Baby with a cold - please help!
P is just over 4 months old and started with her first cold about 3 weeks ago now. She had a few days where she was really lethargic and clingy along with blocked nose, sneezing etc but for maybe the last 2 weeks she has just been really congested without the other symptoms.
I feel like we have tried everything to help her breathe better but it's getting a bit ridiculous now! We have given her calpol, baby vapour rub, saline nose drops and (2 different kinds) of nasal spray. Have propped her cot at night too. She is mostly ok during the day when she is upright a fair bit but at night she struggles to breathe. I can hear it all at the back of her nose and throat and its heartbreaking that she just needs a good blow but can't do it! We also have a bulb syringe but rarely get much out using that. I called the doctors this week and they just brushed me off and offered an appt in a weeks time (I assume because she doesn't need antibiotics?)
Do you ladies have any suggestions that we haven't tried (am I missing something obvious) or any experience with this?! It really is awful to watch her struggling
thanks
Replies
The calpol plug in is very good, it's a decongestant that plugs in. Other than that you can put a wet cloth over her radiator or a bowl of hot water with Vicks in. Colds are horrible
hope she's feeling better soon!
Poor you, E had his first cold a few weeks ago and it was really difficult. We did everything that you did and for us, one thing that made a difference was a calpol humidifier in his room. It was a plug in device that I bought in the supermarket. You put in a filter which releases a vapour into the room. I think that this, the saline drops and propping up the cot were the things that worked for us. Hope that it passes soon x
We found the bulb aspirator useless at that age, her nostrils were still too little to get it in! In Boots you can get a 4LittleOnes one which is thin tube one end goes in the nose, the other in your mouth. There is a valve so you won't get snot in your mouth, but basically you suck! So effective especially when combined with saline drops. E had a cold for 5 months solid last Autumn/Winter and this is the single thing that got us through! It's so horrible when they are ill, hope she gets better soon.
ETA link http://m.boots.com/mt/www.boots.com/en/4little1-Baby-nose-clear-Nasal-Aspirator-with-case-_118420/
I'd put a drop of eucalyptus on a muslin in the room, not near her bed though. Have you tried massaging her chest? It can help to break up the mucus.
You just wish you could blow their wee nose!
We've been using the calpol plug-in as well and find it really good for clearing out her nose
We too use the calpol plug in which blows my head off but works. I'm no sure what the age for snuffle babe or baby olbas is but we use that too. I'll put the snuffle babe on my chest when I'm giving the last feed and on her feet (pharmacist told me to).
If you are using saline are you then facing tummy down for the snot to run down the nose?
Otherwise a bath before bed, and lots of steam helps E too. Keeping the room very well ventilated and heating off helps E too and keep in out of the car when the heater is on too seemed to make a difference.