Surviving Baby's 1st Cold

I know that feeling where your baby wakes up screaming in the middle of night with a fever, tons of mucous and the most heart breaking “I don’t feel good” cry. I’ve been there. When you get ready to give birth and bring your baby home, most people don’t plan for when they get sick. Yes, you have a humidifier, thermometer and nasal aspirator. But do you really know handle this? When babies get sick, it comes on fast, there are no warning signs, or things leading up to it. It will just happen sometimes when you least expect it. My advice it to be prepared. Whether you are pregnant, or have a little one who hasn’t had a cold, or has and it really rough on the both you, be prepared for when the next time comes around.

This is a list of Must Haves Items for Babies 1^st Cold! Trust me, you should make sure you have everything on this list, so you won’t wake up at 3am and need to run out for some fever medicine. I have also, included a list of Tips for Surviving Babies 1^st Cold, so check that out too!

1. Pedialyte: Babies get dehydrated fast when they run a fever or have diarrhea. They will also have a very small appetite and might not want to eat food, or even drink milk. Try to keep a bottle of this on hand at all times. Remember, that it doesn’t stay good for long after its open!

2. Fever Wipes: This is just an alternative product to a wet wash cloth that you could hold onto your baby’s head to keep them cool when a fever strikes.

3. Boogie Wipes: I love these! They are grape scented, saline covered wipes and will get off all that dried on snot off your baby’s face!

4. Baby Cold Rub: This will help your baby to breathe better, and to clear out their stuffy noses!

5. Fever Reducer Medicine: ALWAYS keep this stocked at your house. Make sure you have an accurate dosing chart, I recommend printing one out, verifying it with your Pediatrician’s office and keeping on hand for middle of the night fevers!

6. Thermometer: Make sure you know what your baby’s temperature is and watch for it to go up. You may want to call your Pediatrician or take your baby to the ER if it gets too high (I’ve done it!).

7. Vaseline: this has multiple uses, but if you take your child temperature rectally, this is a must!

8. Humidifier: this is a must! It will keep the moisture in the air and help you baby to breath better and to loosen up mucous in their nose. You can even buy the vapor blocks to go into the water, check with your Pediatrician that your baby is old enough before using it.

9. Johnson’s Soothing Vapor Bath: when all else fails to get baby to rest or calm down, give them a bath. This vapor bath wash, will help you baby breathe easier and get their noses clean!

10. Nasal Aspirator:  the picture looks like the generic one a hospital will give you, but there are many different kinds to buy. This is the one I prefer. You might have to clean your baby’s nose out every few minutes, but that’s ok.

11. Saline Spray: Make sure you use this with the nasal aspirator to loosen up mucous in your baby’s nose; it will get their nose clean faster by using this! 

12 Tips for Surviving Baby’s 1^st Cold

1. Stay Calm: It is hard for any parent to see their baby sick. Try to stay calm and focus just on getting them better. Know that you are prepared and that this won’t last long.

2. Know When to Call the Doctor: Check their fever often, if it won’t go down or keeps rising with medicine, call your doctor. Call if your baby starts vomiting or has diarrhea. Call if your baby is under 6 months old. Go to the ER if your baby has trouble breathing or an extremely high fever.

3. Treat Fevers: If your baby has a fever, give the right dosage of fever reducer. I recommend printing out a chart with the correct dosages on it. You can also use a cool wash cloth or use fever wipes to put on their fore heads.

4. Clean Out Their Nose: Do this often! Sometimes, you might have to do it every few minutes. Clean their nose out before giving them a bottle or trying to put them to sleep, they won’t eat or sleep if they can’t breathe well threw their nose.

5. Use Humidifier: Put this in their room to help them breathe better when they sleep. You might have to go fill it up while their still asleep.

6. Keep Them Comfortable:  Dress them in light clothing. There is no need to keep their room extremely warm. Just make sure they are comfortable. If you normally cover them with a blanket or rock them with a blanket, continue to do that. It will make your baby feel more secure and comfortable.

7. Keep Them Hydrated: Babies tend to have a low appetite when they are sick, make sure they are at least drinking milk. If they refuse to drink milk try pedilyte and call your Doctor.

8. Sit In A Steamy Bathroom: If your baby is fussy, try to sit in the bathroom with the hot water going. It will calm your baby down and help to clear out their noses. Do this for 15-20 minutes before putting them to sleep, if you have had trouble getting them to sleep.

9. Give Them a Bath: a lukewarm bath will help your child start to feel better. They may even want to splash and play.

10. Prop Up Their Bed: When a baby has a stuffy nose, they can breathe easier at an angle. So prop up some comforters UNDERNEATH the mattress, NEVER in the crib with the baby. Make sure it is enough of an angle to help their breathing, but not too much where  

11. Let Them Cuddle With You: Babies need their Mommies when they’re sick! Spend as much time as they need cuddling and rocking them.

12. Don’t Spread the Germs: If you have other kids or other babies, make sure they aren’t around the sick baby. Limit visitors and going out with the baby, you don’t want to pick up new germs or spread your baby’s germs to another baby!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope this has helped prepare you for your babies first cold, or get through one! 

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