My daughter has a very stuffy nose due to the lack of humidity in the house and the heater running. I first bought a Vicks vaporizer (warm mist) and tried that out. It put out so much moisture it made her room a sauna. Great for her nose, but she was miserably hot. So I returned it and bought a Vicks cool mist humidifier. I am not happy with it as it doesn't put enough moisture in the air and her nose is still very dry.
Both humidifiers I bought were under $20 as we can not afford anything too expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions about a better humidifier? I prefer the warm mist, but don't want to turn my daughters room into a sauna. And on the flip side, I am not opposed to a cool mist humidifier, but I need something that will work better than the model I currently have. Also, I need to keep it affordable. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!!
I think the warm-mist ones work best (I've always had a Vick's warm mist humidifier). And yes, they make it VERY hot. I just crack the window so it doesn't get too uncomfortable in there, and dress my kids lightly so they aren't too hot.
I've been using a humifier by Robitussin. Not sure the cost because it was a gift. I also use another kind of humifier by VICKS. You actually put VICKS vapor medicine in it and it moistens the air and also puts out the vicks vapor medication in the air. I like it because i didn't have to put that vicks vapor rub on there chest (the kids didn't like it much).
Cranes has a line of relatively inexpensive humidifiers (cool mist) that have a control knob so you can control the amount of moisture in the air.
Hi M.!
My 8 month old son does well with a cold water humidifier. It doesn't put out very much cool air, but it really helped him sleep when he was congested last month. I think you can find them at WalMart for about $30 or so.
Good luck!
J.
My kids usually get bloody noses when we turn our heater on, so we use a Reli-On Cool Mist Humidifier and it works wonders. You can adjust the amount of moisture that goes into the air. We have been really pleased with the effects of using it. It cost about $25 at Wal-Mart.
I use the humidifiers but open the door some once I know her air is very humid. That helps with the temp. You can also turn down the heater a notch.
The humidifier that works for my family is the one that looks like a cow. You can also choose Hello Kitty, a frog and a couple others. To me, it puts out just the right amount of mist. Also, it has a adjuster knob so that you can turn it up or down. These can be found at Wal-Mart, Target, Babies-R-Us and the like.
Margaret :)
Try running a hot shower with the bathroom door closed and taking her in there for a little while before bed to clear things up. Then use some saline nasal drops to moisturize her nose (we like "Little Noses" brand). When you put her to bed, put a rolled up towel or thin blanket under the mattress at the head of her bed to prop her head up a little. This will help any congestion that develops at night to drain without clogging. Then if you feel you need to, go ahead and run the cool mist humidifier (put it as close to her bed as possible without putting it within her reach.) I would avoid the warm mist humidifier.
To be honest, we gave up on the humidifier and found the other methods above to work well. The saline nasal drops are really good. Make sure she is getting plenty of fluids during the day to keep her hydrated and keep the mucous thin (give her whatever fluids your pediatrician recommends - breastmilk, formula, water or pedialyte.)
Hope this helps!
-N.
hey M.,
I would first try putting the humidifier you have on a chair near your daughter's crib. If that doesn't help, we've been using the Hunter Carefree Humidifier Plus (cold water) for about 12 years for both our kids (16 & 8) and are very happy with it. It also has a dial to change the amount of mist as well as a shut off when it's out of water. We prefer cool mist as it doesn't promote bacteria etc. and its easier to clean. I believe it runs about $40 but have seen it on sale for $30.
hope this helps~
I've been up, down and sideways with humidifiers and have found that they don't work for my daughter's constant congestion. In fact, I think they actually made her worse at one point. What has helped is taking her into the shower with me after I get the bathroom all steamy (this was my pediatrician's suggestion). Luckily, she likes the shower. It really clears her up, temporarily, of course, but it does better than the humidifier did.
