Babys first cold

[Sparrowlegs248]

Ds is nearly 5 months old and has had a bit of a cold the last few days. When i speak to friends or family they are all incredibly vague (unhelpful......) about what i can do to help him.

No temperature. But snotty/bunged up (can find it hard to feed) and a cough which miraculously doesnt wake him.up. Watery eyes and less cheery than usual.

I have used calpol nasal spray to clear nose, put snufflebabe on chest/back/feet and given occasional dose of calpol.

Anything else? Should i be giving calpol for this?

You can get a snot sucker for want of a better description which can help clear his nose. Otherwise snuffle rub, lifting his cot onto an angle and plenty rest is really all you can do I think. Having him in the bathroom with you when it's steamy might help too.

Don't know if calpol can do much for a cold but Id give it if you think he is having a bad time and needs something

Yup saline spray (calpol/snufflebabe are good) nasal aspirator £6.25 in Asda. Frequent feeding if bf. Extra water if ff. Raise mattress of cot. Calpol. Hand washing, Steaming in the bathroom too

You've done well to have not had to deal with a cold yet. But keep an imeye on little ones as they can go downhill quickly

Snot sucker. Boaking but effective.

I also really liked the plug in vapouriser at that age, turned the bedroom into an Amazonian fug but seemed to help.

Thanks all. He does seem a bit worse today. Still no temp but cough and not worse.

Bedroom is huge - will a vapourisr help?

What should i look out for re going downhill alarmed

What sort of a cough? Is it making baby vomit at all? Can you feel vibrations of the wheeze in his back?

If he's getting all blocked up at night then you could slightly raise his cot at the head end with a book, but not so high that he rolls down it! Oh and I swear by vaporisers.

Olbas oil is very useful too, a few drops on a cloth that you tie to his cot seems to clear their airways a bit.

We had three solid months of colds last year, have the routine down pat after that...

The main warning signs are if he stops drinking and peeing, he gets a temperature that won't respond to Calpol, he's difficult to rouse, or if he starts sucking in his chest because he's having difficulty breathing.

I'm useless when DD is poorly, so I always have to remind myself that it is just a cold, it's very normal, the chances of her being so bunged up she can't breathe are vanishingly slim.

No vomit as yet. He looks poorly today, red watery eyes. Its not a raspy or wet sounding cough more like when he takes in too much milk.

I just feel sorry for the poor boy! Still cheerful in the main, apart from when i wipe his nose. Co sleeping so hard to raise bed.

Should i stay in? He naps better if we go out (car, Pram etc) really need to pop to town tomorrow.

OP if the to us big just use more than one plug in, that's what we did. We also puy albas oil on a muslin under the sheet to breath in.

Any recommendation for plug ins that i can buy tomorrow?

It is still.just a cold but has spent the last hour coughing and sneezing and very watery eyes poor boy.

I always used the calpol one.

I use a snufflebabe one - it is pretty disgusting (you have to suck with your mouth - there is a filter - still gross though) to use but it works very very effectively.

Albas or Calpol are both fine

Poor little love, hope he feels much better soon

Thanks, am guessing boots should stock those. I have a snot sucker, but the nasal spray seems to be doing a good job so not needed it yet.

He has started objecting to my various ministrations though. (Calpol, spray, nose wiping etc)

Definitely a calpol plug in, nasal spray and steam if you can. Oh and snuffle babe vapour rub on feet and chest if you're allowed at that age? Colds are horrible particularly when they are young. My DD had her first when she was about four weeks and it was heartbreaking as I couldn't give her anything. It took so long for her to shake it off.

Yes Boots or a big supermarket will have them. They sell refills separately so you might want to pick up a pack as I can't remember how long they last.