Just give them benedryl... - Page 6

[rightkindofme]

Originally Posted by Heavenly

forget it

I did seriously mean that I agree with you. I was going to be snarky about why all people who do things 'mainstream' are evil not about you in the slightest. I don't think that all people who do things 'mainstream' are evil. Tone is really hard on the internet. I'm sorry that it came out sounding badly.

[choli]

Originally Posted by gbailey

Our ped recommended the opposite when we first flew. According to her it's better to make sure baby/child is well fed prior to take off. She said drinking and swallowing during take off increases the pressure in the ears.

Really? I'm so old I can remember when the flight attendants ("Stewardesses") used to bring around a basket of hard candy just before takeoff to help with the ear pressure thing...

[gbailey]

Originally Posted by choli

Really? I'm so old I can remember when the flight attendants ("Stewardesses") used to bring around a basket of hard candy just before takeoff to help with the ear pressure thing...

Yeah, according to her. This worked for us but not the second time we flew. DD's ears really bothered her. She was irritated for two days but on the return flight she was fine. I think it depends on the child. The next time we fly though I may bring a lollipop just in case her ears bother her to see if that helps. The pharmacist at Walmart told me when the ears start to bother them to put a small amount of Bengay behind the ear. He says the heat helps soothe the ear pain. He got this from his grandma and says it works for his kids just have to make sure they don't play with their ears and rub their eyes.

[Pookietooth]

Ds did not become drowsy on Benadryl -- luckily I tried it when we weren't doing anything because he was bouncing off the walls on it. Really, a nursing baby should be fine as long as the baby gets to nurse and you have help from your dh with all the stuff you have to lug with you. The fewer transfers the better of course. My dd did cry on the plane a tiny bit, but that was because ds (seven) woke her to go to the bathroom (from now on he's getting the aisle seat).

[jeminijad]

Hmmmm. I knew this topic would garner many responses... Here are mine.

1) Yes, it is wrong to drug a child for your own convenience. AKA, mommy is tired at home and wants a nap, here is some Benadryl.

2) When we are dealing with 100 other people being physically distressed by a screaming baby, the balance begins to tip the other way. It is no longer your convenience, but your personal ideals which are NOT more important than the next 12 hours of these people's lives.

3) The comfort of the child is a valid consideration. If the Benadryl (or Rescur Remedy, or Gravol, or whatever) alleviates their discomfort, and possibly lets them rest, it may very well be worth a single dose.

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by gbailey

Our ped recommended the opposite when we first flew. According to her it's better to make sure baby/child is well fed prior to take off. She said drinking and swallowing during take off increases the pressure in the ears.

Hmm...well, thats what we did and she seemed fine. Honestly, my ped did not recommend me to nurse, but she did tell me to blow on her face if my ears were popping so that she would pop hers too. She didnt seem to be in any pain through the trip, so hopefully no damage was done.

[Pookietooth]

Originally Posted by jeminijad

Hmmmm. I knew this topic would garner many responses... Here are mine.

1) Yes, it is wrong to drug a child for your own convenience. AKA, mommy is tired at home and wants a nap, here is some Benadryl.

2) When we are dealing with 100 other people being physically distressed by a screaming baby, the balance begins to tip the other way. It is no longer your convenience, but your personal ideals which are NOT more important than the next 12 hours of these people's lives.

3) The comfort of the child is a valid consideration. If the Benadryl (or Rescur Remedy, or Gravol, or whatever) alleviates their discomfort, and possibly lets them rest, it may very well be worth a single dose.

That's assuming that Benadryl would help the child without side effects (which it does have) and also assuming that it would be better than nursing. Neither of which are necessarily true. Each baby is different. Mine does not respond to any of the flower remedies I have tried on her or the homeopathic remedies either and I'd rather not try regular drugs on her (especially since Benadryl didn't work at all well on ds). Breast milk seems to be all that works on her.
On a slightly different topic, we flew with dd (5 months at the time) as a lap infant and there was another lap infant across from us (they made the adult in the seat next to mine move so that there were enough oxygen masks). I nursed dd when she fussed, and she fell asleep pretty quickly, and in general didn't cry much at all - without Benadryl or anything else. However, the baby across from us cried a lot, for quite a while. I noticed the dad was trying to comfort the baby to sleep, and not doing very well (the mom did breast feed the baby once, with a nursing cover, then handed the baby back to Dad). Had the mom nursed the baby when she cried instead I'm sure there would probably not been that level of crying, but I think that they felt that they should have the dad do the baby care to prevent the baby from growing dependent on nursing (or mom) for comfort. They had a toddler too so it may be that the mom was overwhelmed and wanted to focus on one child's needs at a time, though. Seems to be a trend I've seen lately.

[laila2]

We gave it once for a pin point rash

The pediatrician recomended it for our less than 2 year old once or slightly older than 2. Can not remember. The result was a kid that fell asleep for a long time. Did not like it. Will not do again

[eepster]

Originally Posted by hildare

I wonder...What if the word "vodka" was substituted in casual conversation for the other drugs that people are so eager to dispense? Would it be looked at differently then? I hear alcohol has been used historically as a way to "make children sleepy," such as when factory workers in the US didn't have anyone to watch their children. Is that acceptable? If not, then why is a different drug?

In my family growing up it was sherry. It's sweat and yummy. The pacifier got dipped in it when we were teething. My GM always gave dad a small glass of sherry when she took him to visit a friend. GM would sit and gossip with her friend while dad sat next to the fire with his sherry and a book, and usually fall asleep shortly. Dad has fond memories of sitting by the fire with his sherry which he viewed as a special treat.

