Thermometer

[lilyblossom]

What do you ladies use for a thermometer for the new baby? DH and I haven't gotten one yet but I think it's probably important to have one on hand. I know they make all kinds now and I haven't done any research on them yet. My father wants to buy some things for the babe and I'm thinking that would be something good since they can be a bit expensive.

Also, what do you keep for supplies in case your newborn gets sick? I'm sure I'll be heading right to our NP (we didn't go with a pedi since most in this area won't take your child unless you Vax on the normal schedule) and in their practice, they treat a lot of conditions naturally, something that's very important to us. We also use a naturopath but I'm not sure how realistic that'll be once we go down to 1 income! I have some diaper rash ointment from Burt's but that's about it so far, LOL!

[camille76]

when i had my 1st, i picked out one of those ear thermometers... but i cant say i was ever really able to get an accurate reading out of it. i often times just ended up using the one the hospital sends you home with (cheap digital one) and putting it in baby's armpit.

last time i took one of the kids to the doctor, they had this new kind that you just rub on the forehead. looked simple enough. maybe that'd be a good one to get.

[BabyBump]

I use the cheap digital kind.

[kathywiehl]

I have the cheap digital kind too. It was around $5 at walgreens and has been pretty accurate for the other kids.

I have heard that you shouldn't take a newborns temp under the arm since it's not accurate that way for little babies. Rectal is best, but be sure to use the probe covers and something to lubricate...I'm sure most everybody knows this but while we're on the subject....

As far as medicine? There really is nothing I would feel comfy with giving a newborn without checking with an expert first, so we have nothing on hand in case baby gets sick. If he gets a stuffy nose from a cold he'll get breastmilk up his nose, but if he gets a fever or vomiting in the first 2 months, we'll be headed straight to the doc. I'm just not comfortable self treating these things in a newborn.

Reading this I feel incredibly mainstream, lol! Hard to believe I'm planning a homebirth this week sometime.

[flapjack]

OK. First, the only thermometer in our house that we can ever actually find is my BBT one. We use the "kiss test" for temperatures and the like: if their foreheads, cheeks and tummies are burning up when you kiss them, then they probably are. BUT the only circumstances when I'd use paracetamol (you call it tylenol) for a baby under 6 months are those where otherwise, I'd be heading straight to A&E: where they're running a temperature and aren't dealing well with it. In nine years, there's been two occasions when I might have got a thermometer out: once when Isaac went septic when he was 3 months old, but he was in an ambulance to hospital within minutes of the temperature rise, because he was just so darned poorly. And the other was croup (again, Isaac, again was in the car on the way to hospital within minutes because of the severity of the illness). None of the others have ever run a temperature high enough to be interesting, and normally, Isaac doesn't, either.
Other than that, I'd go and buy a bottle of tylenol at 3 months, 2 if you're immunising on the standard schedule, and get some calendula oil in now for dry skin, nappy rash, etc. Everything else can wait.
Oh- do sort out your family first aid kit now, though, including plasters.

[CalebsMama05]

I have 2 cheapie digital thermometers that I got when the boys were born. I used them once for each kid. when Caleb was 9 months old he had an ear infection that caused a fever of something like 102, and when Jacob was 5 months old he had a respiratory infection that caused a fever of 101. (and I think there may have been a 3rd fever but he was sooo hot I don't think I took his temp just headed to the ER)

for the first aid kit...usually I just keep infant tylenol and infant motrin...we never really used it much. my kids don't get sick much. now with these two being older I have childrens motrin and tylenol multisymptom cold. I am not sure how they managed it but when they get colds they get every symptom that stuff covers. Oh and I need to get some kid band-aids...

[smokeylo]

We have an ear thermometer and a cheap digi. one that came with the "infant health care kit" we registered for through Target. I imagine we'll end up using both I used the ear one on DH the other day and it worked pretty well, I like how quick it is and how it doesn't require undressing! Could do it in baby's sleep.

Otherwise... snot sucker, medicine dispenser, but no meds or anything on hand (I figure Walgreens is open 24 hours and I don't want to have that stuff around). I've considered getting gripe water and mylicon but again... I don't want to have it around and be tempted to use it when it isn't really needed.

[CalebsMama05]

Originally Posted by smokeylo

Otherwise... snot sucker, medicine dispenser, but no meds or anything on hand (I figure Walgreens is open 24 hours and I don't want to have that stuff around). I've considered getting gripe water and mylicon but again... I don't want to have it around and be tempted to use it when it isn't really needed.

the nose sucker I got at the hospital...MUCH better than any of the ones we can buy at the store...medicine dispenser...that I got at walgreens I think. the meds I have to have on hand...we don't have a car so if I have to go out at 1am I would not be too happy walking 45min there and 45mins back! Luckily though my kids rarely needed any medicine...Caleb used mylicon a lot but that's cuz I had no idea I had overactive letdown. otherwise one tiny bottle of infant tylenol and motrin AND mylicon lasts the first year.

[lilyblossom]

Great input mamas! I hope not to need much in the way of conventional meds but it's nice to have something on hand in case something happens in the middle of the night. I don't think New Hampshire has figured out the concept of 24 hour stores yet, LOL!

[loraxc]

We have one of those new temporal scan thermometers that you just run across the forehead. They are pricey, but AWESOME. (Mine was a shower gift.)

[eilonwy]

Rectal temperatures are ideal... as long as you're not doing it all the bloody time. When Bean was in NICU, for example, and they were checking his temperature every three hours or so they took axillary temperatures, because of how frequently they were doing it-- it would have been to much irritation for his tush. Checking occasionally for a fever, I start with the kiss test and move on to axillary and/or rectal (if I need a more precise measurement). Lips are far more accurate than hands, but not terribly precise (although with a great deal of practice, you'd be surprised at how close you can get )

Anyway; Each of my kids has been given a digital thermometer of their own in the hospital. The NICU babes got two. I've got quite a few thermometers around here, but most of them are lost. I like the $10 Vicks one with the gigantic, glow-in-the-dark display, and the flexible probe end best. At this point, though, my older kids are old enough to use an oral thermometer and Bellatrix LeBella has a definate preference for axillary... so I've only got one pair of minibuns to concern me, and unless he becomes horribly ill (kenahara!!) I won't be checking his temperature that way.