Settle a dispute : fresh air or stay inside baby with a cold

[doadeer]

10 month old has a nasty cold. Bit sad in himself but otherwise OK. Nasty cough and runny nose.

Person A: you should keep baby inside - stay warm.

Person B: it's good to get fresh air if baby is wrapped up warm

Which are you?

[SpoonSpoon]

I’ve literally had this last week.

And teething

A bit of both actually - not as many outings as normal and simple things like a quick trip to Sainsbury’s etc.

[Sirzy]

Fresh air.

[SpoonSpoon]

When I see literally my baby is 10 months - first cold

[AloeVeraLynn]

Wrapped up in warm layers and out in the fresh air every time.

[WaterSheep]

Fresh air for me, I don't think anyone feels better for staying inside all day.

[Passthecherrycoke]

Yes fresh air. But basically a bit of both- a nice walk then the rest of the day in snuggling

[SockQueen]

It doesn't hugely matter. If there's stuff needing to be done then they won't come to any harm going outside. But if the parent doesn't fancy it/has the lurgy themselves (like me, thanks DS1) then a sofa day is also ok

[doadeer]

Thank you! You can guess which is me and which is his over anxious father!

[meredithgrey1]

Fresh air, but wrapped up and lots of opportunity for any extra sleep they need.

[Waitrosescheapestvodka]

Honestly whatever gets you through, as long as the baby's temperature is monitored I don't think either strategy will make a huge difference to the baby's recovery.

[ToTheRegimentIWishIWasThere]

Yes fresh air. But basically a bit of both- a nice walk then the rest of the day in snuggling

This. Fresh air will do you all good (air the house of germs too) but also copious amounts of warm snuggling.

The lavendar/menthol calpol plugs are lovely too (Put gaffer tape over the little light) . DS used to get a cold every time he was teething at that age.

[msbevvy]

An interesting article here about the lengths mothers used to go to in order to provide their babies with healthy fresh air.
They had special cages that were hung out of windows!

www.thevintagenews.com/2018/04/16/baby-cage-2-2/

[BendingSpoons]

To me it depends on the symptoms. If the baby is coughing lots I think the cold can aggravate that, so I would stay in where possible. My 9 month old had a cold and we had to do the school run but otherwise mostly stayed in. I wasn't convinced fresh air would benefit him sitting in a buggy/sling i.e. not getting exercise, however it had some benefit to me. Also, he was ill last week when it was bitterly cold. This week it is much milder here so I'd be more inclined to go out.

[mummydoingamasters]

Fresh air is more beneficial than cabin fever! I go stir crazy if I'm indoors too much. Quick walk to see the ducks and back home and I feel ready to take on the world/2 year old with a cold and conjunctivitis and 3 month old with a cold 😊

[IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory]

Fresh air every day for everyone. Even when sick unless unconscious.

[IdentifyasTired]

Fresh air. Even on the dullest day it will give a little boost to serotonin and vitamin d.
Just keep him warm (and you too!)
Hope he gets better soon. Babies with cold can be haaaard work!

[Longtalljosie]

I always feel better in the fresh air with a cold

[Whattodoabout]

Fresh air. If you have older children or you work, they have to leave the house and they will survive. Fresh air is beneficial.

[feckinarse]

I was a very wheezy, bronchial, unwell baby who spent time in NICU (not that it was called that in the 1980s) and our doctor scandalized my very 'no-nonsense' mother by saying "NOT fresh air at all costs, these are old wives' tales, and in fact cold air will make it much harder for her to breathe. Warm, slightly humid air is best when she's struggling."

I still had to go out with her and my older siblings, of course, because the dogs needed exercise. But I like to think it made her close the windows sometimes at night

[FizzyGreenWater]

Fresh air of course - out getting some vitamin D through his skin and breathing some non-recycled, non-central-heated, non- germy air!

[IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory]

Warm, slightly humid air is best when she's struggling.

Which of course is now debunked and parents are advised to take croupy wheezy babies outside into the cold air!

Your mum 1: 0 Doctor

[Angela9]

Depends. They say with bad chests to keep them in but the common cold to take them out.

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

B.
If baby is wrapped up and warm, and if you also happen to be located near the coast, fresh salty sea air does a body the power of good!

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Fresh air and wrapped up warm. The only exception would be if they had a chest cough and it was absolutely freezing because very cold air can exacerbate a cough

[megletthesecond]

Wrapped up in the fresh air for a quick outing.

Then back to a warm house.