Gacky-eyed baby

[fleacircus]

DD is 10mths, has had a bit of a cold for a while and is quite congested generally. Now she's also got a bit of a gacky eye, at first I thought it was just sleepy dust (do babies even get sleepy dust? And what's the proper name for it, while I'm at it?) but it's been a couple of days now and is quite a bit worse, greenish yellowy gunk in the corner of her eye and sometimes the inside of her lower eyelid. We've been using boiled cooled water and cotton wool to bathe it which clears it temporarily and I was going to take her to the HV clinic this week just to get it checked but is there anything else I should do in the meantime? And am I in fact not worrying enough?

[jop64]

Def try breastmilk - it's full of natural antibodies

[fleacircus]

Had forgotten about trying breastmilk, will give it a go tomorrow. DP ended up taking her to the GP today as it seems to have spread to the other eye, GP says probably it's because of her cold and congestion but also prescribed some antibacterial drops. We aren't having much luck so far at getting them into her eyes though - although DP ended up keeping her home from the CM and says she did manage to spray herself in the face with her bottle of EBM, so maybe that will have helped...

[wrinklytum]

Actually,often breastmilk can work as it does have natural antibiotic properties,but if you have tried it and it hasn't a trip to GP's advisable.

[StretchMarkCatherineWheelQueen]

err.. breastmilk cleared up my ds gunky eyes when newborn. He had it for 6 weeks before it cleared up. GP advised me to when drops didn't work.

[Wispabarsareback]

PMSL at 'antibiotics are not sweets'. Well of course that's true, but it sounds like the LO has conjunctivitis - in which case antibiotic eye-drops will clear it up in a day or two. Natural methods don't clear infections - though I suppose they might give you something to do while you wait for the infection to clear by itself.

I'd go to the GP sooner rather than later - from experience with both my DDs the sooner eye infections are treated, the sooner they clear up.

As for the breastmilk suggestion - have tried this in desperation before engaging brain - of course it doesn't work!!

[katch]

Breastmilk won't work - would you smear it over your own eyes?

[noonki]

these antibiotics are very mild and are taken as drops!

I am very into alternative medicine but feel with conjunctivis if not shifting after a few days with wiping I would consider antibiotics.

Breastmilk though is a good idea

[katch]

Conjunctivitis is vile and horribly itchy - go to the GP - eye drops are needed.

[babblington]

if you are breast feeding still the try clearing it with cotton wool and breastmilk - works like a charm. It is just conjunctivitis by the description.

[beeper]

Antibiotics are not sweets, they should only be taken if there is no other way. Try looking at some natural methods first, also you could just keep cleaning it and wait for the cold to pass and then see if it continues.

anti biotics will trash your childs immune system for weeks, and she will pick up other infections.

Try boosting her with lots of vitamin C.

[noonki]

my DS2 had this with a cold, apparently they rub snot into their eye and can get an infection,

sounds like an infection as it is green

I would go to GP if still there tomorrow for antibiotics, and keep wiping with boiled water (one wipe then throw away)

hope it goes soon