My baby has a cold?

[Rev1053]

DD has had a stuffy nose for 2 weeks. She doesn't cough, nor does she have a fever. But the stuffy/buggery nose has been constant.
I have a bulb that I suction out her nose about twice a day so she can continue to eat.
Is there anything else I can do to help her breathe?

I have been drinking OJ and taking vitamin C pills in the hopes that it will help her out... but so far no luck. I am worried about her loosing weight as she is unable to nurse enough. My breasts are full and hard every few days since she is unable to drain them.

Can I put vicks maybe on her feet? Or maybe vicks somewhere near her? Any advice?

[dislocator3972]

You could try a humidifier near where she sleeps. And while my DD has been stuffed up I've been giving her a bottle when I get worried that she's not getting enough. Bad mom to give her a false nipple, I know. But this is one time that I think the benefits definitely outweigh the risks (for us).

[Rev1053]

I am dreading tonight. She wakes up crying and she cant nurse because she is so stuffed up. I don't have any pumped milk nor do I really want to pump to feed her through a bottle since she still needs to breathe through her nose to eat with a bottle as well....

I'll try a humidifier tonight though! Thanks!

[Abraisme]

I always run saline through the nose with a nasal aspirator Neti-Pot style. You can look up how to use a Neti Pot and improvise with salt water and an aspirator. It often takes two people, it makes the baby cry and choke a bit, BUT IT WORKS REALLY WELL! It's worth the little bit of pain to clear the nose.. Olivine has had nasal congestion on and off since she was born too. Babies have tiny nasal passages that get clogged easily. Good luck!

[dislocator3972]

Originally Posted by Abraisme

I always run saline through the nose with a nasal aspirator Neti-Pot style. You can look up how to use a Neti Pot and improvise with salt water and an aspirator. It often takes two people, it makes the baby cry and choke a bit, BUT IT WORKS REALLY WELL! It's worth the little bit of pain to clear the nose.. Olivine has had nasal congestion on and off since she was born too. Babies have tiny nasal passages that get clogged easily. Good luck!

That sounds promising! Good luck tonight, I hope it goes well, or at least better!

[GradysMom]

I was told back with ds that saline should be dropped in the nose before suctioning to help loosen it all up. I do this with dd

I mix up some salt water, about half a teaspoon in a few ounces of water and then I dip a Q tip in the water and use it to put saline in the nostrils one or two drops at a time. A very gentle approach (I didn't have a nose dropper and invented this route 3 yrs ago).

I wait a few minutes then suction. And Repeat as needed and this time I put a few drops in when I am done because my thinking is the saline helps dry things up in the nose too.

SHe has mostly cleared up in about a week and a half.

And I suction when she needs it, before meals if the breathing is really challenging. Bad latches have been hard on me too during this. Nearly got Mastitis again

I guess I should say my babby girl has a cold here too.

[Scarlet_Redhead]

My little guy was super stuffed up too about two weeks a week ago. Our tips are tricks were

1. Saline drops - yep he cryed and choked but it helped clear him out. Just got a bottle that you drop a few drops in his nose.
2. We sat in the bathroom with the shower on as hot as it would go and breathed in the steam. I know a big waste of water but it really helped. I plugged the tub so it would save the hot water (to add to the steam).
3. Humidifier right next to his crib.
4. Eucalyptus oil in the humidifier and a drop on his blanket.

Our Ped told me not to use the bulb thingy too much cuz it can irritate the inside of his nose and cause more problems.

Good luck. I know it is not fun but it will pass.

[ombrooklyn]

When Kingsley was stuffed up i put eucalyptus oil in the four corners of his swing (or crib, bassinet etc.) It really helps clear them up!

[Koalamom]

My baby was getting a stuffy nose every night and I had no idea why. I realized I had a felted organic wool pad under us to protect our bed. I removed it and we are all good! But there have been a few days that he still hada stuffy nose. I learned he is sensitive to me eating eggs, soy, and cow dairy (not cheddar cheese or butter though, what a relief). He was fine otherwise, just allergies. What a bummer about the wool pad since it was a nice one too.

[wombatclay]

Breastmilk in the nose! It does the same thing as saline but has the added benefit of antibodies, already warm, already mixed, free, and you don't have to get out of bed. Our ped swears by it and it's mentioned in many baby books too.

Like pp's we hook up the humidifier and put some eucalyptus oil in the diffuser. I generally squirt milk up the nose (you can express and use a dropper though, this is what I do for my preschooler and toddler), suck the goop out (try different aspirators too... the bulb syringe never did much for us), then nurse in a more upright position.

Good luck!

[Rev1053]

BREASTMILK! Duh. I use that stuff everywhere but I didnt think to drop it up her nose.
She is still stuffed up so I will try that!

[adoremybabe]

I use breastmilk as well. I hope that your LO gets wells soon! All 3 of my kiddos are ill right now.

[wombatclay]

It's amazing what sleep deprivation and a sad babe will do to the brain!

I forgot to mention... when one of my nurslings is/was stuffy I'd also try to nurse them really frequently so that they were in a better mood. It's not ideal, but lots of tiny little nursing sessions where they get a slurp or two means that they don't get to the hungry/frustrated/crying stage as often. And it may help take the edge off your swollen breasts (keep an eye on that, k? It would stink to get plugged ducts of mastitis on top of everything! Pump or express to comfort, let them drip in a warm shower, use cool compresses, take ibuprofin if necessary, massage while nursing, etc.)