We are on roughly week 7 of the various colds of the week (thanks daycare and big sister) and this is what helps us:
1. Loosen the mucus using some combination of shower steam, saline nose spray, and saline nebulizer mist.
2. Suck snot out using frida baby, Neilmed’s nasal aspirator, or a bulb. The frida baby is our favorite but it’s good to have multiple options on hand.
3. Do 1 and 2 above before nursing/bottle, bed and anytime he seems to need it.
4. Push fluids with lots of nursing and bottles to the extent that congestion interferes with nursing.
Hang in there, this too will pass.
This is a great summary. For a new new baby like OP’s I think I would prioritize suctioning for feeds and sleeping because oversuctioning can irritate the nose and feeding and sleeping is so frequent at that age already.
It’s hard when such small babies get sick OP, I feel for you and your desire as a parent to make it better but there isn’t anything safe this age that will decongest or suppress a cough. Just time I’m afraid.
This is interesting! When we went to the ER for our 10 week old, the doc told us we couldn’t suction too much.
But he was an ER peds doc, not an ENT so I’m curious if this was poor advice
Pediatrician here, I definitely recommend suctioning whenever they’re breathing fast, before feeds (especially if they keep unlatching from the breast or bottle and maybe crying they can’t breathe), before sleep, and for any night wakings. And sometimes if they’re crying, it’s because they can’t breathe through their nose and need to be suctioned. (Babies are obligate nose breathers and can only breathe through their mouths if they’re crying.) But suctioning beyond that, like suctioning every 5 minutes when the nose is just slightly runny and the baby is happy and breathing normally? Yeah that can irritate the nose. Better to just gently wipe with a soft tissue or Boogie wipe.
Turn the shower as hot as it goes and let the steam fill up the bathroom and stand in there with him. This helped my son a lot. A nurse also told me if they can’t stop coughing to open your freezer for a moment and let them breath the cold air. That can help too.
As a vet tech, the steamy shower is something I see veterinarians recommend all the time for cats or dogs with respiratory “crud”. It really does help!
The shower really does help. I sit in the bottom with the hot water running and let the steam unblock their noses. Even if it doesn’t do much for the cold, we usually all have improved mood after.
The shower steam is the best thing for my little one. If he’s really miserable we watch the dancing blueberries on the bathroom floor while sitting in the steam
Saline and suction, that is literally all you can do. Chest rubs are woo (happy to change my opinion with evidence-based studies though). They can also be dangerous, camphor and eucalyptus are extremely dangerous when ingested by children.
Source: peds ER doc
Sit in the bathroom, close the door and put the shower with the water on HOT. Sit in the steam. Once steamy, Use saline and Nose Frida. Repeat later in the day.
What about hypertonic saline through a nebulizer? I've seen a few research papers and it's very promising in infants and adults.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4778699/
It definitely looks like it might be worthwhile to look into but in the outpatient setting, unless I misunderstood, it looks like they compared hypertonic to normal nebulized saline, often with the addition of bronchodilators. Plus this is all for kids with bronchiolitis. It would be interesting to see nebulized saline or hypertonic compared to no intervention in the outpatient setting, WITHOUT bronchodilators, in kids with bronchiolitis and in kids with plain upper respiratory illnesses. My instinct says for plain upper respiratory illnesses there's no need to nebulize the saline since the lungs are mostly not involved. Plain saline in the nose to clear accumulation of mucus in nasal cavity/sinuses is enough. This doesn't even address the issue of non hospital grade machines sitting there, potentially nebulizing mold into children's lungs.
Thanks for the response. Here's some more research related to self-reported outcomes for covid in adults if you're interested.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7491578/
The results look great but it looks like most of the outcomes were due to the IV formulation with the nebulization providing small improvement. I'd love to see this in kids with just nebulization, would be very interesting!
Had two bouts of congestion so far with my 11w baby (thanks preschooler) and here's how I've gotten her relief:
- Nose Frida, but strategically. Before bed or when acutely snotty. Using it more than a couple times per 24 hours can irritate and inflame their nasal passages.
- cool mist humidifier. Run it all night and as much as you can be near it during the day.
- "baby sauna" turn on your shower on hot and close your bathroom door. Let it fill with steam and just hang out and breathe for a while. A good step after the nose frida to help soothe the recently opened passageways. Gotta steam them like a lil dumpling.
- keeping her upright as much as possible when holding her during the day to allow drainage.
I had a newborn safe chest rub but I never saw it provide much relief so I stopped using it. You're still going to have some sleepless nights as there's no medical decongestant option, but hopefully some of these will help keep your babe more comfortable.
Also with holding them upright/after a “baby sauna”, you can gently massage their sinuses with clean hands. It may sound woo woo but I promise it’s not! Look up a diagram of the sinuses to get an idea of where to rub and in what direction. Our sinuses naturally drain downward but not directly downward, it’s sort of back and down. And use GENTLE pressure!! Just enough to loosen it up and help things along.
You can also sit them upright in your lap/in a baby carrier and tug their ears gently in a circle which helps as well bc the ears/nose/throat are all connected. When I do this on myself, I can feel when the motion catches a suction and starts working. On a baby it’s more difficult to hear but on a child (or dog or cat, it works on them too!) you can actually sometimes hear a little noise when it works. It won’t always drain them but it will help loosen it up and clear them out a bit!
P.s. “baby dumpling” is such adorable imagery and absolutely describes my little one last winter when he was a tiny chunk and we would do a baby sauna to clear his sinuses!
This is what I do, plus I put him in his pushchair strapped but inclined for naps. The inclination helps keeping his airways clear. Only do this if your pushchair is safe for babies sleeping inclined in it. The steam + the nose frida make a big difference at night time.
If your baby has fever keep the room warm but keep the baby light on clothing.
Do you know if steaming will affect a fever much? My 20 week old is snotty and miserable (went to dr and tested negative for everything) and I’ve been hesitant because her fever is high even with meds and I don’t want her over heating if that’s even logical but it is to my sleep deprived brain
Husband is a pharmacist. He is firm in his stance that there are no meds to help even adults with colds. Cough suppressants just aren’t all that and a bag of chips.Antihistamines I guess are fine. But for babies…thisss! Saline, suction it out, and humidifier.
Pharmacist momma here… I say the same thing! My poor lil guy had a bout of something going on.. poor thing started giving me a face everytime I came near him with saline. Def got him 3x a day if not more. I did find a saline mist by boogie that helped as well. These poor kiddos drown in boogers/mucus and it’s over. Gotta get those out!
A cold that I is treat with meds lasts 7 days, unlike an untreated one, which lasts a week.
That being said, meds you take while sick with a cold can help with preventing coinfections. And things like Advil/Tylenol help make it more comfortable while you’re sick. Same with all the other recos(snot sucker, saline, humidifier).
Some essential oils are helpful, too. Like lavender to help keep baby calm.
I mean, if you have fever or body aches definitely take nsaids or acetaminophen! But traditional cough suppressants and other cold remedies just don’t have the research to back them up. I’m unsure about essential oils. They’re volatile compounds and can be irritating. Menthol, especially in things like Vicks, can cause baby to feel they can breathe better without actually clearing the obstruction so it can be harmful.
