3 Month Old with Cold

In addition to mist humidifiers she should always have a hat that covers her ears when you go out if it's chilly. She shouldn't be breathing cold air when she has a cough. Keep her out of drafts and keep her cozy.

You may want to invest in a battery operated nasal aspirator. It is better than the "bulb" for removing mucus from the nose. That is one of the things my pediatrician recommended, along with the semi-reclining position.

Hot steamy shower (just sit in the steamy bathroom) and infant, vicks, vapor rub on chest and bottom of feet

Something that would be completely safe and I know works is to use some essential oil drops in a cool mist humidifier. I bought one that is a synergistic blend of a few (lavender and eucalyptus were both in there, along with other things) and is called Breathe Easier. A few drops in the humidifier has done wonders with my two, who just have stuffy noses, but nothing else is wrong. I get the EO drops at the natural food/health store in town.

Saline and an aspirator/bulb syringe is the other thing, of course. I like to make my own saline (to 1 cup boiling water add 1/2 tsp. kosher or pickling salt and a pinch of baking soda) as it is cheaper and I swear works better. I spray that, let it settle, and aspirate! They HATE it, but it works. Then I put a few drops of the EO blend on a cloth and put it on my shoulder while I rock my littlest. I can hear her go from breathing through her mouth to breathing through her nose just as I rock her! Then I put her down with the humidifier with EO drops in the water. Breathing easier and wakes up with no sniffles.

The hot shower routine (steam up the bathroom with a hot shower, then take baby in and sit for 15 minutes and inhale) works well too.

All these things done combined can help for a good night's rest. A couple of people mentioned going to the doctor. That might be good just to make sure, but the doctor will probably tell you the same things (well, except the EO, maybe!).

Your pedi will want to at least check her out to be on the safe side so I'd make the appt. I agree with others in that a humidifier will work and also using the bulb syringe to suck out some of the mucus since she is too little to blow her nose yet. I put vicks vapor rub on my daughter's chest and bottom of feet (then put socks on) but check with her pedi to make sure this is ok since she's still little. Hope this helps. I know it's hard when your little one doesn't feel well...especially when they have to tough it out without meds. Good luck!

Keep up the saline drops. Use them several times a day and use a bulb syringe to suck out the loose stuff. Also, run a cool mist humidifier in her room. The better she sleeps the quicker she will get better. Good luck and I hope she starts to feel better soon.

To help things while the baby is sleeping, keep her in an upright position in the car seat. You can place the whole thing, baby and all, in the crib. This helps with the drainage. I may also try a little Vick's Rub on her chest for clearing the congestion.

I hope this helps. I know how helpless a mother can feel.
Good Luck!

Hi S.,

Years ago when my 2 older kids were little I was told by there pediatrician that colds end up clearingup in about 2 weeks. They tell the Mom's to give them Tylenol or Motrin more to keep the mom calm about the situation. When my kids were little like yours I would steam up the bathroom . Once it was steamed up I would bring the baby in just a pamper (because it will be very hot in there) I would dress comfortably too and just sit them on my lap and play with them till the steam died down. They inturn inhale the steam and it usually helps loosen up the junk in their chest. I would do this atleast 2 times a day especially right before bed! There is also the JOhnson and Johnson Bedtime Bathwash it has a little bit of a Vicks smell to it and can help them relax more before going to bed.

Good Luck,
Annie

after you put the saline drops in you have to suck out all that STUFF once it is loosened up with a bulb syringe. try a humidifier in the room that she sleeps. we have always used it for our son when he has a cold (and when he doesn't). there is nothing else you can do but comfort her until she rides it out. my son has had three colds in his 11 months and it has never lasted more than 3-5 days. good luck.

Put a vaporizer in her room she may have some allergies the moisture will help break up the stuffy nose. Good luck

I remember those days of feeling helpless with my little girl was sick. Try to make sure you're running a cold mist humidifier in her room, don't use any vapor meds as she is not old enough yet.
My daughter's cold was the worst and the doc said there was nothing we could do except saline either. A few days later out popped a couple of teeth and all symptoms went away immediately.
If you can elivate her head in her bed/bassinet that will help her breathe while she is sleeping. I hope this helps.

I love vicks vapor rub. I wouldnt put it directly on her sensitive skin because it could irritate her, but maybe put some on a warm washcloth and hold it near her. I don't think there is anything in it that should harm her, but to be sure, maybe run the idea by your pediatrician's nurse.

This will sound strange, but if you put childrens Vicks vapor rub on her feet then put socks on top it will help her breathe. I heard about this on the web and it has worked for me as well as my friends.
Good luck!
T.

I found that the humidifier helped alot. I put it on when she would take naps & at bed time. My dr told us that healthy kids get a cold up to 6 times a year! WOW! It's terrible. Another thing I heard that works well is put vapor rub & socks on feet at night & that helps alot. The rub is absorbed & works for congestion without getting all over the place, including your little ones eyes. Also, after you put the saline drops in, try to use the nasal asperator to get all of that stuff out. I know it is hard to do. I had to get my hubby to help hold her while I tortured her like this... LOL
Another great thing I found was a battery operated nose sucky thing at Wal-mart for bout $20. It's the BEST!! It vibrates, has good suction & plays music to distract them. My little one LOVED it. The vibrating helped clean out her nose better & it tickles. It works better & faster! She didn't resist so much after we got it.
Good luck! Hope your angel feels better soon.

