Every time he gets cold I find myself frantically surfing ways to soothe his cold.As it is he's fussy eater and with cold he's not even eating a spoon of food:( As per experts , the main reason babies won't eat or drink when suffering from a cold is because their breathing is compromised. Since they are not able to breathe from their blocked noses, and are breathing from their mouths, they don't want to resort to using their mouths to eat or drink.
Apparently there is no real cure for a baby's cold, there are just ways to help them feel comfortable....am listing all the helpful tips I found from various sources.
Nasal saline drops can loosen the mucus in the nose and make breathing easier.
A warm bath can also relax baby and ease stuffy nose.Prior to giving baby bath fog the bathroom with steam by turning on the hot shower for 5 mins.Cleaning his stuffy nose is also easier after bath, my baby gets very irritated when I try to squeeze his nose clean and cries a lot. Nasal extractor also works better after a bath. Snuggle him in a robe and dress up quickly.
Night times are usually the most difficult for babies, I feel he coughs more at night.I keep him popped up on a big pillow, try to make him sleep a bit alleviated as upright position causes less nose congestion.
Nasal decongestant like Karvol drops which are available over the counter.These can be given to babies over 3 months. I put 4-5 drops in a tissue and tuck it under his pillow to help him breathe easier at night.
Daytime, boil water and add drops of eucalyptus oil and let the vapor spread in baby's closed room.This acts like a natural decongestant. Running a humidifier can also be helpful.
VapouRubs can be rubbed on the clothes for babies less than 2 yr old which act as decongestant. For babies over 2 yrs, when rubbed on chest can have a soothing warm effect.
Recommended dosage of Infant cough syrups are also helpful , as I find he's able to sleep for a while after having syrup.
Honey mixed with smoked crushed cloves are also advised but honey shouldn't be given to babies less than a yr old. Honey can cause severe infections in many cases.
Feeding him is the most daunting task, he just wouldn't eat anything. Infact for the past two days, he has hardly had any solids...he's surviving just on milk.
Usually he would have food with some yogurt or have a bite or two of banana as snacks. But with cold , many advise not to give banana and yogurt. I searched a lot on this but couldn't find any thing substantial on the topic. Later I spoke to my pediatrician and he said that some babies might have more mucus with yogurt and bananas, while some won't react at all.There's nothing proved scientifically and hence it would depend on the individual, if baby is alright eating banana and yogurt one can carry on with it.
Warm food and soups specially chicken soup are good for treating colds. Soups are a great relief for sore throats.
A tinge of ginger and onion in the soup can also help as both onion and ginger help fight cold.
Some babies like it spicy, if baby is on spicy food it's alright to give him spicy food in cold , but introducing spicy food in cold is not a good idea.
An extra intake of fluids are advised as fluids help in washing off the toxins.Fluids will also keep them well hydrated.If breastfeeding nurse baby more as the antibodies of breast milk helps fight the virus.
Solid food can be difficult to swallow and chew, hence I am giving him pureed liquidy food as they can be quickly gulped.
Extra layer of cloth to keep him warm and cosy..plenty of rest is also advised....plus loads of hugs and kisses...as they say Mum's hug is the best cure for almost everything :)
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