My 5 week old baby very snotty and keeps choking, help!

[AbsRugg]

My 5 week old little girl has been really snotty sounding all day today, I'm guessing just a cold. She's been sleeping and eating fine - no temperature but it just sounds horrible and a couple of times she's started choking which is really scary. I imagine its the mucus at the back of her throat but is there anything I can do to get rid of it? I have one of those suction things which I have used too.

Any suggestions welcome as its scaring me to death when she starts choking

Oh I do feel for you. It IS scary You can prop the foot of her cot up with two books...so she's slightly raised when she's in bed...I was told to do that by NHS Direct...you don't prop babies with pillows but the book under the cot legs is safe.

You can take her into a steamy bathroom...run the shower so the room gets warm and steamy and carry her in there fo a while then keep her upright. Also....tickle her nose with a tissue...REALLY lightly on her nostrils to encourage a sneeze. That one can be great as it gets loads of snot out.

Feed her upright too. If she gets a temperature seek more advice.

Thank you so much, that's all really helpful and I'll try all of those! As she's in her Moses basket do you think it's still ok for me to put a book under the legs at one end?

My DC1 had a cold at the same age and it was horrible, I really feel for you.

What the previous poster said is spot on, we were told the same by NHS Direct.

Be prepared for a couple of nights without much sleep.

Aww, poor wee thing (and poor you).

I found with DS3 that he was ok with this when he was sleeping in his little bouncy chair - so I let him sleep in that for a couple of nights as well. Him being more upright helped

If you think it's stable....just make sure it can't bump off!

Saline nose drops and one of those sucky things before every feed.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Another thing I constantly worry about (!) is what to put her in at night in this weather. My room says 28 degrees, and I can't get it any cooler. I have to swaddle her to get her to sleep, I do have a cotton swaddle blanket but maybe wrap her in a sheet as its a bit thinner but long sleeve baby grow? Short sleeve vest only?! Help!!

It's tricky because the NHS no longer recommend swaddling...I did it myself when my now 8 year old DD was a baby and the health visitor actually showed me how...but now they say it gives elevated risk. I know how hard it is when you have a new baby and you're faced with all these official recomendations....the UK is especially full of them because we have the NHS and they're responsible for people in a way.

I used a cotton sheet on hot days...DD spent her first year in Australia...MUCH hotter than this...she was fine. My MIL taught me a trick on hot nights which is to soak a towel in cold water and wring it out. Then lay it over a chair back in the babies room...as it dries it puts moisture into the air and cools it a bit too. If you do that, don;t put it anywhere near the cot.

As for what to wear...I was told to use one vest with short sleeves and a sheet on hot nights. Just a thin layer...enough to keep her temp regular. If she's warm remove the sheet for a while...pop it back when she's cooler.I could try to avoid swaddling to be honest.

I know that we’d do anything for a peaceful sleep for our little ones, especially when they’re sick. But I just wanted to say that it’s widely advised not to let babies sleep in chairs and bouncers, there have been been several deaths linked to the inadvertent suffocation of babies in bouncers and chairs, due to their positioning. The advice is if baby falls asleep in such a devise; is to transfer them to a firm, flat sleeping place with no loose sheets, pillows or objects. im sure your little one is fine, and as would many others, but just incase anyone else sees this post; looking for advice with their snotty little ones (as I have) I just wanted to share that information 🙏🏼