3 Month with Cold

My ped. told me that I could squeeze a saline solution into their nose to clean it out, but I never had the "guts" to do this to them. I have 2 kid, a 20mos old and a 4 mos old. So I just did exactly what you are doing - vaporizer and VICKS. I wish I had the guts to try the saline solution in the nose, but I always felt like that would be painful so I never did it. GOOD LUCK!

The two main things are: humidifier/vaporizer and saline spray. The baby rub might make you feel better, but it won't do much for him. Also, the bulb is not necessary. Babies need to learn how to clear their noses on their own and using it can cause adverse effects if not used properly. He'll be fine! (I felt really bad the first time my daughter got a cold too:)

When my son gets sick I usually give him a warm bath with the vapor drops in his bath water. Then I put the saline solution (not fun) and bulb syringe it out. Then I rub a little bit of Vicks on his chest, back and feet. There really is not much we can do but tough it out...good luck!

Make sure that when he sleeps his head of the bed is elevated about 30degrees. You could roll up a blanket and place it under his neck/shoulders. If his head is elevated it will open up this thoracic cavity (wear the lungs sit) allowing the lungs to move easier. Frequent suctioning with bulb syringe. It is the start of influenza and RSV season...if he seems to be working harder to breathe, decreased intake and/or decreased wet diapers, temp over 100.4, wheezing...I would take him to the doctor. Remember to use requent hand washing. You could provide chest therapy by patting his back and chest. Pay attention to his chest..look for retractions...you will see a slight indentation beneath bottom of rib cage with each inspiration. If retractions get deeper or more frequent see a doctor. Also if you see him using his neck accessory muscles with breathing...can be a sign of respiratory distress. Above all go with you instinct. Better to be safe than sorry. Good luck.

L.,
My pediatrician recommended the cool mist humidifier over a vaporizer. Also, I would always put my little ones in their bouncy seat or car seat to sleep when they were stuffy. It was the only way they would sleep. Always try to use the saline drops and bulb syringe before feeding him. That way it will be easier for him to breath while he drinks.

Suction out the buggers on a regular basis and keep nursing. The germs in the buggers will get on your aireola and help your milk produce antibodies. Works like a charm!

Sucks doesn't it? Sounds like you're doing pretty much all you can. Try saline drops. I think they're called Little Noses Saline Drops. They help clear up the congestion.

try proping his mattress by putting something like a folded towel or even pillow under one side. That should help at night and there is also vapor bath. That really helped my 5 month old. I hope he feels better.

Possibly an old wives tale but many people swear by it. Rub a bit of Vicks vapor rub on his feet bottoms, put on socks or booties so it doesn't get on other things. Somehow the vapors from his feet help with the couging. My boys are six and we still use this remedy. Works for me too.
You might try having him sleep in his car seat as it's already elevated at the head. The snugness of the car seat helps with sleeping longer too.
Best of luck to you. He will get many colds in the 1st 2 years. Trying to make him as comfortable as possible will help both of you.

Spend some time in steam - nothing works as well as that. Start a hot shower with the bathroom door closed, let the bathroom fill with steam, take him in there (best if you and he are in as few clothes as possible), and cuddle in the steam for about 20 minutes. You may need to turn the shower on and off during that time to refresh the steam. That (and the saline drops others mentioned) will help break up the congestion, and the time you spend in the steam will also help you avoid catching his cold.

It is heart wrenching as a mom to feel so helpless! My son was congested from 5 weeks through almost 6 months of age. What we found best was letting him sleep in an upright position - usually in his bouncy chair. He just could not clear the "snot". The bulb syringe doesn't do much, but my brother brought me home this incredible aspirator from Spain that is used throughout Europe. It is basically a way for parents to suction out this nose through a tube. I would just be on the look out for ear infections that could come along with it - our son got tubes at 8 months.

Have you tried saline nasal drops? Also, I've found that SudaCare Shower Soothers makes a big difference. They are tablets that go on the shower floor when you run the hot water to fill the bathroom with steam.

I didn't read through all 20 responses so maybe someone else suggested this, but we got a soft foam wedge at Babies R Us that was fantastic for about the 1st year. It gave my daughter a little lift that was perfect for stuffy noses but also more comfortable even when not sick. She slept on it until she outgrew it. We moved it from co-sleeper to Moses basket to crib so she never minded transitions to strange sleeping spaces. And it kept her head from getting a flat spot in back. It's made out of memory foam or something like that and has little velcro side bars to keep them snug and on their backs. Definitely easier during cold season than trying to fit blankets under the mattress, etc. Good luck!

