Just wondering if their is really anything that I can do for my 3 week old daughters cold. She is congested and I hear a little rattle every once and a while in her chest. I know she can't have any kind of medication. Would a vaporizer help at all where ever she is alseep at. Or should I just continue to use the asperator (sp).
Edit Note: She has no fever.
I talked to my doctor and told her what the baby sounded like. She said she should be fine but if she was running a temp of 100.5 or more or throwing up mucus that she would want to see her. I ran out and but a mister and saline drops. Hopefully that helps and makes her more comfy.
At only 3 weeks old a trip to the doctor is probably best. I'll tell you why I had no trouble running to the doctor with my infants. A friends child got a cold and the mother had it too. Neither went to the doctor b/c it was just a cold, but the mom got better and the baby got worse. By the time they went to the emergency room it was too late for the baby and she died of pneumonia at 11 days old. PLEASE go to the doctor.
Hi L.,
Ugh! Germs! Don't you just love em??
You are right. You can't do much for her in the way of medication, but use the bulb syringe to keep her nose clear. A humidifier will help and standing in the bathroom while a hot shower runs as well.
Also, if she is in her crib or basinette, you can roll up a towel and put it under the mattress to get her head higher so sleep isn't so uncomfortable.
We brought our newborn home with a cold as well (thank you sick nurses!). It was short lived.
Are you breast feeding? If so, your breast milk can work wonders as well. Keep her hydrated and you can even (I know this is going to sound crazy), but use it as you would a saline nose spray for the baby.
Kellymom.com has some good "uses" for breast milk for when a child is sick.
Good Luck,
B.
My son is 1 month today and he also has a cold. My ped said to use the nose spray and steam in the shower. Good luck.
When my son had his first cold, he slept in his car seat for a few nights. It helped with the congestion somewhat.
Good luck.
J. R.
Have you taken her to the doctor or at least called the doctor? I know my ped always wants any newborn less than a month old who catches a cold seen right away. I know it seems silly for what might be a simple cold but newborns have so little of an immune system and things can go wrong way too quickly at that age.
Otherwise saline rinses up the nose for stuffy nose or breastmilk if you are breastfeeding. You can use a vaporizer in her room. Use the bulb to suction out her nose as needed. And plenty of fluids, pedialyte is okay for formula fed babies (ask your doctor though before giving), but only breastmilk for breastfed babies.
vaporizor, warm steam showers, saline spray up the nose and if you are breastfeeding, breastmilk used in the same way (like a saline spray) is very helpful as well and it's antibacterial.
Have you talked to your ped? At that age it's important to watch them carefully when they are sick. Has she run a fever? If so call your ped this minute.
Were you tested for strep? Did you test positive? I did and was told that I had to watch my infants well for the first couple of weeks.....or maybe it was months??? At least the first couple of weeks anyway.
Call the ped just to make sure.
I would say pretty much the same advice as beth M. Use the bulb syringe to keep her nasal passages clear and saline drops as often as needed. Definitely put a cool mist humidifier in her room to keep it moist. Alert your doctor if she runs any temp over 100.4 right away. I hope she's feeling better soon, it seems every kid I know has a cold with runny nose and fever right now! Ugh!
I would definitely use the humidifier as well as the asperator. Meanwhile talk to your pediatrician. It could just be a little congestion but you don't want it too go on too long and develop into a cough or anything else. Good Luck!
hey there it is really hard when the little ones are sick and you cant really give them anything. vaporizers do help i have one in my little ones room. i would recomend that u get a warm air vaporizer. the cool air ones make the room a little cold. hope this help hang in there.