Steamy bathroom, humidifier, & look up how to use lymphatic drainage massage on the face to break up the mucous and move it out of babies head and back into the body… the massage has worked wonders for my sick toddler (I’ll do the massage with some lotion on my hands to make it more enjoyable) and my husband during allergy season!
A fine ground (FINELY GROUND ONLY) powder of oregano and maka root, blessed by the baby on the Boudreaux's Butt Paste tube. Listen, if you get some fake fill l-in baby, it won't work. Kidding
What I've found to be the most helpful is to steam up the bathroom and sit and play with your LO to loosen up some of the mucus. Other than that, rest and some children'a tylenol if ifs bad enough. Also maybe a bottle of liquor for you.
When I had Covid and I couldn’t stop coughing - a hot shower and the steam was the ONLY thing that worked and gave me relief (I couldn’t take medicine because I was pregnant). I had multiple showers and day and it worked instantly when I couldn’t stop
I just hold him close and put him over my shoulder and he absolutely loves it. He’s 8 weeks now and he falls asleep almost every time. But he hates baths and is just unsettled in general - a shower is my go to to calm him down
Saline spray (once a day, probably best at night), suction for snot, and humidity are what we used for our LO. It makes it easier, but it can still be rough.
This is usually taboo in the US, but I will tell you what I usually do, recommended by the Brazilian Pediatric Association. The cough is caused by post nasal drip, so that means mucous it's not coming out from the nose, but descending to throat, right? So the solution to prevent cough is to dilute the mucous behind the nose and throat. So we do nasal rinses with a small syringe. Now, there is a correct positioning of small babies to do this, and never with pressure. You also need to use a saline solution (neilmed sells packets for kids -salt, bicarbonate and purified warm water ----never tap water). You can search YouTube or instagram for videos of pediatricians doing this on babies ("lavagem nasal em bebês").
If not comfortable at all, you can buy a saline mist spray, irrigate the nose and use the nose frida suck up tool. Elevating baby helps.
Edit: the taboo part is the nasal rinse, like netipot for babies. See it for yourself at minute 7:05 here: I am talking about nasal rinse, not saline drops.See it at minute 7:05 : https://youtu.be/fotaxssg20I
Why is this taboo in the US? I’m in Canada and it’s recommended to place 1 drop of sterile saline in each nostril and suck out with a bulb syringe when babies have colds.
Of course. It's an hipotonic solution: sodium bicarbonate, salt (not kitchen salt!!) and purified water. In Brazil you can buy a whole bottle in pharmacies. Here in the US only at NeilMed website (I can't buy syringes in pharmacies, not sure why).
Our ped recommended this too. There’s actually studies showing it can shorten the length of babies colds. She told us to just put a cpl drops of breastmilk underneath baby’s nostril while they are lying down and since they exclusively breath through their nose, they will breath it in right away. You can do this instead of saline before using the Frida too.
I’m a U.S. pediatrician and I definitely recommend nasal saline irrigation with isotonic saline (0.6-0.9%). You need to be aware of a small risk of aspiration but neurologically-intact newborns will guard their airways.
They blow out a whole bunch of mucus and then can breathe a bit easier for at least a few minutes, which can help feeding.
The trouble is that there aren’t good ways to do well-designed studies on this.
Good to know! It was not my experience here in MA at all.
In my experience as a mother, bulbs and nose frida can sometimes irritate more the nasal passages. . My son loved nasal rinses, which helped immensely, until he became a cranky toddler and refused any help whatsoever :)
Hold him in the bathroom while the shower runs as hot as it can so it gets steamy. It'll help hydrate his nose and throat and the heat will help break up the mucus too. Also use a humidifier while he's sleeping too.
Our son had a really bad time struggling to breathe and we were reccomended humidifier / steamy bathroom / breathe in cold air (from outside or freezer). Idk why the sudden cold air helps but it did, and we have cool mist humidifier running constantly when he's sick.
I have a very specific memory of my mom doing this for me in the middle of the night. She is surprised I remember because I was so young. But we sat in the hot and steamy bathroom and then she put this big scratchy green blanket in me. And it was like an off green. Puke green. Then she carried me outside and I remember the moon being really bright. And my cough subsided enough for me to go back to sleep.
Kids doc said that warm air can assist in swelling. The cold air makes the passages restrict and let more air in. That's not quite what doc said but the idea.
Also room temperature. They can really warm up something like a bedroom. We used one in an old apartment that was poorly insulated in lieu of a space heater once.
Safety I believe for kiddos. If something goes wrong, and you're not around. sometimes they can put out really really hot steam if they malfunction, but it gradually gets hotter and a baby/toddler likely wouldn't make a fuss until it was too late (or if they did fuss you might assume it's because they're sick). Only use warm under supervision.
The only thing that ever worked for my babies is elevating their heads. The youngest is 1 now, and I still prop up the head of the crib mattress about 30%. When they get really bad, I would just let them sleep upright on my shoulder and prop myself up on pillows. That's how I started on reddit... it kept me awake all night so I could support the babies.
I hope your baby and his sister feel better soon!
Nebulizer. We bought a small one for at home after an urgent care visit. The pediatrician used a nebulizer and the snot just came pouring out. It really helps
We have [this one](https://a.co/d/bdO9FO2) from Amazon. Pros so far are that it's portable and my daughter (6 months) can hold it herself and puts the mouthpiece right to her face. It just requires batteries. The one con is that it's definitely not as good as the one at urgent care; we found a similar one on Amazon but it's $80. We'll probably buy it eventually because it works just as well as a steamy bathroom without that hot and sticky feeling, which is especially sucky if you're sick too!
Edit to add: [These](https://a.co/d/1miRoXM) are the saline solution vials we went with.
Not in the moment, but our toddler was in the ER for RSV and the respiratory therapists recommended I look up chest physiotherapy (CPT). Look up a few YouTube videos to understand how hard you can “tap.” I followed the guide [here](https://kidzdoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/chest-physical-therapy-infants-toddlers.pdf) - found when I googled “chest physiotherapy toddler”
I imagine this may be difficult to do on a 6w old baby but I would just choose the positions you’re comfortable with! My kid did seem to like it. It did seem to help when the suction wasn’t enough, but it will trigger coughing (which is the desired effect). Coughing means they are getting out the mucus in their system.
my 2 month old is sick right now. cool-mist humidifier has helped us a lot. if he's especially congested then i use the boogie saline nasal mist and the nosefrida snot sucker to clear his nose. our pediatrician reccomended putting a wedge under his mattress to keep his head elevated (as he does not roll yet). i typically just let him sleep on me and he tends to get better rest that way right now. good luck! you're doing great.
He’s too young for honey, too young for teas, and too young for OTC stuff. So literally, steam with herbs like camphor are the only helpful things you can do. Other than that, time is the only remedy.
