended, okay, I lied pun totally intended) and don't just do things because that is what you have always done
Good luck trusting your gut and pray that mine remains unscathed!!!
when sick, i crave ginger ale- my ultra running buddy had stomach issues half way into a 77 mile race. a fellow racer gave him some natural ginger candy, which a few miles later, calmed his stomach. never would of thought of using a banana, but it is a very common ultra food at aid stations, and they never seem to bother me.. and I crave them just as well during ultras. do you think something like Reed's All Natural Ginger Ale would do for kids? It is higher in ginger, has more bite, pretty strong- and taken for granted she doesnt chug it like a 360lbs wrestler on steroids! :)
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