Stuffed up

[Rainbowbrite]

Hi again,

Just wondering what i can do to help my 1 month old DD. She is all stuffed up with a blocked nose and occasional cough. I'm not real worried about the cough, i think thats just all the mucus running down her throat.

Just wondering if steam is good for her, as in take her into a steamy bathroom while we shower etc.

Thanks
Rainbowbrite

[TwoBlue]

Steam is good take her into the bathroom while you shower... or get a vapouriser.

also you can make a saline solution (boiled water and salt - cool before use - obviously..) or you can buy some too
and squirt some gently up her nose, this is great a few minutes before feed time as it will help clear her nose for the feed. We got a dropper from the chemist and a sterile specimen jar to keep the solution in and it worked a treat on our little man.

Good luck

[LyndalT]

im in the same boat.. My 16 day old DD is all stuffed up and green stuff coming from her nose.. Plus i have a sore throat and a dull headache, we are off the the GP this afternoon so i'll let you know what he says.

[draught]

A gentler option for those of you who are breastfeeding is to express a bit of breastmilk and use a dropper to put some of that up the nose - it helps unblock it, and is isotonic (I think that is the word) so that it doesn't matter if they inhale it into their lungs. Very useful if their nose is blocked and they can't feed, and softer than even a mild saline solution.

[perrywinkle]

You could rub some of that baby vicks on your daughters chest. You can get it from your local supermarket or chemist.

Kylie

[Lallas' Mum]

Hi rainbowbrite,

There is a saline product you can get from the chemist. It is Fess Little Noses. It has a squirt container of saline solution that you squeeze and squirt up their noses as well as a syringe kind of thing. You squeeze the end of it put it at th opening of bubs nose and release the end. It draws the loose mucus out. You have to put the saline in first to decongest the nose and when it gets runny you use the syringe.

Your local chemist should have it. My GP recommended it. I have heard many times that breastmilk up the nose is also good. You basically want to loosen the mucus so it drains out.

It is also a good idea to sleep bub in an elevated position to help make breathing easier.

Hope it helps.

[AM]

I have used breastmilk numerous times with ds, and I find it works a treat, and doesn't irritate like I think some saline solutions may.

Angie

[nickosmoo]

Hi

I have heard that half a chopped onion in the room when they are sleeping helps. Might be a stinky solution but I have heard that it works

[madvoice]

Be careful with the baby vicks or euky bearub as it can burn the skin. I put it on my own skin before thinking of putting it on Raleigh and it burned (not too bad for me but it would irritate an infant). I ended up putting it on her clothes instead. It helped a lot. I do second taking them into the shower. if you're really concerned about going in the shower with a little one, put the shower on hot and let the room steam up and take your Daugter into the room. I wish my vaporiser didn't break as that would've been the best option for me.

[miss_moe]

i am another one for the breastmilk and the shower.

the breastmilk I discovered by accident as my milk really spurts out and used to get up my DD's nose, but always done the trick with clearing it out. haven't needed a dispenser yet but they'd be a little easier to direct ;)

renee.

[Nick Cownie]

There is an excellent product available at health food stores. It is called Poke Root Ointment, and is made by Sunspirit. I've had a hard time finding it lately, but give it a try. Basically rub it over the blocked bits with a firm but gentle massage. It's especially good on the glands under the jaw, and down the eustachean tube below the ear to the neck.

Hope you can find it. Oh... and always follow the directions on the packaging.

Nick Cownie
Element Medicine

ps- see my offer under "Samples & Free Stuff."

[Rainbowbrite]

Thanks to everyone who offered advice. She seems to be getting better. What we've been doing is I have been having a shower with her, also putting her in the room when DH showers. Also, if she seems real stuffy before a feed, i use the Fess Little Noses drops about 2 minutes before, then hold her with her head tilted back. It then clears it up great so she can feed better.

Thanks again,
Rainbowbrite