[mononmom]

HELP!!! My one yr old DD has her first cold going on. Came on Wed afternoon with a runny nose and slight fever. Fever all day thursday and runny nose. (been giving homeopathic Alpha CF for symptoms) No more fever since Thurs but now she is really congested. She can hardly nurse b/c she can't breath thru her nose. It is worst at night and affects her sleeping. She started having a little snot again last night and today. I was looking for suggestions of what to do to relieve her congestion. She is my first and it is her first time being sick so I just want to make sure i am doing everything I can for her. Is this just something that has to run it's course and how long will it take? If it is just a cold then I wouldn't think she needs to see a dr but I don't wnat to let it go if it could be something else. SO..what did you do for your little one when they were congested? Thanks

 

[normajean]

Put a drop of eucalyptus globulus oil in some lotion to massage into her chest & back. Run a cold mist humidifier in her room at night, or take her in the bathroom, turn the shower on hot, and run the shower until its steamy, stay in there reading stories to her for 20 minutes.

Get a nasal syringe to suck out the snot so she can breathe while she eats-just squeeze the bulb, put it barely into her nostril, and release the bulb. Then shoot the snot into a tissue, and repeat until she's clear enough to breathe.

How is she acting? If she's acting like herself, other than being annoyed & congested, its probably viral. If she's lethargic, inconsolable, or her fever is high, she may have an infection. I suspect that since her fever is gone, she's on the mend.

 

[snanna]

I second the excellent suggestions of the pp, and add that this was about the age where we taught our dd to blow her nose-- I know, it sounds crazy. I'm not sure what made me even think of doing it (besides sheer desperation), but it worked. We would demonstrate, then hold the handkerchief to her nose, and she would blow. It's easiest to learn, I think, when the goo is loose from the shower. This saved everyone so much suffering over the next year of frequent colds.

Also, everything loosens up best when your body is hydrated-- would she accept some liquid from a cup? Breastmilk or water?

My sympathy on the first cold of toddlerhood-- may they be few and far between!

 

[Maxine45]

we recently boiled fresh oregano leaves in the tea kettle and let the baby breathe the steamy air. this helped rid him of his congestion.

I have no idea why it works, my mom learned this method from an elderly woman at a Mexican market and she finally convinced me to just give it a try. surprisingly, it worked for us.

 

[Spastica]

The oregano works since the essential oils in the plant help with breaking up mucus, same as eucalyptus does (camphor is in there). I have peppermint and spearmint spices, so I use that, or you can do a basil/oregano combo in a pot of boiling water, set on a table and then watch your child carefully as they inhale the steam under a tented towel. Let the child keep a bit of distance so that he is not too close to the pot, but close enough to enjoy the steam.

It's a great facial if you would like to do that too