5 Tips to Survive Cold and Flu Season

 

We are in the thick of cold and flu season and the Murchison’s have had our fair share of illness. Right before our cruise, all 3 of us were sick! Liam was recovering from double ear infections and a runny nose and then his ear tube surgery, Tyler also had an ear infection and runny nose and I literally used an entire box of tissues in just over 24 hours. Like how is that possible?  Thankfully, we were stocked up on my favorite Kleenex with Lotion so our noses didn’t get super raw. We chalked all this up to having a child in daycare. Tyler and I or any other parent with children are far more susceptible to germs because Liam is pretty much in a little germ factory all day while we’re at work.

With all of the winter weather they’re calling for all along the East Coast, it’s great to have Walmart’s 2-day shipping and in-store pickup! Both options save you additional exposure to germs and allow you to stock up on all of your necessities. And you can stay warm in the comfort of your own home when it’s 8 degrees outside. Score!

Being sick the absolute worst so here are my tips for surviving cold and flu season:

1. Hand Sanitizer

I don’t consider myself a germaphobe but I became way more conscious of using hand sanitizer after becoming a Mom. I keep it in my diaper bag, in Liam’s nursery for post diaper changing sessions, at my desk at work and in my purse. It’s so easy to just give a little squirt and kill germs on your hands in a jiffy. Liam even knows to hold his hands out for a squirt and to rub them around to get it all in.

2. Boxes on boxes of Kleenex

Growing up we always used store brand tissues and I always felt (and still do feel) that they just don’t cut it. Kleenex offers a variety of options based on your needs and are always a step above the rest. My favorite for this time of year is the Anti-Viral tissues that has a moisture activated blue dot layer with special anti viral formula to kill cold and flu viruses. We’ll take all of the extra protection we can get around here!

3. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

There is nothing better than a warm bowl of soup when you’re not feeling well. And for some reason, unbeknownst to me, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup seems to have healing powers. This is my favorite recipe and I make it almost exactly as the recipe states but I also add in a 2 heaping spoonfuls of Chicken Bouillon Base and 2 extra cups of water as we prefer a higher broth to soup ratio. Also, I have come leaps and bounds from my childhood days of refusing to eat anything other than a can of chicken noodle soup with just chicken, noodles and soup. My Mom will be so proud!

4. Humidifier

Truthfully, I never had one of these until I was pregnant but man do they make a difference! If you’re congested, have a runny nose or you feel your nose is super dried out from the dry heat, you will notice a huge difference using a humidifier. Pro tip: get a cool mist humidifier. You don’t want to make a sauna in your room while you’re sleeping.

5. Get a Flu shot

This may sound like a no brainer but there are tons of people (cough my husband cough) who refuse to get a Flu shot. While there are some semi-valid points to why people choose not to get a flu shot, the pros out way cons here. Most insurance providers offer them for free (my employer even had flu shots administered at work!) so you really have no excuse not to get one! They do tend to run out towards the end of the winter so call your doctor or local pharmacy and set up an appointment.

Is a baby trying to blow his own nose not the cutest ever? Also, please excuse the football and crashed train in the back. Boys.

The aftermath of letting your child play with a box of tissues. At least he had fun, right?

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