2 week old has a cold - worried 1st time mum

[echops]

My 2 week old baby and I have both caught a cold. We're bunged up and sneezing, with a slight cough. I'm just very worried and could do with son advice/reassurance.

Poor you, it's horrible when they get a cold when they're so little isn't it, because there's not much you can do for them.

My advice (apart from dosing yourself up as much as possible and getting help / support with baby so you can rest) is to prop up the head end of your baby's moses basket on a couple of phone books so it's at an angle - this will help the mucus to drain and stop baby being so bunged up.

Get some Karvol capsules or eucalyptus essential oil and put on a hankie near-ish to your baby's head (not too close, but within sniffing distance) to help ease the congestion, and make sure he / she feeds enough to get plenty of fluid.

If you're really worried, call your HV and get them to pop round, that's what they're there for.

HOpe you both get well soon!

Oh, how rotten!

Snowtiger gives good advice there. Also keep nice and cool if you are both a bit hot.

my daughter is 4 months old now, but im sure she has had a cold for 2 or 3 months of that! my parents came to visit, and both my dad and my husband got what could have been swine flu, and there were colds going around the house endlessly!
despite all this, she never had a fever, and her sleep wasnt affected too badly...babies are a lot hardier than they look

at 2 weeks you cant really give them anything (be carefull with the karvol even) but saline drops (can get them from the chemist) can help to loosen up a blocked nose. after a few minutes, suck out as much gunk as you can with a nasal aspirator.

saline nasal drops/sprays are good for newborn. It's just salt water, but it really helps loosen the mucous.

Nasal aspirators are useful too - both these things should be available from any pharmacy.

Wet towel over a warm radiator may help (or a humidifier if you've got one) just to put some moisture in the air.

Steam can also help. Obviously don't hold your baby next to the kettle (as my useful HV reminded me ) but if you have a hot shower or bath you could put baby in the room with you (or take in while your OH is in the shower)