8mo can't sleep for coughing (and neither can we...)

[LaMadrilena]

My 8mo DD had a really bad cold around a month ago (confirmed not covid), and still has a horrible cough at night. We've been to the doctor, and even had chest x-rays, and they're happy that there's no chest infection, it's just because of the quantity of mucus and phlegm she's producing that's bunging up her nose and throat. Nursery say she doesn't cough during the day.

The only thing the Dr suggested was saline solution, but that's not making any difference. She has warm baths for the steam. We've elevated the head of her cot. We even tried a colleague's suggestion of leaving a cut onion next to her cot (I know, I know...). Nothing is helping. None of us sleep, she wants to nurse for comfort all night but chokes constantly, and it's awful.

Does anyone have any further suggestions?

Hi LaMadrilena, we're just giving your thread a bump to get it back into Active Conversations in case anyone's around to give you some advice.

Hope you all get some sleep soon

If you lather some vaseline on the soles of your baby's feet and stick some socks on, it really does give them some relief from coughing. It's terrible isn't it... Sometimes I really wonder how their little bodies cope being so ill =(

Keep her head elevated during nap and sleep times and plenty of fresh air in the room during the day. Steam baths are great too. Try and avoid any cold foods or snacks out of the fridge just to avoid irritation. Really hope your little one feels better soon.

Asthma?

Allergies? Real feather? Animals? (For me it was our cat when I was small.)

@BubbasMumma, I can't imagine how it works, but we'll give it a go!

@OutlookStalking, allergies did cross my mind, because supposedly she doesn't cough at nursery, but I imagine allergies/asthma causing more of a dry cough. DD's chest was clear last week according to paediatric GP, but now I'm not convinced, it's turned into a really chesty cough.

I think it's just that at nursery she's more upright all day, and also a cough maybe isn't as noticeable when there are fifty kids all with cough/snot etc!

Untill you go to bed could you have her sleep semi reclined in pushchair to give her some respite and to get some proper sleep. It's tricky with her being so young, I've had to sleep on a recliner chair for similar reasons.

I thought you were meant to put Vicks on the soles of their feet?

Anyway it never worked for my dd!

When I had this with DD the gp eventually prescribed a decongestant to dry up the mucus a bit and let her get some rest. Though she was a bit older, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

This warm must humidifier really works for our DD. It also seems to reduce the duration of the cold too. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7261330?storeID=4267&istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=iptiwwxim&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:598-923-9094%7Ccid:9568021396%7Cagid:98508744176%7Ctid:aud-734784713267:pla-888673876502%7Ccrid:423285394220%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:12581936410425927048%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:9044960&utmmsource=Google&utmmedium=cpc&utmmcampaign=9568021396&utmterm=7261330&utmmcontent=shopping&utmcustom1=98508744176&utmmcustom2=598-923-9094&GPDP=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI03A5La59QIViu3tCh2X3ArLEAUYASABEgIOAvDD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Calpol plug in all the way!!! Still use them for our DS who are 8 and 5!

Warm mist humidifier. Eucalyptus oil.

I would have the windows open and do a massive deep clean of her sleeping area - damp dust everything, pull out her cot, vacuum under and around, damp dust skirting etc. wash soft toys etc etc.

My ds used to get coughs like this in winter and we ended up getting him blue inhalers to help him get over them.

Snufflebabe

100% the Vicks Warm Mist humidifier. It really helps both of my DC if they get a cold, and the inevitable cough that goes with it. We crack a window and then have wipe everything down in the morning, but it works well for us! You can put a little blob of vapour rub on the top bit and that helps too.

Hope she's feeling better soon, it's horrible when they're coughing at night

Thanks everyone. The pushchair option is an easy one to try.

Does the humidifier work equally for chesty coughs? I thought it was more for dry coughs, but am willing to give pretty much anything a go at the moment!

I've never heard of a Calpol plugin! We're in Spain so not easy to find, but I'll see if there's anything similar.

Apart from feeling so sorry for DD, it's getting to the point where it's affecting my work, and I'm nervous about getting in the car in the morning. I'm not in a fit state to hurtle up the motorway! At least the stretch I drive on rarely gets above 50mph at rush hour...

Those who recommend the Vicks humidifier, do you know if it's suitable for an 8mo? I'm looking on Amazon but it doesn't say either way.

Yes it is but if you have to use the lavender pad as the others are for slightly older. I usually use it without anything and it really helps with a chesty cough. It's worth the investment. I use it myself and it stops coughing at night on me too.

Sorry for all the grammatical errors! Typing with one hand. The Rosemary and Lavender VapoPads are suitable for 3 months +. It's worth reading the reviews on Argos.

Mine has cough variant asthma. The coughing doesnt nec show on the chest/lead to a chest infection. She doesn't wheeze but coughs at night ... inhalers helped so much!

Also sleep apnea was a problem . And allergies... she sounds so sickly but really wasn't by day!!

She also got croup sometimes 🙄.

My friend, who is coincidentally also a madrileña, swears by some kind of physiotherapy to get the mucus out.
Our paediatric nurse showed us a clapping technique to use after the bath. It’s a cupped hand on the back moving upwards, but probably best to get a demonstration yourself.
Assuming you have an assigned paediatric nurse as well as a paediatrician, can you make an appointment to see him or her? They seem to have more time and to know a lot of these techniques.
We used to do shifts staying up with a coughing baby, I don’t know if that’s something you can try. At least you get some proper sleep that way.

Have you tried a dummy at night? My daughter used to do this and the health visitor said it was because she was nursing for comfort and not to feed hence why she was choking when the milk built up in her mouth. I know it won't help with the cold but it might help with the choking and comfort feeds.
Hope you get a good night's sleep soon!

Thanks again.

@Footnote The nurse may be worth a try, if she's no better by Monday I'll try to get her another appointment.Yes, we've talked about taking shifts and letting her sleep upright on us on the sofa. Might be time to try that

@Pru24 Yes, it's horrible when she's constantly feeding and choking. She won't take a dummy unfortunately, never has. We do keep trying from time to time, but she just plays with it.