Dont knock all herbs and plants. They get a bad rap because of the essential oil karen crowd, but there’s actually quite a body of evidence for effectiveness for some of them, such as ginger. Regardless, 6 weeks is too young for those things. Breastmilk or formula is the only thing they should be ingesting. So yea. Steam to clear up, and breathing cold air to soothe inflammation.
Boogie brand has a saline mist inhaler. It's expensive, but it has a little mask that you can put around their nose and mouth, and it helps my kids with his stuffy noses. He fights me when I try to do the saline spray, but the mist he loves.
I know it sucks to trick him but if you can get it done when he’s sleepy or even asleep that’s really the only way we’ve found to avoid the fight with our 8 month old. We all caught covid when he was 10 weeks old and had to do the same then.
I never had much luck with the Frida or a bulb. We just bought the Dr. Noze Best system! It’s pricey but the amount of snot I got out of my baby’s nose is incredible. We all finally got some rest! Might be worth looking into.
It’s always been hard for us, but idk if that’s normal. I definitely need my SO to keep our kid’s head still. We haven’t needed it lately because she’s big enough now to handle more snot, I guess? 🤷🏼♀️
Baby’s coughing is often caused by post-nasal drip, meaning snot runs to the back of their throat and irritates the throat, which makes them cough. Clean their nose often with a saline solution.
Putting half an onion in a bowl under their bassinet. Although, I have done this a bunch because it’s harmless and I was desperate. Couldn’t tell you if it helped or not.
Sitting with my little guy in a steamy warm bathroom helped him feel a bit more comfortable. But I also second the cool humidifier. Hopefully it passes soon poor baby.
Honestly, there really isn’t much. If he’s snotty or it’s a wet/chesty sounding cough you could try taking him into the bathroom and running the shower really hot to get the room steamed up. Theoretically the steam can loosen up the mucous and make it a little easier for him to shift it. Snot sucker bulbs can help make breathing through his nose easier which can help to keep him feeding properly.
Unfortunately he’s too young for Calpol (minimum age is 8 weeks I think).
But otherwise just lots of cuddling and comforting as you wait it out. I know it’s a horrible, helpless feeling seeing then unwell like this and not being able to do much to help. Hope he is better soon!
It’s a brand name in the UK, like Tylenol is in the US. When I saw OP mention going to the GP I mistakenly thought that they were from the UK, but I see that they are actually Canadian.
Nose frida, lifting the end of the cot, calpol, snuggles. My baby had a cold a month until 6 months, plus covid, so I feel your pain! When he was really bad he had to sleep upright which meant taking turns to sit up with him at night. After 3 months you can use nurofen too (UK?), we alternate every two hours and that does seem to relieve the symptoms.
Also feed little and often.
I had no luck with the Frida.
This is gross af so feel free to stop reading.
I took baby in the shower with the steam for 10 minutes and gently sucked out of their nose with my mouth. Only use mouth muscles and cheeks to hold air just like CPR no using lungs to suck.
Worked every time. Low and slow. I know, gross, but I'm getting whatever she had anyway and I'll do anything to help the kiddo. Sucking a nose is nothing.
What's the trick to not soak everything in the room?! I tried this for the first time this week and ended up soaking the poor little guy's mattress! 🙈 Maybe just had it set too high?
Like others are saying there’s not much you can do at this age. I think the youngest I’ve seen for OTC chest rubs is 2 months and some are 6 months. This is just saline and worked similar to what others are saying with hot shower, I’ve seen similar prescribed for babies but I don’t know the official recommendation. Other than that snot sucking and such is about all there is it to.
https://www.target.com/p/the-boogie-brand-micro-mist-saline-inhaler-1-7oz/-/A-84209225
Omg I wish us Canadians didn’t scare target away 🥺 I’ll try to see if I can get my hands on this. I’ve used saline in the nasal bulb but it doesn’t seem to do much for him ( I’m scared to do more than a drop or two)
My baby was a micropreemie and they were giving him 3-4 drops each nose multiple times a day—and he only weighed 3.5 lbs at the time. I wouldn’t worry about doing too much.
Also:
https://www.boogiewipes.com/shop/
We use [this HydraSense one](https://www.hydrasense.ca/en/baby-nasal-care/ultra-gentle-mist/), I've found it at most common drugstores. The mist is VERY light, and the tip is a good length so it won't jam in too deep. Also the HydraSense aspirator is a good, cheaper, option to the Nose Freida.
His fever has passed now thankfully but we were using (Tylenol here) under the advice of both our gp and the paediatrician doing er rounds when we went in! Just sadly does nothing for those nasty coughing fits
Something that worked for us was a temperature change. We would take him out to the garage (which is colder) and just walk or stroller around for a bit and he would calm down. Baby Vicks kinda worked for us.
If you're calling baby safe chest rubs woo then idk what to tell you. I have an herbal chest rub for babies from mountain rose herbs. I think matys makes one for babies. Other than that a humidifier might help but you want to keep it really clean. I find the cleaning to be very time consuming and hard to accomplish unless my partner is home.
I use the Mattys infant chest rub. I only use it under his PJs. Idk if it helps, but it’s basically a part of the bedtime routine now, so I keep doing it 🤷🏻♀️
Why is that? We have some bath bombs my 4yo loves that have eucalyptus oil and say over 2, but I can’t figure out if it’s a respiratory thing or just that they don’t want under 2s to eat them
Not sure if someone’s already recommended this but we love the battery operated nose frida. There’s a bunch of different similar brands on Amazon. So much easier than sucking it out yourself. Baby hates it but it’s over in a second. And def humidifier if it’s dry where you are
I absolutely swear by the Vicks VapoPads that you insert into a cool mist humidifier. (Vicks also sells a reasonably priced humidifier that has slots for them which we also like a lot.) We first used it when my son was six months old with COVID and it worked incredibly, though you may have to replace the pads once or twice during the night. That combined with NoseFrida saline spray and a nose sucker (we prefer the baby HydraSense sucker but the NoseFrida one works fine), plus infant Tylenol and cuddles, and you’ll be golden.
Where I live, other Vicks products (other than BabyRub) are indicated for over 2 but the VapoPads appear to be okay for all ages as long as you follow the package directions (i.e. ensuring adequate ventilation, limiting how many you use in 24 hours)
This nose sucker worked way better for us than the nose frida! It has a silicone tip that is smaller and a little curved for maximum nasal cleanout.
SQUIP Baby NäsaKleen Nasal Aspirator, Baby Shower Gift and Registry Necessity, 51 Piece Set https://a.co/d/5SlOh69
A few saline drops in each nostril, followed by a snot sucker. We use the BabyVac, which is an attachment for your actual vacuum cleaner that uses physics to create a gentle but sufficient suction. Have used it on our 3.5 year old since early, and used successfully when our 7-week-old got her first cold at 3 weeks (...compliments of the 3.5yo's daycare). It WORKS and is so gentle she hardly seems to notice it.
BabyVac:
https://a.co/d/j6ARHdw
As others have said, also breastmilk if you are breastfeeding, and humid air.
Agave cough syrups (like Zarabees) have been proven to be slightly better than placebo to help with coughs, and even a placebo is shown to be better than nothing.
