Small baby with cold -help!

[Jenanne]

Just wondering if anyone can help me? I have a 6 week old BF DS who seems to have a snuffly cold/blocked nose. He's very niggly and feeding really often (sometimes hourly). He will only settle to sleep when he's upright. I know there's nothing I can give him, but is there anything I can do to make him more comfortable? I haven't called the Dr as he hasn't got a temp or a cough - is this OK? Any help greatly appreciated!

[Lizzzombie]

Is it possible to raise one end of the cot slightly? Using a telephone directory or large book. I think you can actually buy cot raisers but I've just had a quick look and can't find any.

If you are sure he has a blocked nose, you could always try to unblock it.
Two methods.

1. You suck it out yourself. (less harsh for him but rather gross)
2. You can buy a nose clearer thingymaygy which does it for you on the same principle.

Not sure how young you can use them though.

hth.

[Lizzzombie]

nasal aspirator here

[fannybanjo]

I too had a 6 week old who permanently had a cold/stuffed nose for a few weeks and the only thing that worked for me was buying a humidifier. I bought one for around £25 in Argos and it was fab. I have it here and if you live near me, you could borrow it (live in Chester). Definitely worth spending £25 though if you can afford it. I think DD3 got a lot of colds because she was born when the central heating was on a lot and it agitated her sensitive tiny nose. The humidifier helped most definitely.

[fannybanjo]

Lizz, did you ever find those nasal aspirators worked? I find them absolutely impossible and having had 3 children, wondered if it was just me!

[bratnav]

snot sucker is suitable from birth, DS had a cold at 2 weeks and it worked really well.

Steam - hot water in a bowl near baby with a couple of menthol crystals in it.

Saline nose drops, you can use these any time, but they are fantastic especially for loosening the snot before using the sucky thing.

Be prepared to fed a lot for a few days, it is awful, but they do recover fairly quickly.

Hope it all goes well for you

[kitkatcadaverqueen]

Hiya, you are doing everything right.

Put a couple of phone books under the feet of his cot at the head end to prop his cot up and see how you go.

B/F Babies often feed little and often when the are unwell because its soothing to a sore throat. Don't forget if he gets v bunged up you can take him into a steamy room to help him to breathe more easily or if you speak to gp / possibly chemist you can get drops to go up the nose to help too.

Hope he's feeling better soon.

[sweetnitanitro]

I used a humidifier as well when DD had a cold at 6 weeks and it worked well. I probably have exactly the same Argos one as fannybanjo

I found the nasal aspirators clear their nose well but if it's their sinuses that are stuffed then they do bugger all.

[kitkatcadaverqueen]

sorry x'd posts

snot sucker fan here tho

[bratnav]

this type I found the best, the bulb one did bugger all for DS

[fannybanjo]

I found that when DD3 suffered with her nose, it wasn't that it was snot, it was that she couldn't breath properly and I think a lot of newborns have this problem. It is not so much a cold virus but more an allergy which makes their nose very stuffy. Hence a snot machine won't work!

[fannybanjo]

this is the one I have. Really is good.

[jemart]

Karvol?

[kitkatcadaverqueen]

too young for karvol...

[sardean]

Small babies with blocked noses are scary but you are doing the right thing. Let them sleep more upright. You can roll a towel up and put it under the head end of the mattress. This lets everything drain downwards!!!! Another good trick is sitting in a steamy room for a while. You know, if you have ever had one, that a sauna helps beautifully. Try adding a few drops of menthol oil into the water and it will unblosk the nose. You can also unblock the nose with some saline drops. You can get these at the chemist and it will dilute away the crusty bits and let the sticky gunky bits flow!Hope this helps. Don't worry, remember, he will be building immunity in leaps and bounds!!

[Jenanne]

Thanks very much for your help & advice, it's been really useful! He seems to be on the mend now thankfully. xx