Babies first cold -talk to me

[Ducky23]

Ds has his first cold at 6 weeks

He is coughing, sneezing and snuffly. Three phone calls and a visit to the gp and they didn't seem worried. He is wheezing a lot when awake but seems fine when asleep. He is very sleepy

Is this all normal?

Any ideas of how long it will last?

Tia x

[Ducky23]

I have also phoned 111 and they heard his wheezing down the phone, they said as long as he doesn't seem distressed with his breathing and is feeding ok they aren't worried.

[FlossieTreadlight]

Sounds normal. It's very annoying and sad to see isn't it? Try raising the end of his/her bed a little to make them more comfortable and use a saline nasal spray like sterimar, esp before feeding, to help clear nasal passages. Hope it passes soon.

[Ducky23]

Thanks flossie, have raised his bed and put wet towels on the radiator.
I tried the nasal drops but he got so upset having them in and I didn't think they did much so gave up on them

[Izzy82]

Calpol do a vapour plug that clears the airways. Olbas oil for babies is great too. Also sit the baby in the bathroom when you shower as the steam helps (I ended up doing the night feeds in the bathroom)
My son has his first cold last week. He slept constantly for 3 days, then for the next 3 was a human snot machine and it Clare's up after that

[Izzy82]

Cleared not Clare's

[Ducky23]

Oh good to hear it's not strange for them to sleep so much! Ds slept 6 hours the other night he is usually up every 1-2 hours! It's only day 2 for me though it's the wheezyness that worries me the most

[Ducky23]

He seems very drowsy he has only had a tiny bit of his last feed

[KatyN]

Colds are horrid. Monitor his feeding and weeping for 24 hours and then phone the gp again.
He will be drowsy and not hungry because that's how adults feel when we have q cold. he'll also wheeze because his airways at all so small. That doesn't happen with grown ups normally.
One thing that happens to my son is his nostrils get clogged up with snot. Not stopping him breathing but making him uncomfortable. So be prepared for that.

One amazing thing about little ones is how brilliant their immune systems are so if you do choose to lie awake worrying next to him all night, it should only be one or two nights.

Kxxxx

[Honeybear30]

I've just got through the second baby cold. Something else to add, my DS had a couple of days of endless pooey nappies...full of snot. I guess it had to go somewhere and that's where it went. I was worried about dehydration so just offered milk more frequently, he was feeding little and often really. I also wrapped him up really warm and went for a wall, helped him to sleep and also seemed to clear his nose a little.

I just tried to think what makes me feel better when I have a cold, fluids and fresh air.

[Ducky23]

Thanks everyone, I have booked another appt at the gps just to get his chest listened too (they're going to think I'm mad!) just because he seems very very wheezy when awake.

Am hoping it passes soon

He's been unwell for a whole as he had cmpi which was only just diagnosed, now this

[Jemima14]

My 5 month old lo had her first cold a month ago & I found it terrifying - esp since she reacted to the antibiotic they gave her! I gave calpol when needed, also I found the nasal drops good - they worked after about 5 minutes, hot water near her with some olbas oil baby drops in. I also put garlic in her sock at night time, and also a cut up onion in the room (no idea if these helped, but helped me feel like I was doing something!!)

It took about a week to fully clear, but she did have a chest infection so a cold might be different. She has been sounding a big snuffly so I've started with the garlic in the sock at night just to ward it off.

Other than that, just lots of cuddles until it passes. Poor thing!

[ruth1104]

my ds got his first cold at 6 weeks, just after his cmpa diagnosis as well, theyjust cant get a break can they the nasal spray/drops worked pretty well for us, he did get less upset about it! he stayed congestedfor ages so we eventually bought a vicks paediatrics cool humidifier, its expensive (£50) but really works for us

[Ducky23]

Thanks everyone.

Dr listened to his chest and prescribed anti biotics, some paracetamol and some different nose drops!

They think I'm the crazed over reacting mother there

[butterfly86]

It's awful when they're all snuffly and you can't help them :( we have a nasal aspirator (snot sucker) and that really helps also not sure what age it can be used from so check the box but snuffle babe lathered on soles of feet at bedtime then put socks on-works wonders! If it makes you feel better over christmas I had my 6 1/2 month dd at to see the gp twice in a in a few days for a cold, better to get them checked I say!

[Ducky23]

Do you know what age I can use the snuffle babe stuff from?

I ended up at the drs 4 times the other week and had a call back every day as they wouldn't diagnose his cmpi, I ended up at the hospital with him after he did a poo that was pure blood and they diagnosed it there so I've had some contact with them every day I think!

[butterfly86]

I will check the box for you when dd goes down if you haven't already got some sorry just came back on here!
Oh poor little fella the doctors just aren't interested most of the time are they and it's hard because everything is new to us so we don't know whats normal and what isn't they make you feel like you're just over protective! Hope he is feeling better soon :) will be back soon about snuffle babe!

[butterfly86]

Snuffle babe is for over 3 months unless advised by a gp, health visitor or pharmacist :( sorry thought it was suitable from birth

[moggle]

Snuffle babe, karvol and olbas oil etc is all from 3 months. But I used it when DD was about 6 weeks, just on a Muslin tied to her bednest, not on her bedding. The snuffle babe stuff is so mild compared to olbas oil for adults- I wasn't convinced it had any effect anyway!
The saline drops are the only thing we found that worked much. DD screamed when we put them in but then we'd jmmediately pick her up and she'd get over it straight away- it's not like it's a lasting pain or anything. Then she'd sneeze and blow massive bogies out of her nose onto our clothes...

[Ducky23]

Thanks butterfly, it seems everything he needs is for older babies!!

Skin to skin seems to be helping

Moggle I couldn't get the drops in as he was screaming and shaking his head but dm got them straight in first time and they seemed to have helped a tiny bit

[butterfly86]

I know it's really difficult when there's nothing you can give, I find the calpol nasal spray good it's suitable from birth and is just saline but because it's a spray it gets right up their nose where the drops run out, then don't like it because it shoots up but tends to make them sneeze like moggle says and really clears them out, worth a try if he's still suffering!

[Ducky23]

Hi guys. Just an update.

Thank you for all the advice.

Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse and his breathing got bad, we ended up being taken to hospital by an ambulance with the lights on that was terrifying.

Ds was put on oxygen and was being fed through a tube

This is the 3rd day we've been here. They have reduced his oxygen and he is now bottle feeding more normally but they are giving him reduced feeds so he doesn't get too full.

They said it is bronchilitis. They said it peaks at day 5 and we are at least dAy 5 today so I am hoping he just starts to improve now

My poor little boy.

[eastmidswarwicknightnanny]

Just seen this ducky and from your first post was going to say ask gp about bronch as too often in babies it's missed and left to late and its time of year for bronch at mo. My 9week old has a cold n am keeping a v close eye on him.

I am a children's nurse and have looked after v sick bronch babies equally not all babies who get bronch have to be in hospital

[ruth1104]

aw no!! that must have been horrible, hope things are improving now and youre all being taken care of. hth