Your baby’s first cold
Your baby’s first sickness can be challenging for everyone in the house. While a call to your baby’s pediatrician is recommended, we are here to offer helpful tips to get through your baby’s first cold. Enjoy!
Call your primary care doctor.
First and foremost, it is essential to call your family’s primary care provider and see if a visit is necessary. While we will provide you with helpful tips to combat your baby’s first cold, we are not medical experts, and nothing said here is medical advice. If you are concerned at any point in their sickness, it is crucial to call and get medical advice!
Your baby may want to eat more.
It is extremely common for babies to nurse or have bottles more frequently than usual. This is due to the comfort that eating provides them. While many families have routines in place, giving your baby additional feedings while they are ill can help comfort them and may help to calm them down if they are upset.
Sleep may be disrupted.
Babies often want to sleep more frequently but for shorter periods while sick. This can be frustrating! Especially if our babies have been on a good sleep schedule. Try to remember that typically this change in sleep is temporary. Changes in sleep during illnesses are typical for humans of all ages. Your baby’s sleep will most likely return to normal once they have recovered.
Extra snuggles will be appreciated.
Additionally, your little will most likely want to be held more than usual and to be comforted. We know that caring for a sick newborn can be tiring, especially if other family members are sick as well.
What can you do to help at home?
The first step is to call your pediatrician and get medical advice, as we previously mentioned. Once you have done that and your doctor has determined that your baby indeed does have a common cold, you can try the following to relieve and ease symptoms until they are better.
Keep them hydrated- Hydration is excellent for flushing sicknesses out of our bodies. It is vital to keep your little one hydrated while they are sick. If your baby isn’t eating as much as usual while under the weather, you can add in additional feedings throughout the day and night.
Try a humidifier – Humidifiers can be a great help in reducing coughing and any stuffiness your baby may be experiencing. You can try running a humidifier in the room that they sleep in.
Nasal aspirators– Babies breathe through their noses so that a stuffy nose can be greatly bothersome to a newborn. If your little one is having a hard time breathing through their nose, you may ask your pediatrician about using a nasal aspirator to help suction out the mucus and give them some relief.
Steam- Steam can help reduce stuffy noses and congestion. Try bringing your baby into a steamy bathroom for a minute or two to loosen up mucus and relieve colds quicker. Steam is also effective at relieving coughs. Use caution and make sure the bathroom is at a comfortable temperature.
Monitor their symptoms closely
The common cold is relatively normal for babies to catch, as the baby’s immune systems are just beginning to develop. It is crucial to monitor your baby’s symptoms closely and call the pediatrician if symptoms worsen. To gauge their sickness and recovery, you can monitor how many wet diapers they have in a day. This is a great way to measure if your little one is staying hydrated. Do temperature checks morning and evening. Keep track of their progression over the days; it is recommended to call if their symptoms worsen. Nurses and doctors are happy to answer any questions you may have throughout your baby’s illness and help guide you in proper treatment plans.
This too shall pass
There is no doubt about it; having a sick baby at home is tough. While their first cold may feel never-ending, this too shall pass! We hope you enjoyed the tips and tricks listed above and that your little one recovers quickly. Thank you for reading this week’s blog, ” Your babies first cold.” For more tips and tricks on all things pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood, visit our weekly blog.
