I have to admit, I used to LOVE sick days as a kid. My BFF Karissa and I would always TRY to get sick together so we could go to each other’s houses and play ‘get better’ together … but something tells me Leo’s first sick day won’t be as fun. Other than the fact that I will be able to take the day off and just snuggle him all day!!
Leo actually came down with his FIRST fever last night which is thankfully gone this morning thanks to some Children’s Tylenol but it quickly made me realize that I have no idea what to do if he ever comes down with a full blown cold or flu which prompted me to write this blog this morning!!
Several cups of coffee and multiple websites later, I’ve come across some great insights on how to help your babe recover NATURALLY! Below I wanted to share some items I personally want to have handy when Leo comes down with his first sickness! Oh, and if you want to learn some home remedies for curing your babe’s cough, check out this article for tips! Ok … back to it!! …
1. Thermometer: We all know this is the obvious one as it’s so important to keep your babes temperature in check when they’re sick. Have you seen how awesome the baby thermometers are these days?! I just came across one called “Flo” and it can give a reading without even TOUCHING baby!!! Pure magic. There is also a thermometer called the FeverFrida it has a Bluetooth monitor, reads your babe’s temp and alerts your phone through the app, it’s so handy, not to mention super cool!! Lol!
2. Humidifier: We have the Dyson Humidifier at home and we love it but there are plenty of humidifiers out there! Getting rid of that dry air will help loosen mucus and ease congestion, so hopefully, this will help babe get a good night’s sleep! Also, this is a great way to introduce your babe to Aromatherapy by adding a few drops to the water. Saje has a great aromatherapy line for children called the Aroma Fairy that we love!
3. Breast Milk: I’m not breastfeeding anymore but I saved three bags of breast milk for Leo’s first cold! If you don’t have any breast milk stored and want some for your babe, you can buy breast milk from donors! How awesome is that?!
4. Veggie Stock: NOT the store bought stuff … homemade veggie stock! I like to make my own when I feel a cold coming on and now that we’ve started introducing Leo to solids I want to make sure I have this handy to help when he feels down too. I generally just use a mix of veggies (carrots, celery, etc.) and mix it with water!! Simple but it does the trick! It’s so important to hydrate your babe, whether it’s watered down veggie stock, breast milk or just plain water, lots of fluids is key!
5. NoseFrida Aspirator: We all know how uncomfortable it is when we’re battling a cold and our nose is plugged and won’t stop running!! I found a nose aspirator on the Snuggle Bugz website called NoseFrida Aspirator … you LITERALLY suck (yes, with your mouth) the boogies out of your baby’s nose … LOL!!! Apparently, it works really well and there is a filter in it so you don’t actually get anything in your mouth.
6. Natural Products: I freakin LOVE natural products and I love them even more when they work!!! A few of my favourite products right now are the Breathe Balm from Zoe Organics, it’s a blend of essential oils that provides relief from cold and flu symptoms and I’ve used this so many times, it’s completely organic and the best part? Babies over 3 months can use it too! Sniffles Paste by Dimpleskins is always key, and of course, Saline Drops are always handy to have around!!
7. Bath Time: There’s nothing like a steamy bath (and no, I don’t mean with your man … lol … that was PRE-BABY!!) … I mean, a steamy bath for babe! Run some warm water and add a few drops of essential oils to the water such as menthol, eucalyptus or sage oil and let that bathroom steam up so babe inhales some of that goodness to help clear their congestion!
1. Humidifier | 2. NoseFrida Aspirator | 3. Breathe Easy Rub | 4. Thermometer | 5. Sniffles Paste | 6. Breathe Balm | 7. Saline Drops | 8. Blanket
Alright, mama’s let’s hear your tips, ALL OF THEM! LOL!! Comment below and share your wisdom with us and what you like to keep handy for when your baby gets a cold or flu!!
Stay healthy!!!
xo
Jilly
Great tips– only thing is that I read that the nose frida gets the adult who is doing the sucking sick as well. Sick mama and sick baby too– not the best situation!
We use it all the time without issue. It’s seriously amazing!! So gentle.
