What is more miserable than a baby with a cold? Stuffy little nose, miserable little cough, sad little face, your heart just melts for the sweet little babe. It is so hard for them to feed because they’re so congested, but yet they want the comfort of the nipple, and the undivided attention of mommy or daddy to help them feel better.
We’ve been through our fair share of babies with colds, and have made a list of necessities for you:
Saline Drops
Bulb Syringe or NoseFrida
Humidifier
Baby Carrier
Thermometer
The combination of saline drop and a bulb syringe or NoseFrida works wonders on a dry, stuffy nose. A few drops of the saline in the nose to soften the boogies, and then you can use the bulb or the Frida to suck the mucus out. You can try a couple of different ways, but it works best to lie the baby on a flat surface, tip their chin back a little bit and drop one or two drops in each nostril. Once you’ve put the drops in, wait a 10 or so seconds before you try the suction. Place the bulb or Frida close enough to the nose to create a vacuum, without the vacuum the suction will not work. Sucking the baby’s nose works well, but be warned, they do not like the procedure!
To help prevent those little noses getting so dry and congested, you should have a couple of humidifiers around the house to keep the air moist. Make sure to buy a cool mist humidifier so you don’t have to worry about the baby getting burnt from the hot steam. Place one in any room where the baby sleeps, and one in any main living area.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the baby sleeps on it’s back, but that can be really hard to do when your baby is stuffy. Since babies often want to be held and snuggled while sick, we recommend keeping them close in a baby carrier- it keeps the baby upright, helping their nose to drain better while sleeping, and gives the baby the security of having mom or dad close by.
Sometimes the colds morph into more than a cold, which is when a thermometer comes in handy. If you think the baby may have a fever, check their temperature then call the doctor to see what your next steps should be, you should have some fever reducing medication on hand as well in case the doctor recommends using it.
While it is normal for everyone to feel crappy with a cold, it is especially hard for babies who get their nutrition and hydration through closed mouth sucking. It is important to make sure the baby is maintaining wet and soiled diapers to insure adequate nutrition. If you suspect that the baby is not eating or drinking enough, please put in a call to your care provider to see what they suggest.
Lastly, we recommend lots and lots of snuggle time with that sick little babe, it will be good for both of you to slow things down and spend some tender moments together trying to get healthy again.