Wwyd - a cold has entered the house

[MilkComa]

New baby has a compromised airway due to a birth defect affecting their nose. We aren't due to see ENT again until baby is 8 weeks old and have been given no information on managing the condition.

So. WWYD about the common cold? So far they've not caught it but I'm anxious about what to do if they do. Colds are bad enough without additional issues. The HV has been useless saying to speak to the Dr but I'm loathed to take the baby (who is currently well) into a drs surgery to potentially be told they don't know either.

If they get a cold how do I deal with it?

I have anxiety issues so please be gentle with me but also do tell me if I'm being stupid.

I phone your GP and ask for a phone consultation. They will hopefully put your mind at ease. In the meantime blowing noses on tissues, binning immediately and washing hands straight away. Hands up when sneezing/coughing and washing hands straight away. I'm sure you know this! Some people like my DH appear not to though
Be kind to yourself, anxiety and newborn is difficult. You sound like you're doing a great job.

Thank you. I'm trying to get the household to be strict with the hand washing and tissue binning but I get treated like I'm an idiot.

Any ideas how to manage the cold if baby gets it? I don't even know if it would mean getting to the drs or what to do I feel like an idiot.

Can you call ENT and ask for advice?

Nasal aspirators are good for reducing snot in baby's nose.

Look at it biologically -

Assuming the nose is restricted airway so most breathing is through the mouth from what you've said so far.

The nose has the hair in it to filter out the rubbish and viruses. If baby is going to be more of a mouth breather obv increase in germs not getting filtered....
But common cold generally bungs up the nasal passages and not the mouth so shouldn't impact on babies breathing

You know the baby and the condition more to be able to work out what's what...colds and viruses are common at this time of year and a chat with gp or paediatrician wouldn't go amiss to decide on the action points and what your trigger/worry signs should be.

From a home POV looking at humidifiers, air purifiers as things which may help maintain a cleaner air space.

Hi OP - I can understand your anxiety. I have a 2 week old and my toddler keep sneezing on/around him. There's not much you can do unfortunately, like other PPs said - handwashing, humidifier and saline solutions for baby's nose. Just remember the NHS is amazing if something serious happens and they take babies very seriously - there will always be 111 or out of hours that you can phone if you are very worried - this helped me when I got very anxious with ds1.

Thanks

Spinn baby is still a nasal breather, the nose is restricted but not closed off entirely, if it had been they would have needed it surgically opened soon after birth (newborns can't mouth breathe) I probably should have said that in my opening post. Sorry. I'm in a bit of a haze at the moment!

Think I will ring the doctors and ask what they suggest. If the nose get blocked baby doesn't really have much of an airway to play with iyswim.