It is kind of a weird double standard that it is illegal to give a kid a little sherry, which has been used for generations, but actually recommended to dose them with benedryl. I would bet the sherry is just as safe if not safer than the benedryl, and it is certainly a lot more pleasant for the child.

[purplepaperclip]

Originally Posted by Pookietooth

That's assuming that Benadryl would help the child without side effects (which it does have) and also assuming that it would be better than nursing. Neither of which are necessarily true. Each baby is different. Mine does not respond to any of the flower remedies I have tried on her or the homeopathic remedies either and I'd rather not try regular drugs on her (especially since Benadryl didn't work at all well on ds). Breast milk seems to be all that works on her.
On a slightly different topic, we flew with dd (5 months at the time) as a lap infant and there was another lap infant across from us (they made the adult in the seat next to mine move so that there were enough oxygen masks). I nursed dd when she fussed, and she fell asleep pretty quickly, and in general didn't cry much at all - without Benadryl or anything else. However, the baby across from us cried a lot, for quite a while. I noticed the dad was trying to comfort the baby to sleep, and not doing very well (the mom did breast feed the baby once, with a nursing cover, then handed the baby back to Dad). Had the mom nursed the baby when she cried instead I'm sure there would probably not been that level of crying, but I think that they felt that they should have the dad do the baby care to prevent the baby from growing dependent on nursing (or mom) for comfort. They had a toddler too so it may be that the mom was overwhelmed and wanted to focus on one child's needs at a time, though. Seems to be a trend I've seen lately.

I would hate to imagine the assumptions one could make about me based on just a brief observation of me on a challenging day...

[gcgirl]

Originally Posted by purplepaperclip

I would hate to imagine the assumptions one could make about me based on just a brief observation of me on a challenging day...

No s*#^!

I nursed DS1 for the last 2 hours of a 6-hour flight once. I was cringing and crying in pain because I had a bad case of nipple thrush. I WISH I'd had some Benadryl that time.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Lit Chick

My ped recommended using it for sleep enhancement once, and only once, when my child's post-nasal drip and the resulting irritating cough was keeping him from getting any rest. One dose and he was able to get past the irritation, got sleep, and got better. It was not for conveinece. She's not a fan of doping kids just to make them calm and quiet, and I'm not either.

Plus Benadryl helps dry up excess mucous and likely sped up the end of the post-nasal drip.

As for people suggesting Benadryl for sedation try asking them if they're telling you that as medical advice and if they'll stake their professional reputation on the safety of dosing a healthy infant?

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Marsupialmom

I don't know what he gets but he doesn't puke him self dehydrated. Planes can be dehydrating and puking your way through a flight from St. Louis to Tokyo is not a good thing.

See now, avoiding motion sickness is an actual medical reason for the medication. And, depending on comfort level and severity of the anxiety, even using Benadryl as a sedative could be an actual medical reason.

What isn't a medical reason is a preemptive use of Benadryl with a healthy, happy baby just to "get them to sleep".

[JavaJunkie]

Originally Posted by Pookietooth

That's assuming that Benadryl would help the child without side effects (which it does have) and also assuming that it would be better than nursing. Neither of which are necessarily true. Each baby is different. Mine does not respond to any of the flower remedies I have tried on her or the homeopathic remedies either and I'd rather not try regular drugs on her (especially since Benadryl didn't work at all well on ds). Breast milk seems to be all that works on her.
On a slightly different topic, we flew with dd (5 months at the time) as a lap infant and there was another lap infant across from us (they made the adult in the seat next to mine move so that there were enough oxygen masks). I nursed dd when she fussed, and she fell asleep pretty quickly, and in general didn't cry much at all - without Benadryl or anything else. However, the baby across from us cried a lot, for quite a while. I noticed the dad was trying to comfort the baby to sleep, and not doing very well (the mom did breast feed the baby once, with a nursing cover, then handed the baby back to Dad). Had the mom nursed the baby when she cried instead I'm sure there would probably not been that level of crying, but I think that they felt that they should have the dad do the baby care to prevent the baby from growing dependent on nursing (or mom) for comfort. They had a toddler too so it may be that the mom was overwhelmed and wanted to focus on one child's needs at a time, though. Seems to be a trend I've seen lately.

Why the huge assumptions? My 2nd DS hated, and I mean hated, nursing in public. I don't know how he knew from such a young age, but even as a newborn, I had to find quiet and solitude to get him to nurse well. He'd nurse in public, but barely, and certainly not long enough for a full feeding. Then he'd simply refuse to do it any longer. A flight would have been a nightmare with him. He was otherwise a very laid back, easy little guy. But I did have to work around the NIP thing. Holding him on a flight when he wanted to nurse would have just upset him more. Trying to get him to nurse more would have just upset him more.

Even my first DS, who LOVED nursing, might not have done so well on a flight once he got past the newborn stage.

[Dandelionkid]

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

In what way is giving a freaking out child a sedative solely for the comfort of others? If the child is freaking out, clearly, they're in distress.

"Others" comfort should not play ANY part in the decision to give a child Benadryl as there are potential dangerous side-effects to this medicine. The only factors a mother should weigh in their decision to give Benadryl are the benefits/risks for the child. If it is determined that a child's comfort is worth the risk then go for it.

My child's physical safety (if I decide Benadryl is too risky) is more important than the perceived mental discomfort of anybody on the plane.