15 things to prepare yourself for when spending a night on the children’s ward

I am sure every single one of you will agree, there is nothing worse than seeing your child sick and in pain. It is a horrible thing to endure and goes against everything us parents want to do. We want to protect our children from anything that can hurt them, make them happy and keep them healthy. The latter is unfortunately not always something we can control, no matter how much we try. I have spoke on this blog several times in the past about how Leo suffers with regular ear and upper respiratory problems. He has been on antibiotics at least four times in the last year, as well as needing steroids on a couple of occasions.
At the beginning of last month Leo got ill again, he was so bad that instead of treating him at home our extremely concerned GP admitted him to hospital. It was a horrible scary time. We rode in the ambulance and attempted to give Leo oxygen through a mask – this is impossible! After an hour or so in the hospital we were told Leo would need to stay in over night to have regular inhalers and there was only enough room for one parent to stay and of course that parent was me. That night was long, tiring and stressful and I was not the only parent on the ward to think so!
So if, unfortunately, you have to spend a night on the children’s ward here are 15 things you should prepare for…
1. You will have to sleep on a camp bed on the floor while your baby towers above you in their cot.
2. Your child will not want to sleep knowing that you are on the floor next to them.
3. It will take you ages to get your baby to sleep as hospitals are not the quietest of places.
4. Approximately 20 minutes after getting your child to sleep the baby opposite will start crying and wake yours up again.
5. Your babies crying will wake up someone else’s child.
6. You will give up all hope of sleep and let your toddler watch films on your phone while you attempt to cling on to sanity.
7. Hearing other peoples children in pain is nearly as bad as hearing your own.
8. There may be a point where you feel like crying.
9. Other parents will be crying and this will make you feel less alone.
10. When you do manage to get to sleep a nurse will appear to give your child their medicine, starting the crying cycle off again.
11. There will be times in the night you will wake up with a nurse stood next to the bed.
12. In the morning you don’t get breakfast or a cup of tea.
13. Parents across the ward will all give each other an apologetic/understanding smile the next day – what a night eh?!
14. Oh and when you wake up after whatever little sleep you had you will resemble someone from The Walking Dead..
15. You will spend your whole night thinking up ways to treat your little one once you are discharged..we went for ice cream and watched lots of films.
This is what I look like after 2 hours sleep..zzz!
My brave boy.
Have you had to spend a night in hospital with your little one? Was your experience similar to mine?
Mums' Days

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16 Comments

  1. October 9, 2015 / 8:45 am

    Some good advice, my youngest had bad reflux and kept aspirating and getting ridiculous chest infections needing IV antibiotics. It was awful staying in hospital with him. Hope Leo is on the mend soon xx #thelist

  2. October 9, 2015 / 9:06 am

    Poor Leo! And poor mummy too – reading this list just made me well up a little bit, something I probably wouldn't have done until I had my own child! Seeing your child in pain is one of the worst feelings ever. I've not had to spend a night in hospital but over the summer had to take Baby Boy Wonder to the ER while we were in the US visiting my family. He had a major fever and rash but in the end it was just a virus! We were only there for 2 hours but that was enough for me. Hope Leo is feeling better! #thelist

  3. October 12, 2015 / 9:21 am

    Oh yes this brings back a recent horrible night in hospital with my baby. The nurse was doing ward checks every two hours and we were last on the list – so all the kids were awake and crying before she even got to us! Luckily it was just one night and we got back home to sleep and cuddle the next day. I feel so sorry for parents and kids that are stuck there for days.

  4. October 12, 2015 / 9:40 am

    Oh goodness, what a nightmare 🙁 I think I would get my husband to stay as he deals with these things so much better than me! Hope all is ok now. #maternitymondays

  5. emma lander
    October 12, 2015 / 6:53 pm

    aww bless him and poor you. We have never spent the night. Being in there in the day is bad enough 🙁 lots of love xx #MaternityMondays

  6. October 13, 2015 / 2:30 am

    #9 & 13 helps hey. So sorry about Leo, hope he gets better soon. What a night it must have been for you. It's awful watching our little ones suffer, isn't it.

  7. Aby Moore
    October 15, 2015 / 8:03 pm

    Aw I can't imagine how difficult it would be. Big hugs lovely. Thanks for linking up to #TheList x

  8. October 16, 2015 / 7:15 am

    Oh yes, I can definitely relate to this – have had quite a few nights like this in hospital although with longer stays, I found that I got much better at tuning out the general noise and only woke for my own child. Hope Leo is feeling better now.

  9. October 16, 2015 / 5:15 pm

    Oh no that sounds awful – for you and for your little man. I hope all is well now. Leo is much better now thanks, got an inhaler for him from the hospital so fingers crossed it won't get to this stage again xx

  10. October 16, 2015 / 5:18 pm

    Oh Gosh that must have been so scary, a fever and rash! Glad he was ok, bit of a nightmare happening while you were away. I know, there is really nothing worse than seeing your child in pain, it really is something you don't understand until you have had your own. He is much better now thanks, the doctors worked their magic and we only had to stay the one night xx

  11. October 16, 2015 / 5:20 pm

    Oh no – poor you and your poor baby. Hope all is ok now? It is so difficult to get any sleep, 2 hourly checks are a nightmare. At least you got to sleep the next day, I don't know how people cope staying in there for more than one night, I am pretty sure it would break me!xx

  12. October 16, 2015 / 5:23 pm

    Ahh my husband would have stayed but Leo is such a mummy's boy, especially when he is poorly. All is good now thanks 🙂 xx

  13. October 16, 2015 / 5:24 pm

    Hospitals just suck full stop don't they?!I really hope we don't have to stay again..but I am prepared for it this time. Thanks for the love 🙂 xx

  14. October 16, 2015 / 5:25 pm

    Yes, it helps to know you are not the only one going through it and everyone else on the ward understands what you're going through. Yes, it is the worst thing ever xx

  15. October 16, 2015 / 5:26 pm

    Thanks Aby, it was awful but got an inhaler for home now so as long as we act fast next time he gets poorly hopefully we won't have to stay again. Thanks for hosting xx

  16. October 16, 2015 / 5:28 pm

    Oh no, poor you. I hope all is ok now? The noise was something I was not prepared for, if it happens again I will know what to expect and hopefully be able to tune it out too!xx