Hayley Matthews: Sniffing out menthol help in the throes of attack by snot

I bet you're looking at the weather today thinking: 'Bring back Wednesday!' I mean what happened there? That was amazing. There I was with the sandals on, toes out, no coat, not even a cardigan. It was beautiful and it completely warmed me up.

Hayley's family is fighting off a stinking cold. Picture: PA

Fast forward to today and it’s a different story. Wet and windy is what’s forecast and it’s not helping the stinking cold we’ve been fighting in the family for the past few weeks.

I’m blocked up and sound like I should be calling the cabin crew to deck on the 2:10 flight to Majorca, whilst my six-year old has tonsils almost as big as his hands. He’s snoring like an old man in his 80s who’s been on the beer all night and we’ve all had very little sleep due to either coughing, fetching medicine or blowing our noses at 2am.

Mr Hayley has just about kept it at bay with a few brandy measures each night but me being pregnant and my son being six, that’s not recommended for either of us, unfortunately.

I’m due for the flu jab today and not so sure it’s the best idea when I’m feeling like a joiner’s been at my throat with a sheet of sandpaper. However, I’d rather not have the flu on top of this, especially with baby No 2 due to make an appearance in the next two-three weeks. I bet there’s plenty of you feeling the same along with being a bit sad that summer is now completely over.

My rose bush in the garden has given up for the year and my jasmine plant looks how I feel, all dry, cracked and droopy.

The question all the mums have been asking each other in the playground is “Have you had your heating on yet?” Oh yes! And I’ve been going round the place rubbing olbas oil on to the radiators to give off a menthol vapour to keep us from snotting about during the night. If you’re like me and tried menthol plug-ins, Karvol capsules, menthol rub on the feet etc and it’s not done much then I feel your pain. Out of frustration I started researching the benefits of a dehumidifier and how some can take eucalyptus oil. Worth a shot. I found a Babymoov one that is a nightlight, room temperature gauge, dehumidifier and you can put oil in the middle. It’s genius. It’s saved me the last few days and has been a great discovery. Think steam bowl times ten in your bedroom, all night. God knows how many nights I’ve spent filling up bowls of hot water, adding eucalyptus oil and placing it near my son’s bed. And it’s actually never that strong anyway. However, a steam machine blowing “minty air” as my six-year-old calls it, with a cool selection of fluorescent lights that would challenge CC Bloom’s dancefloor, is the bee’s knees for a snotty family (for the record, I miss a good night out in CC’s – after the baby arrives maybe).

This is the second cold we’ve had in the past four weeks and despite upping on the vitamins, omega, fruit and veggies, we’ve succumbed to the dreaded snot! Maybe a move to Spain for the winter months would be a sensible option.

However, on the plus side to having the cold, it’s always a good excuse to put your feet up, get cosy and order in a curry for tea and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing tonight. So here’s to a snot-free week ahead – atchoo!