That's what my youngest miserably told me at 2:00 this morning when I asked her what was making her feel so bad. Then she ran to the bathroom and promptly threw up. Which she defines as leaning over the toilet and coughing so the germs can get out and stop eating your food. Lol! I love kids' explanations of thing. Even if I feel terrible for her being sick. *sigh* Just another day as a mama.... Even when it hurts your heart. She'd been up most the night vomiting. I usually just let bugs run their course with supportive measures like fluids and rest. But when she told me she was doing her best to try and be a Trooper and not throw up because it hurt her belly and she knows that throw-up makes me sick feeling (I'm a sympathy puker. Ashamed to say, but by 4 yrs old, both of my kids could vomit with out assistance so mommy didn't end up sharing the toilet with them... or just using the trash can) and that she just wishes she could sleep without having to cough at the toilet, I knew I had to do something.
But how can you help someone to stop vomiting. Easing nausea is one thing, but usually once someone is actually up chucking you either need prescription meds (boo) or you have to just let it go. But I am a firm believer that you can do just about anything naturally. People survived loooong before modern medicine, and if it is severe enough that medical intervention is necessary I'll can always take advantage of it. But this isn't that bad and trying something I whip up in the kitchen first is always worth a shot!
So I went to work, putting all my knowledge and wisdom into action. I am super mom! I can fix tummy uckies in a single bound! Catch falling drinks with lightening speed! And see trouble being caused in the other room with the x-ray vision from the eyes in the back of my head! I needed to make a tummy bug fix that was kid friendly, Our baby bug is our picky one and if it's not palatable, she won't take it. This made things a little bit trickier. How was I going to make a kid friendly all natural stomach cure? Ingenuity! I decided to start with two well known and well used sour stomach cures... ginger and mint.
I took some mint, chamomile tea and some fresh ginger and put it on the stove with just enough water to cover the tea bag. I let it cook until the water was reduced by half. Then I added 1Tbs of apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbs lemon juice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbs honey. Once again I let it cook down by half. Then I peeled and chopped an apple and dropped into my food processor (my food processor has never been used as much as it has since we've decided to homestead). I poured in my strained syrupy tea mix from the stove and let it rip. I let it run until it was just about pure liquid. I poured this mess into some freeze pop molds (you could use ice cube trays) and stuck cinnamon sticks in them for the handles and popped them in the freezer. I knew they'd be set by morning. For the night, I had to do better than that, and I knew putting this odd applesauce on her already revolting stomach would not end pleasantly. (If you have babies under a year old, DO NOT use this popsicle recipe as is. It is not safe to give babies honey. Use raw sugar or agave nectar in place of the honey for an infant safe version)
For an immediate fix, I went liquid. I put 1 Tbs lime juice with 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp baking soda in an 8 oz glass of half water half coconut water and had her sip it slowly. That managed to stop it until this morning. I guess it wore off, because as we're trying to get Big Sissy ready for school, it started again. I had her sip another glass of the liquid fix and enjoy a popsicle. Around lunch she said she felt a little better and was a tiny bit hungry. So I used an old trick. I heated some milk on the stove until it was almost boiling, mixed in a slice of buttered toast that had been crumbled, some honey, cinnamon, and a mashed banana. She ate it slowly and said it was delicious. The best note, that'll help the other end (which started ruining pants about 10:00 am) to tighten up.
She's still sick and miserable, but she's no longer vomiting. Her "other end" is still loose, but I'm hoping that'll end soon too. She fell asleep watching the Power Puff Girls and is finally getting the rest her Little Bitty Icky Tummy Germs denied her over night. I may not have cured your common stomach virus, but there is something soothing and empowering to know that as a mom, you can help your little bug to feel better. That you have that magic all little kids assume their mommy has. But, I don't think we're supposed to be able to "cure" whatever ails them. I think that it's the same in illness as it is in life. We can't always fix what's troubling our babes. Sometimes we have to let the troubles and problems run their course. They become stronger from going through these challenges. With viruses it's their immune systems, with life it's their character. Our job is to soothe them, to guide them, to be there and support them as they grow and heal themselves. This will make our children strong and healthy adults, both physically and emotionally. And no matter what, they will always know that their mommy will be there for them, not to catch them and keep them from falling, but to teach them and help them to rise when they do.
Today, learn one way to help soothe those you care about. It may be learning to be a better listener, being able to let them make the mistakes we know are bad, or cooking up some home remedy for an ailment. Learn to use the world around you and the wisdom with in you to comfort those you care about. Love them enough to always be there. To show them the strength in failing, the benefit of illness, the silver lining to the storm clouds of life. Today, learn to love in a way you had never loved before. Because, this is not for them, in the long run. It's for you. There is nothing like the feeling you have when you love.
Today I hope you find health... even in the smallest of ways.
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