Use a nasal bulb to suction the excess liquid from nose. Be careful not to put it too far up the nos; if baby jerks he could be hurt. Also, keep baby on his tummy as much as possible while gently rubbing or patting his back to help him cough out the phlem. If he developes a fever or chills, get him to the dr.

Vapor Rub is not suitable for such a young baby (even the infant formula). Assuming you're nursing, a few drops of breast milk will help break down the congestion in his sinuses, then use a bulb syringe. I know it sounds weird, but breast milk has amazing properties. I used this trick when my little one had a cold at about the same age, and it worked like a dream. Here's an interesting article about alternative uses for breast milk:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/114773/breast_mi...
How your baby feels better soon :O)

So sorry to hear little one sick!!! When my daughter was sick the doc suggested just regular saline drops up one side of the nose then use (i call it the snot sucker) the aspirator to pull it out then do the other side but as the doc told me only one side at a time. Doc also suggested to put something under the mattress to raise her head while sleeping. Good luck, it really stinks to see them sick.

Dear L.,

I usually would give my babies a nice Baby Vapor bath put some vapor rub on their chest close to their necks and some on their feet before I put their pajamas on and snuggles them to sleep with a nice warm bottle.

Definitely prop the mattress a bit (rolled towel UNDER the mattress); cool mist humidifier; suction nose and and at this young age call the doctor. You will want the doctor to listen to his chest. It's totally ok if the doctor says you are doing all the right things and to call back if your baby isn't better in 5 days. Good luck!

Have him sleep in his carseat carrier.

When our son was that age we also gave him a warm bath and Johnson and Johnson makes a vapor gel that goes into the tub -like a gel, and it really helps to clear their congestion. You can get this at any CVS pharmacy, etc. Good luck :) It is in a blueish green bottle, similar to the one that the bath gel is in.

I feel your pain. Our daughter had one at that age too....here's what we did: bring him into the bathroom, turn shower water on hot, hot, hot, and just stand in the bathroom with him so he can get the steam...it should help out a little. Try having him sleep with the head of his crib or bassinett elevated so that any drainage doesn't just stick in the back of his throat and let gravity work for him. Salin drops in the nose help to thin out the mucus so that it's not so thick and sticky (I know, ewe). THen suction. BE CAREFUL WITH BULB SYRINGE...suction very gently otherwise things will get more irritated. That's about it. Hopefully, this cold will be short-lived. If he starts running fever, call dr. of course..

Good luck!

At bath time, try using Johnson's Soothing Vapor Bath (the only place I've been able to find it is at Walgreens). Another remedy that seemed to work wonders with my little girl when she was sick was to use Pediacare Gentle Vapors Plug-In unit... it's like the plug-in air fresheners you can use for your home, but with soothing vapors that help clear the baby's nose(it sure cleard my sinuses every time I walked in her room!). I plugged it in at nap times and at night - that used along with a cool mist vaporizers really seemed to help. Also, try to suction your son's nose whenever you hear him "rattling around" in there and right afer they sneeze when things are loosened up and easier to suction. I know the little ones hate it, but it really helps to clear things out so they're not just sucking it all back in. I made a game out of it with my daughter, and that seemed to help. If you act like it's just a fun game, usually your baby will read your reaction and tolerate it a little better. Hope this helps... my little girl just got over her first cold, and it was really hard to see her so uncomfortable. I know how you feel! :-)

Saline spray followed(after a couple of min.)by a nasal suction bulb. The saline helps loosen up the mucus. Other than that and what you are already doing, you just have to wait it out :(

Use the baby vicks rub underneath his feet and put socks on, it helps!

You can use some saline spray in his nose....Simply Saline works well....and that will loosen things up a bit. After you spray the saline use a nose sucker to get out all of the boogers. I also use Johnson's vapor bath in my daughters' baths when they are sick, and that helps them to feel better too!

Hi L.,

I highly recommend baby saline nasal drops. The brand name is Baby Ayr, but there may be others. We would give our daughter some drops and then suction out the mucous using a bulb syringe. Our ped also told us that newborns' tiny nasal passages tend to be prone to congestion, and that by around 6 mos. it tends to get better.

Keep doing what you're doing, too, and best of luck!

R.

Saline nose spray like "Little Noses" is great to moisturize and break up the gunk. It is not a decongestant. Good luck!