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Surviving Your Baby's Cold disclaimer: These are a compilation of letters I've written to friends, or advice from my mother or friends. They are not written by doctors. Be sure to check with your pediatrician for any medical advice. Remember, that all babies are different. What works for one may not work for your baby. As you know the medications your baby can take during a cold are limited. Plus, you may not want to use over-the-counter cold medications. Here are a few things we found helpful when our little one had a cold. 1. When your baby is really congested it helps to run the shower really hot (with no one in it) to build up some steam. Then reduce the hot water to a safe baby-friendly temperature. Then get in the shower with your little one. Put two or three drops of eucalyptus oil on a washcloth and put it on the shower floor. The vapors will help clear your little one's sinuses in addition to the warm steam. This tip works especially well before naps or at night when you need to lay your baby down. 2. Run a vaporizer in your baby's room to help with breathing. Be sure that the room doesn't get too moist or you will be encouraging mold growth and breeding ground for dust mites. 3. For a sore throat, we found that letting our baby suck on a cold popsicle helps numb the pain. Freeze applesauce in an ice cube tray and then use a baby safe feeder to prevent choking on the cube. 4. Be sure to use saline drops and a bulb syringe to clear out any mucus you can see. 5. If your child cries everytime you lay him or her down, they may need to be carried in order to fall asleep. Use your sling or pouch and lay your baby inside. Be sure to elevate the baby's head to keep their head from getting more congested. Walk around the house or around the block until your child has fallen asleep. Then you can try to lay your baby down. There were a few colds that required my husband and I to take turns carrying our infant through the night. When our son fell asleep, we would prop ourselves up on the sofa with the baby still in his sling and try to catch some sleep too. 6. Keep your child well hydrated, it is easy for a baby to become dehydrated when they are sick. If breastfeeding, nurse frequently. Your milk will help build up antibodies against the cold virus and shorten the length of the cold. If you aren't breastfeeding, be sure to give your baby lots of fluids. I hope some of these tips help you. Good luck weathering those pesky colds! |