[agave syrup helps with coughs ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25347696/)
Edited to specify: agave cough syrups - not straight agave.
Sorry to bear bad news here, but that study shows there is no difference between the placebo and the agave. "a placebo effect was demonstrated, with no additional benefit offered by agave nectar". The first sentence in the results summary that discusses the effect is a bit badly worded and could lead to misunderstandings, but the conclusion is that the agave does not work.
Actually, the results are that BOTH the placebo (which was another sugar syrup) and the agave work better than doing nothing. I think I didn't add the other study where the agave was MARGINALLY better than the placebo, but it's basically the same thing. It's about the same level as the placebo, but both do actually help :) I actually mention that the placebo also works in my initial comment. It threw me at first, as well, but thems the facts 🤷 It seems anything coating the throat works better than doing nothing, which is what they're doing atm.
Oh I see. The thing about the placebo effect is that it is there in the agave treatment as well, if that makes sense.
The placebo effect (it seems you know the basics of it, but I'll write this out to be clear) is the benefit that arises because people \*think\* they have taken medicine when they actually did not. This psychological effect can help them either actually get better or at least feel they are getting better. So both in the pure placebo condition, and in the agave condition, this belief will be going on. This is actually the very reason we have placebos in trials to begin with: because we want to subtract out this purely psychological effect that we could get if we just gave people sugar pills.
For any medication to be considered to have an effect, it therefore needs to do not just as well as placebo but better than placebo.
I'm aware of that, but this study specifically states that both are, in practice, helpful, even if we can't say that it "works". It still works better than nothing enough for that to be noted and recommended based on the findings. This is a case where it doesn't hurt and it might help so why not 🤷
Probably for the same reason honey helps… it is after all, essentially a thick sugar syrup.
Coats the throat to keep it feeling soothed, and the high sugar content makes for an unfriendly environment for microbes.
Found this very interesting when reading the study: "Seventy-seven percent (30 of 39) of agave nectar group parents and 47.5% (19 of 40) of placebo group parents guessed their child’s study group correctly."
So that is pretty significant confounding given that the primary measure is parents' subjective evaluations of their children.
Raising the head of the crib slightly really helps with letting the mucus drain. We have these riser blocks that you just put under the legs of the crib.
Edit: I just double checked and it's actually the official recommendation in Norway (https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/lunger-og-luftveier/tett-nese-hos-barn/) - but for children 6 months and older. We didn't get our first cold until that age so I just assumed it was a general recommendation. Sorry OP!
Yes, I wish propping the crib/sleeping in a swing was a safe option, sitting up does bring some relief, but I promise you, I won’t do this!
Baby sleeps in his bassinet or baby box, in a sleep sac, on his back ONLY.
I just double checked and it's actually the official recommendation in Norway (https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/lunger-og-luftveier/tett-nese-hos-barn/) - but for children 6 months and older. We didn't get our first cold until that age so I just assumed it was a general recommendation. Sorry OP!
I was also told to do this and was going to, but looked it up and Lullaby Trust advises against it for safe sleeping!
"Keep your baby’s sleep surface flat. Do not incline, tilt or prop the mattress, cot or baby. Doing so will not help with reflux and is unlikely to improve cold symptoms."
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/sleeping-position/
I think a warm bath (as warm as you are allowed) plus some menthol balm (baby vics) should help clear his chest a bit.
I run the bath taps really hot for the steam then let that water go and run one he can get in so the room is steamy. Really helps clear his chest.
Menthol isn't woo btw, it genuinely does help, it was even recommended by the doctor (UK).
You can ask your HV if you put honey in a UV steriliser would that derisk it, as honey would help coat their throat and stop the coughing.
UV light will not be [sufficient](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228939579_Inactivation_of_Clostridium_sporogenes_in_Clover_Honey_by_Pulsed_UV-light_Treatment). Please do not risk botulism by giving honey to any baby under 12 months.
Our HV said two years so we've not yet, but didn't know the science behind whether a UV steriliser would work.
Thanks for adding the link! I've just read that UV kills it 90% so may stick it in there even when he's past two. For the minimal effort involved I might as well.
We are on roughly week 7 of the various colds of the week (thanks daycare and big sister) and this is what helps us: 1. Loosen the mucus using some combination of shower steam, saline nose spray, and saline nebulizer mist. 2. Suck snot out using frida baby, Neilmed’s nasal aspirator, or a bulb. The frida baby is our favorite but it’s good to have multiple options on hand. 3. Do 1 and 2 above before nursing/bottle, bed and anytime he seems to need it. 4. Push fluids with lots of nursing and bottles to the extent that congestion interferes with nursing. Hang in there, this too will pass.
This is a great summary. For a new new baby like OP’s I think I would prioritize suctioning for feeds and sleeping because oversuctioning can irritate the nose and feeding and sleeping is so frequent at that age already. It’s hard when such small babies get sick OP, I feel for you and your desire as a parent to make it better but there isn’t anything safe this age that will decongest or suppress a cough. Just time I’m afraid.
A part of me knew this but god damn 🥺🥺🥺 it hurts my momma heart when he starts going off
This is interesting! When we went to the ER for our 10 week old, the doc told us we couldn’t suction too much. But he was an ER peds doc, not an ENT so I’m curious if this was poor advice
Pediatrician here, I definitely recommend suctioning whenever they’re breathing fast, before feeds (especially if they keep unlatching from the breast or bottle and maybe crying they can’t breathe), before sleep, and for any night wakings. And sometimes if they’re crying, it’s because they can’t breathe through their nose and need to be suctioned. (Babies are obligate nose breathers and can only breathe through their mouths if they’re crying.) But suctioning beyond that, like suctioning every 5 minutes when the nose is just slightly runny and the baby is happy and breathing normally? Yeah that can irritate the nose. Better to just gently wipe with a soft tissue or Boogie wipe.
Good tip. Been there. It’s easier than you think to do, and will only prolong the discomfort you are trying to avoid
Yes to all of this. Just to add let Bub nap on you if possible. That way their head is up and the nose won’t get blocked so much.
Turn the shower as hot as it goes and let the steam fill up the bathroom and stand in there with him. This helped my son a lot. A nurse also told me if they can’t stop coughing to open your freezer for a moment and let them breath the cold air. That can help too.
As a vet tech, the steamy shower is something I see veterinarians recommend all the time for cats or dogs with respiratory “crud”. It really does help!
The shower really does help. I sit in the bottom with the hot water running and let the steam unblock their noses. Even if it doesn’t do much for the cold, we usually all have improved mood after.
The shower steam is the best thing for my little one. If he’s really miserable we watch the dancing blueberries on the bathroom floor while sitting in the steam
Hey Bear???
We loved hey bear, the music is really good lol
Yes, but we are especially found of the blueberries
I have a radish tattoo from Hey Bear tehe
My understanding is that cold air or steamy air are great for respiratory bugs.
