It’s back. The COUGH came back on Tuesday night, and I hoped, prayed, that it would go away. Then again, I thought, “Get real: Aria is a day care baby. She’s breast-fed, but she’s still a day care baby.” So when her cough got worse last night, causing her to wake up and vomit projectiles of breastmilk and phlegm, I knew that the dreaded croup was back. This time around, it seems a bit different. She doesn’t seem to have a sore throat, but she does have a seemingly self-replenishing stream of thick, yellow snot bubbling out of her nose.
Ai yai yai, here we go again. I put 3 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil on the floor of the shower and turned on the hot water, then brought the baby in with me again and sat on the toilet seat, inhaling the steam together. I was tempted to give her the ibuprofen again, but then remembered, “I’m trying to be a holistic Mom here. Plus, it’s Chinese New Year, a brand-new chance to keep my holistic direction going.” Then, I remembered an email my friend Lisette Narragon sent me (Lisette is a professional homeopath), where she said to consider Spongia Tosta as a croup remedy. So I dissolved 3 of those (30C) in a glass of water – Lisette would probably kill me, she says not to give the baby a 30C, but I had nothing else and was desperate at 11pm – and gave her a dose. Initially, Aria seemed to get a bit worse, which apparently is a good sign and “we’re onto something,” according to homeopaths. So 15 minutes later, I gave her another dose.
I don’t know/could not tell whether she was better, as she fell asleep. Maybe that meant she was better, I don’t know. She didn’t seem to wake up as many times last night as she did the first time Croup came around – thank the Heavens – and I don’t seem to be as much of a zombie today as I was last time, if that is any indication. And if the doctor was right, Croup is worst on nights 2 and 3, so we may have another bout of coughing, spitting, phlegm, and plentiful boogers tonight. Wish me luck!!
