First baby and first cold. What should I do?

Rachel - posted on 10/29/2011

i always take my l.o to the doctor right away when shes sick. this last time she had a cold with coughing and it was bronchitus and she needed antibiotics. id take him right away. my dr allows me to use a generic baby benedryl to dry up the nose and humidifiers can help. steam up the bathroom and have him breathe in the steam for the cough to loosen it. but again bring him in asap.

Nancy - posted on 10/28/2011

Thanks for all the wonderful advice - we both survived. Time, baby vicks, a humidifier and lots of love seemed to do the trick!

Jill - posted on 10/28/2011

Make sure you little guy is drinking a lot of liquids. Vaporizer. Turn on the shower and have him close by so he can breath in the mist and call your Dr.

Erin - posted on 10/27/2011

Oooo ok...thanks Collette

Tara - posted on 10/27/2011

My little guy got his first cold a couple of days ago, and hes only 2 months old. I bought a cold mist humidifier, which I didn't see much results with. Also, I tried the steam in the bathroom, which seemed to help with the congestion for a short while. I think the only thing that really helped was time, and sleep.

Collette - posted on 10/25/2011

@ Erin
Vicks on the bottom of the feet soothes a cough through the night.

Erin - posted on 10/25/2011

I am a new mom of a 4 month old and im just curious as to what Vicks Vapor rub on the feet with socks does...also doesn't anything you put on their skin get absorbed into their body? Just curious for future reference

Darci - posted on 10/17/2011

Just because of his age I would take him to the doctor especially if his cough is getting worse. At that age he could develop croup and that would be bad so see your doctor and make sure it is just a cold and not croup.

Shane - posted on 10/16/2011

I bought a vaporisor form the chemist, there is also a saline spray called 'Flo' you can get from the chemist... I think it's magic. And it can be sprayed on any angle. If you are worried, go to the dr's. There's no such thing as too early to get him checked by dr's. Prevention is better than cure. Hope he gets better soon.

Collette - posted on 10/16/2011

I use a cool mist humidifier in their room while they're sleeping, Johnson's Soothing Vapor Bath in the tub and a drop of eucalyptus oil on the collar of their pjs. For coughing, I put Vick's Vapor Rub on the bottom of their feet and cover with socks for the night.
Focus on relieving symptoms at night. If he gets a good night's sleep, his body will take care of itself faster.

Kirsten - posted on 10/12/2011

I suggest using homeopathic remedies. I also like using cedarwood oil on our 9 month old. I also used it on her when she was 2 months. Cedarwood oil works well for congestion and coughing. I use Young Living essential oils.

Samantha - posted on 10/11/2011

Let the shower run so the bathroom steams up and sit in there with him. i also put a karvol capsule in boiling water and tuck it right under his bed, helps him to breathe easier at night.

Kathleen - posted on 10/08/2011

When my son was that age with that, we used the cool mist humidifier, sometimes baby vapor rub, i also since born had to shoot saline up his nose and use an aspirator (which prob explains why he hides the aspirators now at 3 lol) Stuff a towel or wedge under the crib mattress to elevate. Something I always did with congestion myself and with my son. I turned on the hot shower, shut the door, and then for a few min we'd sit on the toliet seat to help to loosen his congestion. Of course only a few minutes not long.. If it does not go away call the doctor though.

Keli - posted on 10/08/2011

my son is 10 months old and got his first cold about 2 weeks ago, i gave him tylenol twice a day,and 2 baths a day with Johnsons baby vapor bubble bath,i put baby vicks on his feet with socks and on his chest/back. also use a cold mist humidifier when he is sleeping. It sucks being sick =( i hope this helps...

Nikki - posted on 10/07/2011

At his age if it is getting worse I would definitely see a doctor just to be sure it's not croup or anything. You didn't mention if he had a fever or not? Personally I would not use medications if he does have a fever unless it is really high. His immune system will work harder and faster without the medication and it can mask symptoms.

Cool mist humidifiers are better than the warm ones, some vapour rub may help with the congestion. You can buy saline nose spray from the pharmacy which may help with the congestion. If his nose is really blocked I would suck it out, yes it sounds gross and yes it is gross but it works really well. Just put your mouth over his entire nose and suck gently.

You can purchase natural homeopathic remedies which I always found to work well at that age.

Elevating his mattress might help drain some of the nasal congestion as well, I use to just roll up a small towel and place it under the top of my daughters mattress.

Hope he feels better soon, colds are horrible when they are so little.

Sharon - posted on 10/07/2011

I'm in Australia so the products may be a bit different here but this is what I do for our boys.

Baby Vicks Vapor Rub on the chest, back & feet (morning, before bedtime, after bath).
Panadol every 6hrs.
If there is a fever I alternate Panadol & Nurofen every 3hrs.
Vaporiser/Humidifier in their bedroom at night.
And I don't wet their hair in the bath when they have a cold as their hair is thick and isn't easy or quick to dry.

That usually clears them up within a day or 2. If the fever persists take him to the dr to see if he needs anitbiotics. But I know at that age (in Aussie anyway), they are rather reluctant to prescribe antibiotics unless the fever doesn't break after a few days or is too high.

Oh, and lots and lots of cuddles....they always work! ;-D