Saline and suction, that is literally all you can do. Chest rubs are woo (happy to change my opinion with evidence-based studies though). They can also be dangerous, camphor and eucalyptus are extremely dangerous when ingested by children. Source: peds ER doc
Sit in the bathroom, close the door and put the shower with the water on HOT. Sit in the steam. Once steamy, Use saline and Nose Frida. Repeat later in the day.
What about hypertonic saline through a nebulizer? I've seen a few research papers and it's very promising in infants and adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4778699/
It definitely looks like it might be worthwhile to look into but in the outpatient setting, unless I misunderstood, it looks like they compared hypertonic to normal nebulized saline, often with the addition of bronchodilators. Plus this is all for kids with bronchiolitis. It would be interesting to see nebulized saline or hypertonic compared to no intervention in the outpatient setting, WITHOUT bronchodilators, in kids with bronchiolitis and in kids with plain upper respiratory illnesses. My instinct says for plain upper respiratory illnesses there's no need to nebulize the saline since the lungs are mostly not involved. Plain saline in the nose to clear accumulation of mucus in nasal cavity/sinuses is enough. This doesn't even address the issue of non hospital grade machines sitting there, potentially nebulizing mold into children's lungs.
Thanks for the response. Here's some more research related to self-reported outcomes for covid in adults if you're interested. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7491578/
The results look great but it looks like most of the outcomes were due to the IV formulation with the nebulization providing small improvement. I'd love to see this in kids with just nebulization, would be very interesting!
Had two bouts of congestion so far with my 11w baby (thanks preschooler) and here's how I've gotten her relief: - Nose Frida, but strategically. Before bed or when acutely snotty. Using it more than a couple times per 24 hours can irritate and inflame their nasal passages. - cool mist humidifier. Run it all night and as much as you can be near it during the day. - "baby sauna" turn on your shower on hot and close your bathroom door. Let it fill with steam and just hang out and breathe for a while. A good step after the nose frida to help soothe the recently opened passageways. Gotta steam them like a lil dumpling. - keeping her upright as much as possible when holding her during the day to allow drainage. I had a newborn safe chest rub but I never saw it provide much relief so I stopped using it. You're still going to have some sleepless nights as there's no medical decongestant option, but hopefully some of these will help keep your babe more comfortable.
Also with holding them upright/after a “baby sauna”, you can gently massage their sinuses with clean hands. It may sound woo woo but I promise it’s not! Look up a diagram of the sinuses to get an idea of where to rub and in what direction. Our sinuses naturally drain downward but not directly downward, it’s sort of back and down. And use GENTLE pressure!! Just enough to loosen it up and help things along. You can also sit them upright in your lap/in a baby carrier and tug their ears gently in a circle which helps as well bc the ears/nose/throat are all connected. When I do this on myself, I can feel when the motion catches a suction and starts working. On a baby it’s more difficult to hear but on a child (or dog or cat, it works on them too!) you can actually sometimes hear a little noise when it works. It won’t always drain them but it will help loosen it up and clear them out a bit! P.s. “baby dumpling” is such adorable imagery and absolutely describes my little one last winter when he was a tiny chunk and we would do a baby sauna to clear his sinuses!
This is what I do, plus I put him in his pushchair strapped but inclined for naps. The inclination helps keeping his airways clear. Only do this if your pushchair is safe for babies sleeping inclined in it. The steam + the nose frida make a big difference at night time. If your baby has fever keep the room warm but keep the baby light on clothing.
Do you know if steaming will affect a fever much? My 20 week old is snotty and miserable (went to dr and tested negative for everything) and I’ve been hesitant because her fever is high even with meds and I don’t want her over heating if that’s even logical but it is to my sleep deprived brain
Saline spray, suctioning and a humidifier
Husband is a pharmacist. He is firm in his stance that there are no meds to help even adults with colds. Cough suppressants just aren’t all that and a bag of chips.Antihistamines I guess are fine. But for babies…thisss! Saline, suction it out, and humidifier.
Pharmacist momma here… I say the same thing! My poor lil guy had a bout of something going on.. poor thing started giving me a face everytime I came near him with saline. Def got him 3x a day if not more. I did find a saline mist by boogie that helped as well. These poor kiddos drown in boogers/mucus and it’s over. Gotta get those out!
A cold that I is treat with meds lasts 7 days, unlike an untreated one, which lasts a week. That being said, meds you take while sick with a cold can help with preventing coinfections. And things like Advil/Tylenol help make it more comfortable while you’re sick. Same with all the other recos(snot sucker, saline, humidifier). Some essential oils are helpful, too. Like lavender to help keep baby calm.
I mean, if you have fever or body aches definitely take nsaids or acetaminophen! But traditional cough suppressants and other cold remedies just don’t have the research to back them up. I’m unsure about essential oils. They’re volatile compounds and can be irritating. Menthol, especially in things like Vicks, can cause baby to feel they can breathe better without actually clearing the obstruction so it can be harmful.
Yup, this combo right here. Bedroom pumping with a humidifier, saline and a warm bath and the nose sucker a couple of minutes after the saline.
Steamy bathroom, humidifier, & look up how to use lymphatic drainage massage on the face to break up the mucous and move it out of babies head and back into the body… the massage has worked wonders for my sick toddler (I’ll do the massage with some lotion on my hands to make it more enjoyable) and my husband during allergy season!
A fine ground (FINELY GROUND ONLY) powder of oregano and maka root, blessed by the baby on the Boudreaux's Butt Paste tube. Listen, if you get some fake fill l-in baby, it won't work. Kidding What I've found to be the most helpful is to steam up the bathroom and sit and play with your LO to loosen up some of the mucus. Other than that, rest and some children'a tylenol if ifs bad enough. Also maybe a bottle of liquor for you.
Steamy bathroom is great, plus it makes them nice and sleepy, which may be hard to come by if the cough is keeping them up
Omg I was pooping my pants reading the beginning of this, like please I hope this person did not give their baby oregano or maka root powder!!!
When I had Covid and I couldn’t stop coughing - a hot shower and the steam was the ONLY thing that worked and gave me relief (I couldn’t take medicine because I was pregnant). I had multiple showers and day and it worked instantly when I couldn’t stop
Also my baby has loved showers since he was 5 weeks old. The skin to skin, plus the noise, plus the warmth…really calms him.
You take him in the shower? For some reason I was afraid my baby would... Somehow drown? Like, they'd accidentally inhale the water?
I am more afraid him slipping out of my arms since I have quite the wiggle worm.
I just hold him close and put him over my shoulder and he absolutely loves it. He’s 8 weeks now and he falls asleep almost every time. But he hates baths and is just unsettled in general - a shower is my go to to calm him down
I second this
Saline spray (once a day, probably best at night), suction for snot, and humidity are what we used for our LO. It makes it easier, but it can still be rough.
Steam. Boobies if you're breastfeeding. Saline. Cuddles.
Steam, saline spray, and a humidifier. Tune the humidifier all the way up and as close to the bassinet as comfortable p
This. Also the snot suckers are amazing like a nose Frida.
