Any tips on BF baby with streaming cold?!

[NovemberAli]

DD is 17 weeks and EBF, she's recovering from the flu at the moment bless her, and has a constantly streaming nose. This is making it quite difficult for her to feed as she can't really breathe at the same time so can get quite distressed. Any ideas on how I can make it a bit easier for her?

Have you tried some Saline Drops yet November?

DD had a terrible cold when she was tiny. I used to run the shower for a bit until the bathroom was steamy and then feed DD in there. I also got a room humidifier to put in our bedroom which made night feeds easier.

My MW told me to tickle DD's nose to make her sneeze before I fed her but I could never get it to work. Saline drops are good though.

I forget, is 17 weeks old enough to use Karvol or anything like that?

Hand express a little bit of milk (you will need less than 2mls unless her nose is exceptionally blocked).

Suck up the expressed milk with a medicine syringe and squeeze a few drops into each nostril - it may be easier if someone else holds her and her head is tilted slightly downwards. Bring her back upright after a few seconds to allow the milk to travel as far as possible into the nose.

The milk will hopefully dissolve the mucus and the anti-microbal agents in the milk will work to get rid of any nasties lurking there.

Repeat as necessary until her nose is clear enough for a feed.

You can also feed her in a steamy bathroom (taking care not to get her near the hot water obviously!) or putting Snuffle Babe balm on her bib or under her nose (depending on the minimum age on the pot - I can't remember how old they need to be to have SB on their skin - sorry).

You can also smear SB over a muslin and tie that her cot rails near where she puts her head (again with the obvious safety warning of not leaving a loop for her to get caught in or tying it across the bars like a cord/string IYSWIM?)

Hope she feels better soon.

Great ideas thanks, will give them a go.
Fingers crossed she gets over this soon, horrible seeing her suffer.

I agree with the snuffle babe or other baby vapour rub, it seems to really help my DS. I have used the Boots own 3 month+ one.

Also the milk up the nose, I got a wee dropper from the pharmacy to use. Cheaper than saline drops which are only sterile for a short while after opeing I suppose!

DS and I have spent a lot of time feeding in the bathrrom with the shower on...

I've been using Karvol (it's from 3 months) and Saline drops on DD. Does the trick.

Very gross and I know most can't bring themselves to do this ...but I found the easiest way to cope with colds and feeding was to simply suck out the snot from DS's nose at the start of the feed so he could feed, and then just repeat during the feed when he starts having trouble with it again.

Can you get one of those devices that you use to suck the snot out of the nose. There's a part that goes in your mouth & a part that goes in the nostril. Before a feed just suck the gunk out. It stays in the nose piece & you just wash it away. It's quite surprising how much snot there can be & how happy your little one will be when she can bf easily.

dessen - any idea where I could buy one of those? If not I may have to steel myself to follow lunafire's route . Have now got a Karvol vaporiser in place and found Olbas oil for children so hoping that will do some good.

As EauRouge said, it might not work with every baby, but I tickled my DS's nose with the ends of my hair to make him sneeze.

Amazing how much snot came out

NovemberAli - didn't know they weren't usual things in the uk. I'm in belgium & every parent uses a snotter

this similiar to what I have www.amazon.co.uk/Nosefrida-Nasal-Aspirator/dp/B00171WXII/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1294091288&sr=8-2

works really well

Kellymom has some good info.

Make sure you don't put products containing menthol, camphor or peppermint oil on the LO's skin (eg Vicks Vapour Rub), as there can be serious health consequences e.g. severe breathing problems or liver problems. There are some links about this on the Kellymom page above.

Thanks dessen have one winging it's way to me as we speak. Will try tickling in the meantime browneyesblue

Thanks for the link Angels, good info