Useful first aid stuff for babies?

[Laska]

I've realised that I have no real idea what sort of first aid / medical stuff I might need for a newborn baby. Are nasal aspirators any good? And if so which one is it best to go for? Also the electronic ear thermometers look like they could be a useful bit of kit but there seem to be various types/prices

Any suggestions of things to get in preparation for our LO would be great, thanks

[niamh29]

Definitely get the best ear thermometer you can afford, they are invaluable, we use ours all the time.

You can only use calpol in the first 3 months so have that handy and after that have neuronen and paralink just in case aswell.

Karvol is good for stuffy noses.

That's all we generally have in our kit.

[piprabbit]

Ear thermometers are fab - take your pick, but I'd suggest buying the best you can afford (for peace of mind).

Find a local first aid course for babies (try your local NCT branch or Children's Centre) - you'll feel more confident.

I have found this book very useful - I've had a few medical issues and this has generally been spot on.

Have some age-appropriate Calpol (or similar) in your medicine cabinet - handy to have in the house and for after vaccinations etc. I'd recommend the sachets as it's easy to give lots of little mouthfuls without worrying about the size of the dose.

Never used a nasal aspirator or any other kit - so can't help with anything else.

[thisisyesterday]

we were advised by a nurse and a consultant at a&e NOT to use ear thermometers. they no longer use them at our local hospital at all because they're not that accurate.
and apparently parents often are too cautious to stick them in far enough and so don't get an accurate reading

you're better off with a regular digital underarm thermometer

other than that, i don't think there is much you need. as they get older you[ll maybe want some paracetamol/ibuprofen suspension but you can wait until you need it

[Laska]

Thanks loads for the input and the link to the book - it's much appreciated. The calpol I've seen is for 2m+ - is there a version for younger babies than this?

thisisyesterday I've read lots of reviews from doctors and nurses who have said that ear thermometers are accurate and a very useful tool so I would be reluctant to discount them on the basis of anecdotal evidence. But it's really useful to know that there could be an accuracy issue if the probe bit doesn't go in far enough, so thanks loads for that, I shall be aware.

Any more experiences with the nasal aspirators?

[jasmine51]

Take a short course in baby first aid...or at the very least make sure you know how to do CPR on a baby and how to manage choking.