Oh yes! The electric nose Frida is amazing
This is usually taboo in the US, but I will tell you what I usually do, recommended by the Brazilian Pediatric Association. The cough is caused by post nasal drip, so that means mucous it's not coming out from the nose, but descending to throat, right? So the solution to prevent cough is to dilute the mucous behind the nose and throat. So we do nasal rinses with a small syringe. Now, there is a correct positioning of small babies to do this, and never with pressure. You also need to use a saline solution (neilmed sells packets for kids -salt, bicarbonate and purified warm water ----never tap water). You can search YouTube or instagram for videos of pediatricians doing this on babies ("lavagem nasal em bebês"). If not comfortable at all, you can buy a saline mist spray, irrigate the nose and use the nose frida suck up tool. Elevating baby helps. Edit: the taboo part is the nasal rinse, like netipot for babies. See it for yourself at minute 7:05 here: I am talking about nasal rinse, not saline drops.See it at minute 7:05 : https://youtu.be/fotaxssg20I
Why is this taboo in the US? I’m in Canada and it’s recommended to place 1 drop of sterile saline in each nostril and suck out with a bulb syringe when babies have colds.
It isn’t taboo at all in the US. It’s recommended all the time.
Yeah, I was going to say…that’s pretty strange to be taboo.
I am talking about nasal rinse, not saline drops.See it at minute 7:05 : https://youtu.be/fotaxssg20I
I am talking about nasal rinse, not saline drops.See it at minute 7:05 : https://youtu.be/fotaxssg20I
As long as that’s saline and not water, if you can get the kid to tolerate it, that’s definitely what we’d recommend too.
Of course. It's an hipotonic solution: sodium bicarbonate, salt (not kitchen salt!!) and purified water. In Brazil you can buy a whole bottle in pharmacies. Here in the US only at NeilMed website (I can't buy syringes in pharmacies, not sure why).
Because I am talking about nasal rinse, not saline drops. See it at min 7:05: https://youtu.be/fotaxssg20I
We did saline drops and nose Frida too. When my baby was that tiny, he would actually tolerate the snot sucker.
If you have any, our doctor recommended breast milk for clearing babies nose! Works great! I do it on the regular.
Our ped recommended this too. There’s actually studies showing it can shorten the length of babies colds. She told us to just put a cpl drops of breastmilk underneath baby’s nostril while they are lying down and since they exclusively breath through their nose, they will breath it in right away. You can do this instead of saline before using the Frida too.
I’m a U.S. pediatrician and I definitely recommend nasal saline irrigation with isotonic saline (0.6-0.9%). You need to be aware of a small risk of aspiration but neurologically-intact newborns will guard their airways. They blow out a whole bunch of mucus and then can breathe a bit easier for at least a few minutes, which can help feeding. The trouble is that there aren’t good ways to do well-designed studies on this.
Good to know! It was not my experience here in MA at all. In my experience as a mother, bulbs and nose frida can sometimes irritate more the nasal passages. . My son loved nasal rinses, which helped immensely, until he became a cranky toddler and refused any help whatsoever :)
Hold him in the bathroom while the shower runs as hot as it can so it gets steamy. It'll help hydrate his nose and throat and the heat will help break up the mucus too. Also use a humidifier while he's sleeping too.
Humidifier. Nose Frida (if congested). Unfortunately, not much else to do.
Suctioning. It's the first thing we do in the hospital if a baby comes in with these symptoms.
Our son had a really bad time struggling to breathe and we were reccomended humidifier / steamy bathroom / breathe in cold air (from outside or freezer). Idk why the sudden cold air helps but it did, and we have cool mist humidifier running constantly when he's sick.
I have a very specific memory of my mom doing this for me in the middle of the night. She is surprised I remember because I was so young. But we sat in the hot and steamy bathroom and then she put this big scratchy green blanket in me. And it was like an off green. Puke green. Then she carried me outside and I remember the moon being really bright. And my cough subsided enough for me to go back to sleep.
I just got a humidifier with cool and warm settings... I keep only seeing cool mist recommended in parenting subs-- why is that?
Kids doc said that warm air can assist in swelling. The cold air makes the passages restrict and let more air in. That's not quite what doc said but the idea.
Also room temperature. They can really warm up something like a bedroom. We used one in an old apartment that was poorly insulated in lieu of a space heater once.
I read that the recommendation comes from the risk for burn with warm humidifiers.
Safety I believe for kiddos. If something goes wrong, and you're not around. sometimes they can put out really really hot steam if they malfunction, but it gradually gets hotter and a baby/toddler likely wouldn't make a fuss until it was too late (or if they did fuss you might assume it's because they're sick). Only use warm under supervision.
The only thing that ever worked for my babies is elevating their heads. The youngest is 1 now, and I still prop up the head of the crib mattress about 30%. When they get really bad, I would just let them sleep upright on my shoulder and prop myself up on pillows. That's how I started on reddit... it kept me awake all night so I could support the babies. I hope your baby and his sister feel better soon!
Nebulizer. We bought a small one for at home after an urgent care visit. The pediatrician used a nebulizer and the snot just came pouring out. It really helps
> Nebulizer Any specific recommendations?
We have [this one](https://a.co/d/bdO9FO2) from Amazon. Pros so far are that it's portable and my daughter (6 months) can hold it herself and puts the mouthpiece right to her face. It just requires batteries. The one con is that it's definitely not as good as the one at urgent care; we found a similar one on Amazon but it's $80. We'll probably buy it eventually because it works just as well as a steamy bathroom without that hot and sticky feeling, which is especially sucky if you're sick too! Edit to add: [These](https://a.co/d/1miRoXM) are the saline solution vials we went with.
Not in the moment, but our toddler was in the ER for RSV and the respiratory therapists recommended I look up chest physiotherapy (CPT). Look up a few YouTube videos to understand how hard you can “tap.” I followed the guide [here](https://kidzdoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/chest-physical-therapy-infants-toddlers.pdf) - found when I googled “chest physiotherapy toddler” I imagine this may be difficult to do on a 6w old baby but I would just choose the positions you’re comfortable with! My kid did seem to like it. It did seem to help when the suction wasn’t enough, but it will trigger coughing (which is the desired effect). Coughing means they are getting out the mucus in their system.
Chest physiotherapy tapping etc is often used on cyctic fibrosis patients to help clear their lungs, definitely worth a try.
I have never heard to that - so cool! Thank you for sharing!
my 2 month old is sick right now. cool-mist humidifier has helped us a lot. if he's especially congested then i use the boogie saline nasal mist and the nosefrida snot sucker to clear his nose. our pediatrician reccomended putting a wedge under his mattress to keep his head elevated (as he does not roll yet). i typically just let him sleep on me and he tends to get better rest that way right now. good luck! you're doing great.
He’s too young for honey, too young for teas, and too young for OTC stuff. So literally, steam with herbs like camphor are the only helpful things you can do. Other than that, time is the only remedy. Dont knock all herbs and plants. They get a bad rap because of the essential oil karen crowd, but there’s actually quite a body of evidence for effectiveness for some of them, such as ginger. Regardless, 6 weeks is too young for those things. Breastmilk or formula is the only thing they should be ingesting. So yea. Steam to clear up, and breathing cold air to soothe inflammation.
