Congestion in 3 Week Old...

Hi!
When my baby was a 1 mo. old I thought it was normal the congestion she had (Doctors usually tell you that). So, I tried with the saline drops and the nebulizer therapy (like the asthma therapy) and didn't work because the congestion went to her chest and after 2 weeks she didn't get better....well, long story short, she needed antibiotics because it was the cold. So don't worry that at very young age the Dr. really do prescibe medicine if is need it.

If you breastfeed, this is an early sign of dairy allergies. You can eliminate all dairy from your eating habits for 3 weeks and see if he doesn't clear up fast. Good Luck-it is for his sake you do this and he will be healthier and you will be too.

A vaporizer might help. Be careful tjough as my daughter had a severe respiratory allergy to milk and it took the Dr. 3 months to figure it out. Don't place him flat down,his head needs to be elevated all the time.

You did not say if you are breastfeeding or not. But I had the same issue with my youngest daughter. It turned out after 37 antibiotics and 3 years of ear infections that she was allergic to dairy products. When I was breastfeeding, I wish my pedi then would have suggested that I get off all dairy products. That is my suggestion. Take yourself off all dairy products. ANd keep her off for a few years. It sure was the answer for my daughter. Don't put your baby in misery.

Babies can get very stuffy noses when they are newborns. I would try a cool mist humidifier. You can pick one up at Babies R Us or Target.

Hi K., Take him to the doctor to make sure that it isn't an allergy and find out for sure what the problem is. When our babies had congestion when very young, we took a clove of garlic and crushed it a bit to get the fumes going, wrap it in a small piece of cloth and put a sock on the foot of your baby and put the garlic on this sock and put another sock on top to hold the garlic in place and do this at night and take it off the next morning and repeat the next night and it the congestion should leave in a couple of days. Please make sure that you put a sock between the garlic as I mentioned as if its put directly on the foot it will blister the babies tender skin. Garlic is a natural antibotic and the fumes of the garlic will go thru the babies skin and clear the congestion. Regards Ed

If the warm didn't help try a cool mist humidifier. With the saline/suctioning, our doc said not to do it more than 3 x per day as it could increase the secretions. I used a crib wedge (firm, goes under the sheet) to help prop mine up due to reflux or when they are stuffed up. I think it was around $10 at BabiesRUs.

Also, with the saline do one side then suction then repeat on the other side. If you do both sides at once baby will feel like he is drowning as babies are nose breathers.

But at 3 weeks old, keep a very close eye on him. And def. keep that doctor's appt.

My friend swears by her battery powered booger sucker. I know they sell that at Babies r Us.

Maybe you already tried this but I bought Ocean brand saline drops and just gave a nice drop in the affected nostrels, wait a few seconds and then suck out using the sucker. Don't go to crazy on the sucker thing as it can irritate. Good luck and it will pass!

Try a cool mist humidifier and make sure that he's propped up. Keep sucking his nose out with saline. I hope the little guy feels better soon!

A nurse once showed me a trick that worked wonder w/ my little one. Put the saline drops in the nose & wait a second or two. Hold the other nostril closed w/ you finger & suck the nostril with the drops. It always cleared my daughter's nose much quicker.

I did not read the other answers so sorry if I repeat. I did not know this until my first son was 5 months old but when you do the saline and suck it back out make sure you cover the other nostril with your finger. You will be amazed at the amount of snot you get out!

Other than the humidifier and keeping his head elevated when sleeping there isn't much else. My son had the same thing at about 10 or 12 weeks old and after about a few days of the sinus congestion it moved into his chest. He never had fever or diarreah so I just monitored him. After several days of it being in his chest the nurse told me to bring him in and they put him on 3 days of breathing treatments w/a nebulizer(like for asthma). At that young of an age they can't really have over the counter meds and they can't get the crud out of their chests. So keep your eye on that! Your doing good, but these are the days of being a "mom"!!