Infant colds are no fun…

This has been a tough week at Wise Baby headquarters.  Our little one has her first cold.  Who knew colds could be so tough on little ones (and parents too)?  After a trip to the Pediatrician, lots of online research and input from doctor dad we are surfing the cold over here.  But the thing is, I was totally unprepared for this!  Of course, I wasn’t “planning” on her getting sick but once I realized she was I had no idea what to do.  So if any of you are in my boat (or don’t know you are yet) than hopefully this will be helpful to you.

1 – Nosefrida.  You may have heard of these interesting little contraptions. I had toyed around with buying one “just in case” but admittedly, I found myself darting to Buy Buy Baby to get one on Monday. Basically, the blue piece goes on the outside, not up or inside your little one’s nose and you suck through the tube and literally suck the snot out.  Don’t worry there are filters so you are not ingesting any of the snot.  Eloise hates, hates, hates it but she does not like you touching her nose or ears ever.  However, it helps a TON!  She is getting more used to it and it has been a lifesaver – a definite cold survival essential. Make sure to buy an extra set of filters as it only comes with one.

2 – Saline Nasal Spray.  Works great in conduction with the Nosefrida to help “loosen” up the mucus/snot.  Eloise really hates these and still have a pretty runny noise so we haven’t been using them all too much.  However, I am definitely glad I have them on hand and have had lots of friends call these a “must have”.

3 - Boogie Wipes.  These wipes are made with natural saline and a great alternative to a rough tissue on soft baby skin.  They are also great for getting the dried boogers off the nose/face.  I would suggest using with caution as Eloise had a slight reaction to my overuse of them.  Nothing serious – just a little redness but I was using them on her face about every 30 seconds… mix with a regular tissue or soft wet washcloth.

4 – Humidifier.  Cold or no cold humidifiers are great for the dry winter months but they are an absolute must for a babe with a cold.  We reviewed several great ones and gave our tips for picking out a good one.  We have ours set on high for naps and nighttime.

5 – Waterless vaporizer and pads.  Instead of a humidifier you could just have a vaporizer and eliminate these.  However, we have a humidifier and this handy little plug in which disperse Vick’s through the room.  I would say this works pretty well.  I am not sure how much it actually helps but it makes me feel like I am doing all I can, anyway.  They also make a Pediatric version which has smaller pads and disperses less but is still effective.

6 – Vick’s Baby Rub.  The Pediatric version of the adult favorite.  You can definitely tell this baby version is less intense than the adult version.  We rubbed this on Eloise’s chest but do not put on her neck, nose or anywhere else she can touch.  With all the nose and eye rubbing going on the last thing I need is her to get Vick’s in her eyes!  We do however offer her “smells” of the adult version and it really does seem to help relieve some congestion and soothe her.  Sure it is just symptomatic relief but helpful nonetheless.

7 - Crib wedge.  Eloise is most uncomfortable when she is laying flat which makes perfect sense as all the drainage runs to the back of her throat.  I had seen these crib wedges before so I thought I would give it a try to help her sleep better.  The wedge fits snuggly underneath your sheet and/or mattress pad.  I initially wished there was a strap that went around the mattress to hold it in place but it actually stays in place perfectly.  The wedge really seems to help.  Although, she still manages to move and sometimes ends up back to a flat surface but at least she falls asleep comfortably.  It is a pretty slight incline but overall I think it is a worthy product purchase.  I would imagine this would also be great for babies with reflux.

8 – Thermometer.  Unfortunately, the cold is often times accompanied by a fever.  Eloise did have a fever that has since come down although it still flares up.  I toyed around with getting one of those fancy thermometers which works on the forehead but we are still using the one we were given in the hospital which is similar to this one.  The American Academy of Pediatrics states that for a healthy baby, a normal temperature is anywhere between 97 degrees – 100.3 degrees.  Anything higher is considered a fever.  Call the doctor if:
newborn – 3 months:   100.3 degrees F or higher (fevers are more serious in newborns)
3 months – 6 months:  101 degrees F
older than 6 months:  103 degrees F

9 – Tylenol.  For fever and pain relief.  Be sure to check concentration and follow dosing accordingly.  We were told by our Pediatrician a dose every 4 – 6 hours as needed.  We really try to go by the as needed and don’t just give every 4 – 6 hours.  You know your baby and what is best.

10 – Starbucks.  For mom and dad!  Eloise is a good sleeper.  However, not a good sleeper when she has a cold.  We are back to the newborn stage of up ever 2 hours (or less) which makes for tired mama and papa – insert Starbucks and you’ll think you slept through the night.  Yeah right but if anyone is ever looking for a gift for me Starbucks gift cards never get old!

What helps your little one through these miserable colds?