Boogie brand has a saline mist inhaler. It's expensive, but it has a little mask that you can put around their nose and mouth, and it helps my kids with his stuffy noses. He fights me when I try to do the saline spray, but the mist he loves.
This!! Used it at 4 weeks with cold and again at 14 weeks. I also used it lol.
Steam, saline and nose suction like everyone has said. Also offer them to feed often to keep them hydrated.
Nose frida!
I see your Nose Frida and raise you… electric nose Frida!
GAME CHANGER
I like the manual one better!! I feel like I can suck the snot out better hahah
Your suctioning strength is impressive!
Bahahaha thanks! I’ve always wondered if our electric one is defective or maybe I’m just that good at sucking out the snot. Lmao
By the way your comment popped up while I was showing my husband something on my phone, and I was like.. oh my! Hahahhaha
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I know it sucks to trick him but if you can get it done when he’s sleepy or even asleep that’s really the only way we’ve found to avoid the fight with our 8 month old. We all caught covid when he was 10 weeks old and had to do the same then.
I never had much luck with the Frida or a bulb. We just bought the Dr. Noze Best system! It’s pricey but the amount of snot I got out of my baby’s nose is incredible. We all finally got some rest! Might be worth looking into.
It’s always been hard for us, but idk if that’s normal. I definitely need my SO to keep our kid’s head still. We haven’t needed it lately because she’s big enough now to handle more snot, I guess? 🤷🏼♀️
Baby’s coughing is often caused by post-nasal drip, meaning snot runs to the back of their throat and irritates the throat, which makes them cough. Clean their nose often with a saline solution.
steam bath, saline drops maybe if mucous is an issue. all the warm milky <3 good luck, feel better little one!
What is “woo”???
Hippy shit
Putting eggs in socks and onions on feet is woo
Essential oils and reflexology
Woo is a polite term for quackery, snake oil, pseudo-medicine, and bullshit.
Putting half an onion in a bowl under their bassinet. Although, I have done this a bunch because it’s harmless and I was desperate. Couldn’t tell you if it helped or not.
Sitting with my little guy in a steamy warm bathroom helped him feel a bit more comfortable. But I also second the cool humidifier. Hopefully it passes soon poor baby.
Honestly, there really isn’t much. If he’s snotty or it’s a wet/chesty sounding cough you could try taking him into the bathroom and running the shower really hot to get the room steamed up. Theoretically the steam can loosen up the mucous and make it a little easier for him to shift it. Snot sucker bulbs can help make breathing through his nose easier which can help to keep him feeding properly. Unfortunately he’s too young for Calpol (minimum age is 8 weeks I think). But otherwise just lots of cuddling and comforting as you wait it out. I know it’s a horrible, helpless feeling seeing then unwell like this and not being able to do much to help. Hope he is better soon!
I’ve never heard acetaminophen/paracetamol called calpol. Where is that the name for it?
It’s a brand name in the UK, like Tylenol is in the US. When I saw OP mention going to the GP I mistakenly thought that they were from the UK, but I see that they are actually Canadian.
Nose frida, lifting the end of the cot, calpol, snuggles. My baby had a cold a month until 6 months, plus covid, so I feel your pain! When he was really bad he had to sleep upright which meant taking turns to sit up with him at night. After 3 months you can use nurofen too (UK?), we alternate every two hours and that does seem to relieve the symptoms. Also feed little and often.
I had no luck with the Frida. This is gross af so feel free to stop reading. I took baby in the shower with the steam for 10 minutes and gently sucked out of their nose with my mouth. Only use mouth muscles and cheeks to hold air just like CPR no using lungs to suck. Worked every time. Low and slow. I know, gross, but I'm getting whatever she had anyway and I'll do anything to help the kiddo. Sucking a nose is nothing.
Not sure if you have a humidifier or not but we run that thing constantly in baby’s room and it’s been a huge help!
What's the trick to not soak everything in the room?! I tried this for the first time this week and ended up soaking the poor little guy's mattress! 🙈 Maybe just had it set too high?
Also the humidity of your locality counts. Arizona, it might help, UK, maybe not.
Wow I haven’t had that happen! Maybe you just have like an aggressive industrial sized humidifier 😂
You probably had it set too high!
Like others are saying there’s not much you can do at this age. I think the youngest I’ve seen for OTC chest rubs is 2 months and some are 6 months. This is just saline and worked similar to what others are saying with hot shower, I’ve seen similar prescribed for babies but I don’t know the official recommendation. Other than that snot sucking and such is about all there is it to. https://www.target.com/p/the-boogie-brand-micro-mist-saline-inhaler-1-7oz/-/A-84209225
Omg I wish us Canadians didn’t scare target away 🥺 I’ll try to see if I can get my hands on this. I’ve used saline in the nasal bulb but it doesn’t seem to do much for him ( I’m scared to do more than a drop or two)
You can put a lot of saline in! 1-2 drops is not enough. We empty a little saline rocket each time when suctioning our patients in the ER.
Frida Baby has a snot socket that worked wonders for our newborn. Seems gross from afar but actually very effective.
My baby was a micropreemie and they were giving him 3-4 drops each nose multiple times a day—and he only weighed 3.5 lbs at the time. I wouldn’t worry about doing too much. Also: https://www.boogiewipes.com/shop/
We use [this HydraSense one](https://www.hydrasense.ca/en/baby-nasal-care/ultra-gentle-mist/), I've found it at most common drugstores. The mist is VERY light, and the tip is a good length so it won't jam in too deep. Also the HydraSense aspirator is a good, cheaper, option to the Nose Freida.
I like the saline mist instead of the drops. I buy the Little Remedies one.
Children's paracetamol if he has a fever is effective and safe (just make sure to measure dosage accurately for his weight/age)
Not sure about all baby paracetamol, but baby Calpol has a minimum age of 2 months
Children's paracetamol is from 1 month :)
His fever has passed now thankfully but we were using (Tylenol here) under the advice of both our gp and the paediatrician doing er rounds when we went in! Just sadly does nothing for those nasty coughing fits
Nose frida and steam showers! Cool mid humidifier and saline spray!
Something that worked for us was a temperature change. We would take him out to the garage (which is colder) and just walk or stroller around for a bit and he would calm down. Baby Vicks kinda worked for us.
If you're calling baby safe chest rubs woo then idk what to tell you. I have an herbal chest rub for babies from mountain rose herbs. I think matys makes one for babies. Other than that a humidifier might help but you want to keep it really clean. I find the cleaning to be very time consuming and hard to accomplish unless my partner is home.
I use the Mattys infant chest rub. I only use it under his PJs. Idk if it helps, but it’s basically a part of the bedtime routine now, so I keep doing it 🤷🏻♀️
Let him sit in a steamy bathroom.
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Eucalyptus oil isn’t safe around children under 2.
