Nursing the Wee Ones With Garlic

I once romanticized what it would be like when I became a Mommy and was up at night caring for a sick child. There is one, and only one, reason for this: no one ever told me that it was quite likely I would be sick also! In all my teenaged fantasies about this sacrificial part of motherhood, I never considered the sacrifice coming from a position of weakness. I always thought I would be the strong, well-rested Mommy coming to the rescue, not the weak, sniffling Mommy reaching for a tissue and wishing she were back in bed.

Last night was one of those nights. I had been up late making Christmas gifts. Before I even got a chance to slip into bed, Baby Q. was up crying. And then croaking the most horrible cough I have ever heard. I dutifully suctioned her nose while she screamed, but at least she could breath more easily in the end.

And then I rocked her. And as I rocked her, I listened to her labored breathing and a slightly suspicious rattle in her chest.

It was time to pull out the garlic.

I took Q. to Si while I prepared my supplies. Si put her in a steamy bath, which quickly changed her tune from pouting to playing. And I made her a folk remedy that has proven true every time. I don’t know if it will work for everyone, but it cetainly helps our family.

I take a clean washcloth and fill it with a tablespoon {or two if it’s for an adult} of minced or crushed garlic. I fold the washcloth up so that there is no way the garlic will escape. I boil water. I pour boiling or almost boiling water over the washcloth. At this point, the whole house begins to smell like Italian food.

Yum.

I take said washcloth to the bathtub and make sure it is still warm but not enough to burn. And then I press it to the skin. Usually, I hold it to the back, chest, and bottoms of the feet for about 15 seconds each. If the child is complaining about their ear, I hold it over the ear for 15 seconds and then also do the feet. Skin is permeable, and garlic is considered an anti-fungal, anti-viral, all around good-for-your-health sort of plant. Some people eat it. We bathe in it.

After we have done a set or two of 15 second intervals, I wash the child so they no longer smell like food. This way, if I have to get up with them later, they don’t make me hungry.

You know what? Baby Q. slept well the rest of the night. We put her down in the playpen in our room just in case I needed to get to her quickly.

The toddler woke up at 3:00 AM to interrogate me. She toddled in and stood there staring at me. Then she poked me somewhat forcefully. The she growled: “Q. seep in me woom!”

{Translation: Baby Q. sleeps in my room.}

I told her we would talk about it in the morning.