Have you gone to the doctor? Your child is only 3 months old. Go to the pedi before taking any steps on your own. Your child is too young to be treated OTC and this is the season of RSV and other nasty bugs.

For my son, the drops didn't do anything. Instead, we use saline flush/irrigation. These can be bought at Walgreens. The one I use is by NeilMed, called Sinus Rinse. You will also need to get distilled water.

You basically flush the sinuses out one nostril at a time. The saline flushes up one side and out the other, flushing out the mucus. Then you do this for the other side. Anyone can use it--especially if you have allergies. So, I use this on my son every night before a bath.

Good luck.

Unless it gets serious, like a deep cough or an ear infection there is nothing you can do but let it take its course, sorry. It i shard to see your little one sick but there's nothing to cure the common cold except time and good homemade chicken soup and jello :)

My baby girl is 3 months old also and she has the same problem, no cough tjhough, just stuffy nose.
What I've been doing is running the hot water for a while and go in when the bathroom is all covered with steam, and then seat in there for 5 to 10 minutes with the door closed, Make sure once youw leave the bathroom cover her very well, not when you are in, and doing the nasal drops in there and takinf all that flem out. It has helped some
Good luck

I know how your feeling, my 5 month old has been congested off and on since he was 3 months also. Watch him with that cough, and make sure it doesn't get worse, my 5 month old finally got a croupy cough and fever due to his congestion problem that finaly got into his chest. Continue the saline drops, humidifier and my pediatrician told me, when he is coughing, take him outside if it's cold (bundle him up first)for a few minutes and then back inside, the change in the temperature has the same effect as putting him in a steamy room, it will help loosen up the cough.

At Whole Foods you can buy some Echinacea in a liquid dropper bottle for babies. You can put the drops in her water or juice or just down her throat straight. Echinacea helps with mucous cell support and will help dry up her sinuses without being over drying. Ask the gurus at the herbal medicine section of the store. Get a book about herbs and read up. It will save you lots of money and trips to the doctor.
If nasal aspirators and steamy bathrooms don't work and if her nose is really stopped up and she can't breath well then you can blow her nose for her. Sounds weird and is gross to do and you have to be careful but here is how it works. You lay her on her back and put your mouth over hers completely like CPR and push air into her system. You apply air pressure gently and let the pressure blow the mucous out of her nose. Yes this means that the snot gets on your cheek and it is nasty. But, oh well, she is your baby and when nothing else works and you see how well this works then you don't care about the nasty anymore. Remember this has to be done very gently. You can feel when the mucous starts to give way. This is nerve racking to do when your first time is without someone around whom has done it before.
God Bless

My son is 11 months now but I had the same problem when he was about 2-3 months. He actually tested positive for RSV but we caught it before he got so sick that he had to go to the hospital. My doctor at the time actually gave me a breathing machine and a prescription for what seems like a years worth of the saline solution to use with his treatments. She also gave me one of the suctions bulbs that they had at the doctors office. The breathing machine helped break up the congestion in his chest that was causing the cough and stuffy nose. I would also use the little noses in between the times I did not use the machine. The suction bulb they gave me was bigger than the one you find in the store. The part that goes in the nose was bigger round so it acted as a plug and I was able to get more mucus from his nose. You should ask your doctor for one of those suction bulbs and buy some little noses. You baby will act as if the world is ending but at least she will be able to breath when you're done.

Go to People's Pharmacy. They have a great staff there. They can tell you what to give your baby. Ask for something natural or herbal. If you don't have a People's Pharmacy near by try a different pharmacist. My dad is a pharmacist and he tells people all the time what to get. He does not just tell them to see a physician.

Lisa

elevate the head of her bed a few inches (I put a pillow under the mattress) and use a vaporizer.

Saline drops and a hurimidifier/ vaporizer in her room while she sleeps. We use the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier in our sons room when he gets a stuffy nose and add the Vicks VapoSteam. It really seems to help him. He got his first cold around 6 months, it seemed to clear up pretty fast with the humidifier. Hope she's feeling better soon!

Well i dont know about you but all the doctor told me was to get infant cold medicine and give the smallest dorage. 0.3 ml. My son is 8 months and going through the same thing

A little one with a cold!! I'm not sure who will feel worse. it is hard because there is very little to do to help them at that age. We let our little ones sleep in their car seat in the crib when they had a stuffy nose. This helped them breath a little easier. I was also very regular with a humidifier. Keep an eye on it though it can turn into an infection easily.

Use the saline spray as drops. Let it set to soften nasty ole boogers. Get your trusty ole bulb syringe and hold her good!!
The ones with the long thin tubie thing works the best. She will fight you. It may take two and it seems cruel but you will and she will feel better. Get way up there and get it all out. Do one nostril quick then the next. Have a rag to spurt it out on. Be careful using the spray as spray. The baby can suck it back and aspirate it into their lungs, then you will be in ER.

That is why it must come out the nostril, with help.

Good Luck!!