It was bound to happen sooner or later. My baby got sick. Just what every mommy dreads.
Here are the symptoms I was dealing with: runny nose/congestion, sneezing, slight gunk in the eye. Ew.
I checked her temperature at least every other day, and no fever, so no need to involve a doctor in our case, so I started using all of the remedies my fellow crunchy moms suggested.
Here are some handy lazy/natural remedies if this unfortunate situation happens to you!
1. Breastmilk. If your baby is young enough that you're breastfeeding, then you're in luck! It turns out that it has some antibacterial properties and can help congestion. You can express your milk into a little cup and use an eye dropper to administer up the nose or in the eye (or if you took a bunch of those feeding syringes from the hospital like I did, they work nicely too). If you don't have an eye dropper device, and you do have a great sense of humor, you can always try expressing directly in baby's eye/nose. This isn't too hard if you just finished nursing and baby is right there anyway. And again, is super if you like to laugh.
2. Garlic. Oh man, garlic is awesome. I love the way it tastes and smells, so I always have it around anyway. Take a fresh clove of garlic, and cut it open. When garlic is cut, it releases allicin, which is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral. Just smelling the aroma is good for clearing nasties out of one's nasal passages. It can also be used to treat an ear infection if that happens to be the malady in question! Once you cut it open, you can keep some near the stuffy baby (on a plate nearby is pretty good-- out of reach, of course). Don't have garlic? A good strong onion will work, too. Another option is to toss some in a pot of boiling water!
4. Babywearing. It doesn't matter if you have a wrap, buckle carrier, mei tai, etc....babywearing is awesome when your little one is feeling bad. Baby will want to be close to you anyway for comfort, but also having baby in an upright position helps the mucus drain and clears the nose to breathe!
5. Inclines. As much as your baby would love for you to continue holding him/her during the entire duration of their naps, you probably want to use that time to bathe, or do something with your hands. (Yeah, I know it's laundry and dishes. It's okay.) If you must set baby down for a nap, try to slightly elevate the top of their mattress by stuffing something underneath it to prevent mucus from pooling again. After all, you worked hard to drain it to begin with! Alternately, you could put baby to sleep in a somewhat upright chair/swing/carseat. Keeping baby somewhat upright will help the sinus area drain and making breathing a lot easier!
6. Essential Oils. I didn't actually have any of these on hand, but a good friend of mine used some eucalyptus oil in the shower to serve as an impromptu diffuser. If you do have a diffuser, use it! Some EO companies make a special blend to help open up nasal passages.
So that's my little list of things you can do cheaply/easily without having to run to the store when your kiddo has a cold.
Note: I am obviously not a doctor, and this information should not be used to diagnose or replace the advice of a medical caregiver. Your doctor probably already told you what symptoms to look for that would warrant a visit or call.
Baby is all better now and hopefully will stay that way! Nobody likes being sick.
Did I miss things? What are your favorite natural remedies to use when your baby has a cold?
Love,
Steph
