Saturday, November 27, 2010

Compromised

Now here's something I didn't really think too much about before having a baby: Motherhood seems to come with a greatly increased risk of illness.

When I was pregnant last winter, I caught a couple of colds, along with a stomach bug. In years past, I would usually get one cold per winter and that was it. I am not a sickly person in general. But then that compromised immune system that comes along with pregnancy kicked me right in the ass with two colds and a fun episode in which I got entirely too intimate with my toilet. It sucked, since I was so unaccustomed to being sick, but I figured that once that whole sharing my body with another person thing was done, I'd be back to my usual hale and hearty self.

HAHA SUCKAH.

I am now on my second cold of the season, a mere month and a half after dealing with the first one. My immune system appears to continue to be compromised, probably due to the fact that I haven't slept through the night more than few times in the past year or so.

You know all those stories in the media about studies linking lack of sleep with a poor immune system? I would now like to add the results of my own personal--unintentional--study on lack of sleep and urge you thus: Sleep as much as you can, or you will pay. OH YES YOU WILL.

That's all. Carry on.

4 comments:

SaintTigerlily said...

Oh my god! YES. I never EVER get sick, and here I am with my first nasty cold in over a year. Sore throat, sniffles, the works. Not cool Motherhood!

Daisy said...

I recommend lots of citrus - an orange or grapefruit a day is not too much - and tea with local honey. Sleep, of course, but you know that and you'll take it as it comes. good luck!

jean said...

Just wait till he goes to school. He will bring home all sorts of nasty germs and he will share them! Eventually you will get sleep and he'll develope immunities - it only takes about 14 years.

Jen's Farmily said...

1.) I read your response to the LOVE POTION question on your blogger profile and cracked up. I love it.

2.) I am now on my second cold in the past 2 weeks. It's freakin ridiculous. I'm never sick and now TWO in less than two WEEKS?! Ugh. MrC has been telling me to go to the doctor but all they'll tell me is that it needs to run it's course and then I would have wasted 2 hours in the waiting room.