My baby boy has seen viruses and infections of many kinds. He’s eight months old, coming to nine, and to date, this boy has had:

1) two bouts of diarrhea, one lasting as long as two weeks

2) one bout of gastric flu (the virus was so potent it knocked me out too)

3) two throat infections followed by the works: phlegm, cough, runny nose

4) three occasions of congested nose followed by high fever

5) and this just in yesterday: conjunctivitis

People who know me know that I stand by my decision to send all my children to infantcare. I stand by it because this is the best option of all the limited options I have being a full-time working mom. Sure, there’s the option to leave my babies with a domestic helper (or even two helpers) and have her mind my kids, or to leave them with a nanny and do pick-ups when I knock off. I chose to leave all my babies at infantcare because I’d much prefer to trust professional teachers who have experience and genuine love for caring for babies, and have my children interact with other babies and to socialise. At the infantcare which all my three kids have gone to (and Nat will still be there till I stay home next year), the teachers fill the infants’ day with lots of activities – storytelling, music-making, sing-along and mini-lessons to help in their development. They’re not plonked in front of the tv the whole day or just mechanically fed, burped and put to bed when it’s naptime. My babies have done gym workouts, cut cheese, rolled sushi rice, squeezed frozen toothpaste and painted with their fingers and toes. They go for outdoor strolls, do simple craft work and play with the many available developmental toys there. The infantcare teachers that loved Ben and Becks to bits and showered them with so much love are the same ones that are caring for Nat today.

Unfortunately, the babies also catch each other’s germs and viruses more easily and readily, and I’ve had my fair share of heartaches during the early years when Ben and Becks were there. This is now the third time running of having my heart broken again and again – for Baby Nat.

How much can a mother take? I’m seeing my PD as frequent as once a week, and sometimes even twice a week and the medical expenses are escalating to a new high. Yesterday, after three days of low-grade fever and lots of sniffing, my poor baby started to have gooey green discharge coming from  his eyes. Those big, round, charming eyes have been reduced to swollen, red, slity ones. Antibiotics, Iliadin nose drops, Sterimar nasal spray, antihistamines, nebulising – here we go again. I’m not sure if it’s fair to make the causal link to him being in infantcare but it’s surely not rocket science that there’s a correlation. I can only encourage myself while being up and comforting a sick baby at 1, 3 and 5 in the morning that he will be stronger and tougher after each episode and pray that God protects everyone in this house from these virus attacks.

My dear baby boy, it won’t be long till Mama stays home to take care of you full-time. You’re one tough cookie for a baby, my love.