Mommy Health Guidebook

 

 Way back when I was pregnant, I heard about the book If Your Kid Eats this Book, Everything Will Still be Okay: How to Know if Your Child's Injury or Illness is Really an Emergency.  It is a book written by an emergency room doctor and goes through various injuries and illnesses, how to treat them, and when you need to call the doctor or go to the hospital.  I bought it, read it cover to cover, and then pretty much forgot about it.  During Xander's first year, he really didn't have too many illnesses or injuries, so I only checked it a couple of times.

Last night, however, I was SO thankful I had read the book.  I got home from class around 10 and my dad said Xander had a bit of congestion so to go listen to him (we are possibly facing a second surgery for ear tubes and adenoid removal, so congestion is a big deal around here).  Anyway, I guess Mommy getting home was the cue he had been waiting for because as soon as I walked into the room he woke up with a horrible "barky" croup cough.  He started this awful coughing fit that scared the crap out of me.  My first instinct was to put him in a steamy bathroom, which I did for about a minute.  Then I remembered reading that taking kids into the cool air can calm the coughing, which is why many kids with croup get better on the drive to the hospital.  I wrapped him in a blanket and took him outside to "look at the stars."  He immediately stopped coughing and could actually breathe again!  It by no means fixed his cough completely, but it did stop the big fit he was having so that I could calm and soothe him.  I pulled out my book and reread the whole section on the croup.  I was able to go to bed confident that I was doing what was best for him, but also knowing the warning signs for needing to take him to the hospital.  It may not sound like much, but late at night with a sick baby, that piece of mind can be priceless.

Anyway, I was very glad to have run across the book and thought I would share just to make a few other mommies aware of its existence.  Libraries might have it, and it is written in an easy, conversational manner, with humor thrown in.  I think this book may be one of my go to gifts for new moms and baby showers!