Nasal Congestion

[sunbob]

Does anyone have any top tips for helping a baby with a horrible blocked up and runny nose? So far I'm using saline drops, to help it loosen up, and a dose of Calpol if she has trouble sleeping. I'm also encouraging her to breastfeed as much as possible, plus trying to keep her warm and lots of cuddles.

Thanks for your help...

[buggie]

Saline drops are fab - esp pre-feed as they are breathing v heavily then and as not chemical can be used as much as req.

The only extra thing that could help is popping a pillow or rolled up blanket under the head end of mattress - positioning them a bit more upright in the cot can also help their breathing (did a similar thing to myself last wk when I had a cold!).

[candj]

Agree with Buggie's advice with the addition that perhaps a few drops of Olbas oil on a tissue near to her, but out of her reach is good or you can get the plug-ins that work well. I believe you can also use the Vick's rub on their chests, but not sure how old your little one is.

There was a time that Medised was usable on children as young as 3 months old and it was great because as a decongestant it also had the side effect of making them drowsy and sleep well, but I think parents got carried away and the age group was changed to 24 months.

Hope your little one feels better.

Best, -C

[fmay]

Medised junior was withdrawn from the market because it was not safe for such young babies (harmful side effects etc)...nothing that knocks a little one out so deeply can be doing them any good!?! The chemists do sell a vicks-like chest rub for tiny babies, it has a different name but works well rubbed on chest and souls of feet at night.

[fmay]

...or even soles of feet, sorry...no sleep!

[nicolemodesti]

Snufflebabe is great to use for young babies, rubbed in to the chest, not vicks. Calpol nasal saline spray works a treat and Karvol drops on a muslin attached out of reach to the cot. Karvol also do the plug ins but to be honest they are expensive and they need to be changed every 48 hours. You can pick all these things up from Sanisbury's or chemist. Good luck.

[lorraineliyanage]

How about burning some lemon balm oil in an oil burner? I've also crushed some lemon thyme from the garden with water and put the water on a muslin near the baby in her cot. Does the same thing as Olbas oil.

[Pickle]

Also worth a try is a little gadget that literally sucks the nasties from the nose - in our house it's known as the "snot sucker", but I'm sure there's a technical name for it :-$ Like a little straw with a bulb at the end you squeeze to get suction. Very satisfying piece of equipment!

Works well in conjunction with all the other things mentioned above, I use it on my kids just before they go to bed to help clear them up for those crucial minutes when they're trying to drop off to sleep.

P x

[nicolemodesti]

Pickle, if you do know the name then please let us know as I really am looking for something like that. Not the electrical ones though!!

[julia2009]

I used the NUK Nasel decongestor. I got it in sainsburys pharmacy and it was great. It sucks the snot out. Hope this helps.

[Pickle]

I think it is the NUK one mentioned above, bought mine in the NHS pharmacy on Forest Hill Rd, but have also seen them in Lloyds. Very useful piece of kit!

[millie42]

My second son seems to have had cold and blocked nose since he was born. The thing that works for us is putting vicks on the bottom of his feet while he is asleep. Its an old remedy and no idea how it works but it really does. He seems to then sneeze all the gunk (eeuk!) up the following morning. Know it sounds truely disgusting!

Good luck

[darlin']

All of the above are good suggestions and just to add something you can try now the heating is on. If my little one is congested I dampen a hand-towel, drop on a few drops of Olbas Oil or something similar, then roll it up and put it on the radiator in her room. It works very well (maybe because her room is small!)

[lousmith]

My daughter won't let me anywhere near her with a snot sucker :(

Vicks on the feet sounds good, thanks for the tip millie42!

[helena handbasket]

We have always found that getting the bathroom good and steamy and then putting a few drops of Olbas oil in the water for their bedtime bath is helpful. At the end of the bath we then used the "snot sucker"...... which I believe is called a nasal aspirator. If you can find a hot steam vapourizer (hard to find in this country) they are incredibly effective as well, but must be placed safely where baby can't reach it to avoid steam burns. They often come with a receptacle for Vicks vapour rub, but otherwise Vicks is a must however you can fit it into the equation.

I think the crushed lemon thyme on a muslin on the radiator sounds brilliant. Must try that one!

[nicolemodesti]

Thank you Pickle and Julia2009, picked up the NUK and as luck would have it his nose is congestion free and no snot. Shall tuck it away in the cupboard for the next bout of runny nose!!

He seems to have had an on/off snotty nose for a few weeks after a bout of gastric. Doctor also said this is common from nursery interaction!! Though she has prescribed antibiotics for a respiratory infection. Unfortunately he passes all his germs to mummy as well as the ones I pick up from my class at school. Maybe the 'snot sucker' should be my saviour!