[EdlynsMom]

DD has caught her first cold.

Its her first illness, so I guess I should be grateful... Last night and today during naps, it seems like shes having trouble with the mucous in her nose - when shes lying down it backs up and makes it hard for her to breath. Last night she kept waking herself, and me in a panic, with something between a sneeze and a cough, attempting to clear out her nose. When shes awake and upright, it drains (down her face) and shes fine...
What can I do/give her to help keep the mucous from clogging when shes asleep? I'd rather not put her on meds (she doesnt seem congested). I used the nasal aspirator last night, helped for awhle, but she wont have anything to do with it now...

 

[TurboClaudia]

just wondering if it's actually a cold... is the fluid yellowy green? or mostly clear? if it's mostly clear, it might just be teething related. our son had this quite often during his teething times, and we mistook it for a cold, too. it usually resolved itself after a few days.

sorry i don't have any other suggestions... maybe try to keep it warm and moist in the room she sleeps? will she sleep on your chest? maybe you can prop yourself in a semi-reclining position and put her on your chest to sleep?

sending you healing vibes...

~claudia

 

[CrazyCatLady]

When our dd got stuffy like that we would put a couple of pillows under her and prop her up to sleep. She also liked sleeping in her car seat on some of those nights. The baby vics vapor rub doesn't have any funky ingrediants in it (I was shocked when I read the list if stuff that's in there, it's all natural things). I used the booger suck thing when she's asleep so I can really get a good amount out (one good suck evey few minutes, otherwise it woke her up). Or putting her in a steamy bathroom or handing her a hot wash rag to play with helps the snot come out. Our baby had a lot of stuffy noses, so I feel for you. Good luck and I hope she feels better soon.

 

[EdlynsMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboClaudia just wondering if it's actually a cold... is the fluid yellowy green? or mostly clear? if it's mostly clear, it might just be teething related. our son had this quite often during his teething times, and we mistook it for a cold, too. it usually resolved itself after a few days.

yesterday teh fluid was clear and runny, this morning it was the same when shes upright but thicker and yellowish when lying or just getting up. A few hours ago, we took DD and the dog for a long walk outside, as we were heading back DDs snot was thicker around the nostril opening, slightly greenish and gooey (sorry, so graphic!) When running out if the nose its clear, though...
We will have to come up with something tonight, Im thinking a long hot shower for DH and/or I and then a family steam bath... I will look into that baby Vicks, didnt know there was such a thing! She hasnt slept propped or on my chest for so long I dont know if she will now....

 

[WendyC]

I could have written the exact same post!!! I have my baby propped up on my chest right now, poor girl - she's all snotty and its her first time sick.

I just read the mothering magazine article about using breastmilk as nasal drops when you have a cold, so I just expressed some milk and dropped some up her little baby nose. I saved the rest to try on dh later! He's feeling awful too... the thought of my milk up his nose makes me giggle - what can I say... I can't help it!

I think I am going to try to prop her up on pillows tonight - its not very SIDS friendly though... at 9 months do any of you think thats a big deal??

 

[greenmansions]

pillows that aren't too soft are OK - my nephew had bad reflux and they kept him propped on a foam pillow that wasn't "mushy". But he was not yet rolling over when they did it... Do you have a foam wedge you could use?

I know you want to try to go with out meds, but in case - I have used Benadryl just at night in your dd's situation. It dries up their nose so there is nothing running back down their throats. The mucous pools in their throat near where their gag reflex is. My DS has had such awful coughing spells at night from that when he's had a cold, and the Benadryl really helps. I did not have luck with Vicks or a vaporizer for this particular situation (tho these worked when he was actually plugged up, rather than runny nose.)