Thanks Sarita!! It has a little filter on the end and you don’t get anything in your mouth!! 🙂 XOXO
Thanks Jillian for all the great tips, I’m curious to try the Breathe Easy Rub! My daughter has been on/off sick since she started daycare in Dec – not fun! To help clean her runny nose we love Boogie Wipes! They have saline in them and help keep her nose moist unlike regular tissue that can dry it up. My husband says we should buy stock in the company considering how many we go through 😛
Lol!!! I think your husband is on to something!! XOXO
Glad to hear Leo’s fever is gone, fevers can be scary especially when they are so little. Just wanted to check when you say Childrens Tylenol you mean infant Tylenol?
We have the Braun no touch thermometer very similar to the one you posted and it works great! I also swear by Boogie Wipes. My daughter is also 6 months and she had her first cold a couple weeks ago and they were the only things I would use for her little nose. I can’t imagine rubbing Kleenex on it when it needed to be wiped every 10 minutes.
Another side note- we use essential oils for our baby and love them, however, everything I’ve ever been told or read has said not to use eucalyptus oil with a baby – not sure if you’ve ever heard that but thought I’d mention it based on your bath comment 🙂
Thanks Lisa!! XOXO
Totally off topic: I just bought “Bitchin” dip at Whole Foods here in the US. I got the chipotle one. It’s vegan. I am definitely not vegan. I thought of you because I wouldn’t have tried it without getting a free sample but it’s unbelievably delicious and no one would suspect it’s vegan. Anyway, maybe give it a shot. Would be lovely on a sandwich and I swear on all things holy, I’m not in any way affiliated with this brand. Just a stay at home
Mom who ate something good.
Ooohhhh this sounds amazing Annie!! Thank you for sharing!! XOXO
Love the Nose Frida. Works so well and you know it’s clean when you wash it out. Be careful with essential oils. Oils like Eucalyptus are not safe for children. It can cause them to stop breathing. A safe alternative is Tea Tree oil. It’s antibacterial and a decongestant.
Thanks Lacey!! XOXO
Since we eat meat and chicken, I found that chicken stock or a chicken broth based watery soup worked great for our baby as she is eating. Also baby Vicks works wonders! we put it on the base of her feet and put socks on.
I’ve heard about the vicks and socks thing too … might have to give that a try!
We have two little ones and once they started getting colds and snotty noses we noticed how much kleenex we went through, not to mention how raw their little noses got after a few wipes! We needed something softer for their noses so…we had a tonne of cotton flannel receiving blankets we were no longer using and we cut those up into pocket sized squares, kind of like baby hankies. Soft on their noses and prevents the raw chapped upper lip/nostril area. Throw them in the wash in hot water to sanitize and use them over and over again. Easy, reusable, good for the environment, and soft for baby! This is one tip I would swear by that really helps us survive cold season.
This is a GREAT idea Missy!!!! Love love love it!!
Great recommendations although I would be careful about essential oils. The humidity in the bathroom at bath time will work best.
Most babies with a cold have a hard time nursing or taking a bottle because their nose is stuffed up. Cleaning the nose of mucous can make it easier and usually just wiping helps. From experience I would recommend a practice run with nose aspirators if you use them at all because babies will struggle. Most mucous can be wiped off and if it dries it has to be removed to keep the nose clear.
If the baby is old enough a bottle of diluted apple juice will help hydrate them and that in itself will water down the mucous. Never ignore a dry diaper. It means the baby needs more fluid.
If you feel any real concern it is best to contact the Dr or health unit.
As a parent I would say if your baby has a fever keep a close eye on them. Document their temperature and when you give Tylenol. i always found that fevers that shot back up as soon as It wore off indicated something was going on like a throat or ear infection.
There are so many things that can be confirmed or ruled out by the Dr.
Babies get colds because they touch everything and put things in their mouth. It’s almost a rite of passage if there are older siblings or other children around.
My mom used to get us all out for fresh air and disinfect the toys. It Worked until the next time.
Thanks for the info Sandra!! XO
The snot sucker is amazing!! Our babe was super congested from 2-4 months and it was a lifesaver. Clears his nose without any discomfort. I even use it on my toddler when she gets stuffed up and there’s very minimal complaining. Good find, Mama!