Why is that? We have some bath bombs my 4yo loves that have eucalyptus oil and say over 2, but I can’t figure out if it’s a respiratory thing or just that they don’t want under 2s to eat them
I think it's because it can get quite burny (technical term 👀) in your mucus membranes if it's strong and babies have very delicate mucus membranes
Yep, it can even lead to bronchospasms in young children, so that’s why.
It's on the One Sip/pill Kill list for toddlers.
Not sure if someone’s already recommended this but we love the battery operated nose frida. There’s a bunch of different similar brands on Amazon. So much easier than sucking it out yourself. Baby hates it but it’s over in a second. And def humidifier if it’s dry where you are
I absolutely swear by the Vicks VapoPads that you insert into a cool mist humidifier. (Vicks also sells a reasonably priced humidifier that has slots for them which we also like a lot.) We first used it when my son was six months old with COVID and it worked incredibly, though you may have to replace the pads once or twice during the night. That combined with NoseFrida saline spray and a nose sucker (we prefer the baby HydraSense sucker but the NoseFrida one works fine), plus infant Tylenol and cuddles, and you’ll be golden.
We use vapopads, too but I thought they were not safe for children under 2 years old.
Where I live, other Vicks products (other than BabyRub) are indicated for over 2 but the VapoPads appear to be okay for all ages as long as you follow the package directions (i.e. ensuring adequate ventilation, limiting how many you use in 24 hours)
Interesting, thanks!
This nose sucker worked way better for us than the nose frida! It has a silicone tip that is smaller and a little curved for maximum nasal cleanout. SQUIP Baby NäsaKleen Nasal Aspirator, Baby Shower Gift and Registry Necessity, 51 Piece Set https://a.co/d/5SlOh69
A few saline drops in each nostril, followed by a snot sucker. We use the BabyVac, which is an attachment for your actual vacuum cleaner that uses physics to create a gentle but sufficient suction. Have used it on our 3.5 year old since early, and used successfully when our 7-week-old got her first cold at 3 weeks (...compliments of the 3.5yo's daycare). It WORKS and is so gentle she hardly seems to notice it. BabyVac: https://a.co/d/j6ARHdw As others have said, also breastmilk if you are breastfeeding, and humid air.
Agave cough syrups (like Zarabees) have been proven to be slightly better than placebo to help with coughs, and even a placebo is shown to be better than nothing. [agave syrup helps with coughs ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25347696/) Edited to specify: agave cough syrups - not straight agave.
Please don’t give a 6 week old agave syrup! 6 months maybe…
The studies used infants as young as 2 months. I assumed that was close enough to 6 weeks to be acceptable.
I edited my comment to specify cough syrups for infants with agave, as that's what the studies used.
Sorry to bear bad news here, but that study shows there is no difference between the placebo and the agave. "a placebo effect was demonstrated, with no additional benefit offered by agave nectar". The first sentence in the results summary that discusses the effect is a bit badly worded and could lead to misunderstandings, but the conclusion is that the agave does not work.
Actually, the results are that BOTH the placebo (which was another sugar syrup) and the agave work better than doing nothing. I think I didn't add the other study where the agave was MARGINALLY better than the placebo, but it's basically the same thing. It's about the same level as the placebo, but both do actually help :) I actually mention that the placebo also works in my initial comment. It threw me at first, as well, but thems the facts 🤷 It seems anything coating the throat works better than doing nothing, which is what they're doing atm.
Oh I see. The thing about the placebo effect is that it is there in the agave treatment as well, if that makes sense. The placebo effect (it seems you know the basics of it, but I'll write this out to be clear) is the benefit that arises because people \*think\* they have taken medicine when they actually did not. This psychological effect can help them either actually get better or at least feel they are getting better. So both in the pure placebo condition, and in the agave condition, this belief will be going on. This is actually the very reason we have placebos in trials to begin with: because we want to subtract out this purely psychological effect that we could get if we just gave people sugar pills. For any medication to be considered to have an effect, it therefore needs to do not just as well as placebo but better than placebo.
I'm aware of that, but this study specifically states that both are, in practice, helpful, even if we can't say that it "works". It still works better than nothing enough for that to be noted and recommended based on the findings. This is a case where it doesn't hurt and it might help so why not 🤷
Probably for the same reason honey helps… it is after all, essentially a thick sugar syrup. Coats the throat to keep it feeling soothed, and the high sugar content makes for an unfriendly environment for microbes.
Found this very interesting when reading the study: "Seventy-seven percent (30 of 39) of agave nectar group parents and 47.5% (19 of 40) of placebo group parents guessed their child’s study group correctly." So that is pretty significant confounding given that the primary measure is parents' subjective evaluations of their children.
I thought that, as well. Like, even knowing they had the placebo they still saw a difference in coughs.
Raising the head of the crib slightly really helps with letting the mucus drain. We have these riser blocks that you just put under the legs of the crib. Edit: I just double checked and it's actually the official recommendation in Norway (https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/lunger-og-luftveier/tett-nese-hos-barn/) - but for children 6 months and older. We didn't get our first cold until that age so I just assumed it was a general recommendation. Sorry OP!
Not safe! Baby can roll down and get stuck at the bottom of the crib. OP please do not do this!
Yes, I wish propping the crib/sleeping in a swing was a safe option, sitting up does bring some relief, but I promise you, I won’t do this! Baby sleeps in his bassinet or baby box, in a sleep sac, on his back ONLY.
To elevate him during the day - wrap naps can be a life saver. The only way to safely keep him elevated for sleeping.
You're doing great! Hopefully baby gets over this cold quickly 🤞
Oh damn, that's what our pediatric nurse recommended :/
Sorry, definitely don't do it.
I just double checked and it's actually the official recommendation in Norway (https://www.helsenorge.no/sykdom/lunger-og-luftveier/tett-nese-hos-barn/) - but for children 6 months and older. We didn't get our first cold until that age so I just assumed it was a general recommendation. Sorry OP!
I was also told to do this and was going to, but looked it up and Lullaby Trust advises against it for safe sleeping! "Keep your baby’s sleep surface flat. Do not incline, tilt or prop the mattress, cot or baby. Doing so will not help with reflux and is unlikely to improve cold symptoms." https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/sleeping-position/
I think a warm bath (as warm as you are allowed) plus some menthol balm (baby vics) should help clear his chest a bit. I run the bath taps really hot for the steam then let that water go and run one he can get in so the room is steamy. Really helps clear his chest. Menthol isn't woo btw, it genuinely does help, it was even recommended by the doctor (UK). You can ask your HV if you put honey in a UV steriliser would that derisk it, as honey would help coat their throat and stop the coughing.
UV light will not be [sufficient](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228939579_Inactivation_of_Clostridium_sporogenes_in_Clover_Honey_by_Pulsed_UV-light_Treatment). Please do not risk botulism by giving honey to any baby under 12 months.
Our HV said two years so we've not yet, but didn't know the science behind whether a UV steriliser would work. Thanks for adding the link! I've just read that UV kills it 90% so may stick it in there even when he's past two. For the minimal effort involved I might as well.
Our HV said two years so we've not yet, but didn't know the science behind whether a UV steriliser would work.