[becoming]

I took my 2-week-old DD to the ped. on Monday with some pretty bad nasal congestion. The ped. listened to her chest and said she had a little chest congestion, but mostly nasal. She recommended Pediacare Decongestant & Cold Infant Drops, which I vetoed because I am not going to medicate my 2-week-old unless I absolutely have to. She also recommended saline nose drops combined with suctioning with the bulb syringe, which I have been doing 2-3 times a day (Little Noses saline drops/spray) without much result. Yesterday a little bit of the (clear) mucus I suctioned out was blood-tinged, but only a tiny bit and only one time. The ped. also suggested that I take her in the bathroom and turn on the hot water faucet and "steam" her basically for 15-20 minutes, then do chest-tapping. She said she would then either cough or vomit the mucus out. I wasn't comfortable with this because I was afraid of overheating DD. Bottom line, the congestion does not seem to be getting better, so I feel like I need to do something else. I don't want to take her back to the ped. because she's going to ask if I am giving her the Pediacare, and I'm not and not planning on it. (She's a very mainstream dr., that's all I have been able to find in this podunk place.)

What would you do for a 2.5-week-old with a cold/nasal congestion?

Thanks in advance, mamas!!!

 

[jerawo]

All newborns have nasal/chest congestion. Mine certainly did almost from the day he was born. I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless it seems very hard for her to breathe.

 

[becoming]

Jerawo, the reason I'm worried about this congestion is because she never had any until the day she turned two weeks old, and this was a couple of days after my son and I had gotten over a cold. It might be just the newborn nasal congestion, though -- I just figured it was the cold her brother and I had, since we co-sleep and she is always in my arms.

But let's say your newborn had an actual COLD with nasal/chest congestion. Would you do anything for him/her or just wait it out?

 

[alegna]

I'd do the steam, I'm not sure I understand your concerns with it.

-Angela

 

[becoming]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alegna I'd do the steam, I'm not sure I understand your concerns with it.

I should have mentioned in my OP that I did try this for a few minutes on Monday, but DD seemed to get really hot and short of breath. She was actually sweating pretty profusely and seemed to be gasping for air, so I cut it short. I tried to do the chest-tapping anyway after opening the bathroom door, and she did cough/gag a few times, but no sputum production at all.

I might try this again today.

 

[alegna]

Was she stripped down to a diaper? Maybe try that... or even get IN the shower with her.

-Angela

 

[lilsishomemade]

For stuffiness, I just would suction if it got to where they were obviously having a hard time feeding. The little bit of blood is probably because of the suctioning, actually. Too much can "nick" the membranes, but it's not a big deal.

 

[Kimmy]

Suck it out Mama ! Use your mouth. Sounds gross but works like a dream.
Or squirt some breast milk up there.
You can use a vaporiser/humidifier or steam with some eucalyptus oil.
Cut back on your wheat and dairy intake, this may help if your bubba has a little intolerance.

I wouldn't be too concerned unless they can't feed, then refer back to my first suggestion.

Cheers, Kimmy

 

[Gracefulmom]

A recent Mothering article talked about using breastmilk as nasal drops. Could help clear up any infection.

If you're breastfeeding, it's worth a try...

 

[addiesmom]

I agree with PP who said to try to cut out dairy from your diet. DS was a couple weeks old when he became very congested in the nose. Ped suggested cutting out the dairy and he immediately cleared up. I tried organic milk when he was 4 mos old, and he's been fine with it. Lots of babies are intolerant of dairy (and soy i might add) but most outgrow it pretty quickly. Just a thought....

 

[Gunter]

Thanks for these posts! I have a four week old with a stuffed up nose. What would I do w/o MDC at 2:30am when worried about my babe?

 

[CarenSwan]

There is a great archived thread on baby colds in the health and healing archives. It has some great suggestions for dealing with congestion. My 6 mo old has a cold right now, combined with teething, I feel good knowing that I can at least make her more comfortable with the vaporizer/eucalyptus and a little ebm up the nose. I've also been trying to boost my intake of vit. c and drinking 1 cup of eccinacea tea/day. I figure, whether or not the goods actually pass through my bm to her, at least I'm healthy, and taking care of a sick baby takes a lot of energy! It feels right to me to stay pretty on top of her symptoms (without overdoing it, of course) because my little one was a preemie, and is at a slight risk of RSV. Also, she's not vaxed. So I want to make sure her junk isn't progressing into something more serious (which so far it's not at all). I also found it helpful to read what Dr. Sears had to say about colds. It's good to be reminded that this is NORMAL! Good luck, and I hope your little one feels better!

 

[TwinMom]

My baby was *extremely* congested. It took an elimination diet to discover that it was corn and nuts in my diet that was contributing. I also had him adjusted by a chiropractor several times, which helped. Good luck!