Save some of the breast milk for his (or your) first bout of pink eye (it will happen ??). It works wonders!
Breast milk for pink eye?? Crazy!! Thanks Stephanie!!! XO
My doctor said to *not* put breastmilk in baby’s eyes … ?
Pink eye is highly contagious and the Dr likely cautioned against Breast milk because it needs to be treated fast with special drops or ointment. All little ones rub their eyes and it will spread fast.
It can be bacterial, viral or started by a scratch to the cornea or a foreign object in the eye. For these reasons a Dr should check anyone with those symptoms.
Absolutely!! I agree 100%.
how about a ginger”paste” on his chest…..just a little but it gives the heat for the chest that helps loosen up the junk. Now for the mom’s out there, take some ginger, honey and some warm/hot water….mix all together and see how the warmth of it can loosen up your congestion too…..
Nice one!! Thanks for sharing Tammy!!
Ok the NoseFrida has literally been a life saver!!!!! No joke! Best ever idea!
Yes!!!! So much love for that!
We found wiping our 10 month olds nose with the Natural Saline Boogy Wipes grape flavour was amazing because it didn’t dry out her skin and irritate it like using cloths did. And constantly sucking out the bacteria filled mucus with the NoseFrida.
Good tip!!
Sleep and lots of liquids! You can also buy these lifters for the crib feet or a wedge for the mattress, so that you can have him sleep a little bit on an angle. That way he is not flat on his back. Good luck!
Good call! Thanks Jolene!! XO
I might be the only one on here that recommends medication:), but infant advil or tylenol always worked wonders for our littles on the worst nights/days of their colds and flus… when it makes them feel better overall they sleep and eat and drink better and we found they recover faster because it helps their little bodies do what they need to get over an illness (sleep and drink specifically). Also huge fans of baby vicks on the feet with socks at night for coughs as well as humidifier and sometimes a slight prop to the mattress if you can. Also… babies and toddlers get colds often, it helps build their immune system… my four kids (all born in 5 years) are all older than 8 now and it seemed like we had YEARS of never ending colds/flus, but now they rarely get sick! Hoping Leo is better so soon!
Thank you so much for this awesome info Laura!! XO
My little man, who is about a week older than Leo, is currently fighting a cold as well. I have been baby wearing him a lot. Keeping him upright has helped with the drainage and lets him sleep. A warm steamy bathroom right before bed, a cool mist humidifier and sleeping in something that keeps his head elevated (swing, pumpkin seat, etc) also helps. Tylenol, rest, and fluids, fluids, fluids! I hope he feels better soon!
First off, let me just say that Leo is just an absolute doll! His darling face in my daily instagram feed is such a pleasure! Looks like you’re doing everything you should be plus more for Leo’s first cold. Mom knows best. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re doing it wrong. None of us are experts! My kids are teens, rarely get sick, had breast milk for a very short time (my supply was limited) and they are gorgeous, smart, well adjusted healthy humans! He’ll be through this in a day or two and you’ll say ‘yay, we did it!’ Keep up the awesome work. Love your style, your design, your taste, your laid back sensibility, your LIFE!! You do it all so well.
Only tip: ? That big mirror he plays at, is it secure. I worry either Nacho or your prescious Leo will bump or push it and it will tip over. ?
Hi Jillian, my babe just recently had a cold and I went to Natures Fair in Kamloops to buy eucalyptus oil for her congestion and the lady WOULD NOT sell it to me! She said that they just had a presentation on essential oils and there is something in eucalyptus oil that is harmful to developing brains and should no be used on babies or children. I bough peppermint oil instead for the diffuser in her room to help with congestion. Anyway just a word of caution, it’s in all the baby chest rubs too and in other blends marketed as safe for babies and children.
Leo is ADORABLE! ?
My 17 month old babe started daycare 3 months ago and, as a result, has had all sorts of bugs … colds, a flu, pink eye … I recommend Infant Tylenol for fevers (although Infant Advil lasts longer, so is a little better for overnight), a simple old-fashioned bulb syringe for sucking boogies out, and baby Hydrasense! My little guy LOVES the bulb syringe and having the Hydrasense saline up his nose — ha ha!!