What to Do When You Catch the Stomach Flu

What do you do when you’re a parent with a stomach bug? Here is what to do when you catch the stomach flu.

I thought I escaped it… I really did. The flu has been invading every nook and cranny of our country this season and since the sickness around my town has slowed down, I didn’t think I could catch the flu. I was wrong.

Sunday night I woke up at 3:30 am with horrible stomach cramps. I was extremely nauseous and felt hungover despite having not had a drop of alcohol in the past 24 hours. I’ll save you the details, but by 10 am I was lying in bed with horrible nausea, body aches, a low grade fever, and pounding headache.

I was supposed to take a trip to Newport with my friend for my blog, but there was no way I could get in the car, or any reason why I should leave my house. I spent the last 36 hours binge watching Netflix and rolling around the bed like a big baby.

If you’re a parent thinking you have caught the stomach bug going around, here is what to do when you catch the stomach flu.

1. Ask for help.

There is no way I could have managed the last two days without help from my Mom and husband. Granted they wanted to stay as far away as possible from the stomach flu, they took care of the girls and me so that I could rest and recover.

2. Drink fluids.

I still can’t stomach anything but saltines, so I’m drinking as much fluids as I can to make sure that I stay hydrated. Thankfully this stomach flu had little vomiting, but it is essential for your body to be laden with fluids to work to get rid of the virus.

4. Disinfect the stomach bug germs.

Once you’re feeling well enough, make sure you disinfect your house. If you’re lucky enough to have someone else home with you that’s not sick, enlist their disinfecting services (but tell them to wear a mask and gloves). Don’t forget the t.v. remotes, door handles, your phone, and anything you might have touched while you were sick.

Boil your toothbrush, wash your sheets in hot water, and spray everything with disinfectant. I love to use Thieves Cleaner all over my house, but break out the Lysol for the stomach flu.

See more germ free cleaning and disinfecting tips here.