Ok. I'll try to keep the emotion/desperation to a minimum. Bottom line. My DD is 9 mths. She started running fever 48 hrs ago. She has stuffy nose and a cough. Took her to the doc today and he basically said just give her Tylenol, monitor her fever and call back tomorrow if her fever doesn't improve. Ugh. She is breasted and just got the beginnings of her first two teeth 2 weeks ago. Her two teeth are still barely poking through and SUPER SHARP. She is miserable. Totally fussy crying and when she does nurse she has started biting. She has bitten me 3 times so far and broken the skin all three. I jumped said "Ouchie, hurts Mommy" and ended the nursing session. She cried and cried more and then refused nursing for hours after each incident. The main issue is that she nurses to sleep and typically nurses throughout the night. Any tips on the following: teething, fever, biting. I was able to get her to sleep finally about 20 minutes ago. Poor little girl and poor me at this point. Oh did I mention my DH has been sick in bed since Christmas Eve....fever, extreme congestion, cough, lost voice. His doc put him on antibiotics on Tuesday.
Thanks everyone for the responses. We went back to the doc this am and be said her ears now look infected. He prescribed and antibiotic. I havent had to give her Tylenol at all today and her fever is down quite a bit. She is still fussy but she has played a bit today and hasn't bitten me at all recently. We are hopefully on the back side of whatever it was that made her sick. Hubby is sort of moping around with a lost voice and isn't back 100% yet. Overall thing have improved drastically.
My kids always ran a low grade fever when teething.
Mine always had runny noses when teething.
Did you tell your daughter's doc that hubby was sick too?
Also, did she start any new foods in the last week? If yes, her runny nose could be related to that.
NOTE: The motrin/tylenol rotation should only be done if after 2-3 hours the current medicine isn't holding the fever down below 100.
Awww....babies are so miserable when they are sick and I hate that they can't tell us exactly what is bothering them!
One thing I've found to help with the stuffy nose if Baby Vicks vapor rub. You can rub it on her chest and the bottom of her feet too. Yes you read that correctly....her feet. It really works with the stuffy head part. You can also rub it on your chest so she can have it to work while she nurses as well.
Since they took Pediacare off the market, babies have had to suffer with colds and not much relief.
Like the others have mentioned....Saline nose sprays, teething tabs are great for some teething babies and inverting her crib mattress slightly to elevate her head some or letting her sleep in a bouncy seat/swing for her daytime naps are all helpful.
Times are hard when babies in the house are sick. Stay well yourself. You'll get through it!
Boy do I feel for you! My baby is doing the same thing, stuffy, fever, teething, the works. The biting began a week ago and blood was drawn so for me the weaning begins. A lot of people wouldn't, but all four of my kids nursed until one and with each one of them something occurred that we would easily wean. That one is your call.
I agree with Barb, try a humidifier sometimes that helps (probably your husband too). I alternate Tylenol and Motrin every two hours when she is real bad. This seems to keep her somewhat mellow and not in so much pain. Just keep in mind, this is a temporary solution. I will usually do it for one day then either less or not at all the next day. It's a lot of medicine (doctor suggestion). Another thing I keep doing that I constantly get reminded of by my husband is she gets too hot. So as soon as the fever breaks she has long sleeve pants and shirt and begins to sweat and get hot so I strip her down and it helps tremendously. As soon as she cools off I dress her again. Other than that, I cannot think of another thing that I do, a lot of times it is just a horrible "poor me" worrisome time. I promise it goes away.
Good luck, hope everyone gets better so you can take a rest.
P.S. Oops Forgot to mention Black Elder Berry Extract from the health food store. Helps fight off whatever ailment you have, will work for your husband too.
She may need moisture to help sooth her breathing. A humidifier and some saline spray in the nose should help. Her tongue may be dry and hurt from mouth breathing hence the biting, she also may be teething. You need your rest too with sickies in the house. Get in a solid multi vitamin and some extra c,zinc and echinacia and lots of fluids for you. Feel better.
