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Baby With a Stuffy Nose

Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my worldRound Rock, TXRegistered User regular
edited March 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So it looks like our baby has caught his first bug. He's had a slight cough and his nose has been stuffed up.

We have one of those aspirator things. Is there a certain technique for clearing out his nose? I can get the stuff right at the end, but nothing deeper. Is that all I can do? Would a humidifier help him at all?

He's about 4.5 months old, if it matters.

Thanks.

Sir Carcass on

Posts

  • zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Warm-air humidifier is a good idea during sleep.
    Two steamy baths per day will also help (just get your bathroom steamed up from running the shower first - works wonders).
    Lots of fluids, check with your doc if there's a cough, the mucous is dark yellow/green, fever, he tugs at his ears a lot, or if runny nose goes on for more than three days.

    zhen_rogue on
  • ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    We got lucky, my son didn't get sick till almost 14 months. Is baby benadryl out of the question at this age?

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    We got lucky, my son didn't get sick till almost 14 months. Is baby benadryl out of the question at this age?

    Everything I see on their website says not for children under 2 years of age.
    We got lucky, my son didn't get sick till almost 14 months.

    Yeah, he isn't in day care or anything, so I was hoping we could go longer, but I just got over being sick so I probably gave him whatever I had.

    Sir Carcass on
  • SzechuanosaurusSzechuanosaurus Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2009
    zhen_rogue wrote: »
    Warm-air humidifier is a good idea during sleep.
    Two steamy baths per day will also help (just get your bathroom steamed up from running the shower first - works wonders).
    Lots of fluids, check with your doc if there's a cough, the mucous is dark yellow/green, fever, he tugs at his ears a lot, or if runny nose goes on for more than three days.

    Woa, wait. I hope you just mean have him in the same room as a steamy bath. Baby shouldn't be in water hotter than 32 C.

    Generally, you don't need to worry about a sniffle. Hook anything that runs out with a muslin and other wise treat the baby with the usual care. Baby's noses are tiny anyway. Usual breathing will continue to push mucus out of the nose.

    Szechuanosaurus on
  • FafnerMorellFafnerMorell Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Running an humidier w/ something like decongestant lquid poured in it might help (Vicks & probably a bunch of other folks make something specifically for this). (Check the instructions to see if they mention anything specifically about infants - we did it for ours and it helped - but may not be applicable in all cases)

    As mentioned - watch for ear tugging - often a sign of an ear infection.

    FafnerMorell on
  • brandotheninjamasterbrandotheninjamaster Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    I use baby Vick's and I also have a Vick's humidifier. If he is really congested after bath time my wife and I will use a nasal aspirator (something like this
    11g04QCwkkL._AA174_.jpg
    ).

    brandotheninjamaster on
  • zhen_roguezhen_rogue Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    zhen_rogue wrote: »
    Warm-air humidifier is a good idea during sleep.
    Two steamy baths per day will also help (just get your bathroom steamed up from running the shower first - works wonders).
    Lots of fluids, check with your doc if there's a cough, the mucous is dark yellow/green, fever, he tugs at his ears a lot, or if runny nose goes on for more than three days.

    Woa, wait. I hope you just mean have him in the same room as a steamy bath. Baby shouldn't be in water hotter than 32 C.

    Of course just in the steamy room - not in a scalding hot stream of water.
    I guess I should also put the caveat in that you should dry off the baby with a towel after the bath, and not use the microwave.

    zhen_rogue on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    zhen_rogue wrote: »
    zhen_rogue wrote: »
    Warm-air humidifier is a good idea during sleep.
    Two steamy baths per day will also help (just get your bathroom steamed up from running the shower first - works wonders).
    Lots of fluids, check with your doc if there's a cough, the mucous is dark yellow/green, fever, he tugs at his ears a lot, or if runny nose goes on for more than three days.

    Woa, wait. I hope you just mean have him in the same room as a steamy bath. Baby shouldn't be in water hotter than 32 C.

    Of course just in the steamy room - not in a scalding hot stream of water.
    I guess I should also put the caveat in that you should dry off the baby with a towel after the bath, and not use the microwave.

    :( This information would have been helpful earlier this morning

    Sir Carcass on
  • QuothQuoth the Raven Miami, FL FOR REALRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    My mom always used a bulb syringe rather than an aspirator, but it looks like it accomplishes the same thing. You can also stick it in the baby's mouth (carefully, duh) to get the mucus at the back of the throat, which is generally what causes coughing.

    One way to get a mini sauna going is to run the hot water in the sink and stick a towel over it to trap the steam. This works for grownups too, heh.

    Quoth on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Quoth wrote: »
    My mom always used a bulb syringe rather than an aspirator, but it looks like it accomplishes the same thing. You can also stick it in the baby's mouth (carefully, duh) to get the mucus at the back of the throat, which is generally what causes coughing.

    Is that common? That would really make me nervous, especially with him as he doesn't really sit still.

    Sir Carcass on
  • QuothQuoth the Raven Miami, FL FOR REALRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Quoth wrote: »
    My mom always used a bulb syringe rather than an aspirator, but it looks like it accomplishes the same thing. You can also stick it in the baby's mouth (carefully, duh) to get the mucus at the back of the throat, which is generally what causes coughing.

    Is that common? That would really make me nervous, especially with him as he doesn't really sit still.

    I don't think I'd do it with the aspirator, but with the bulb you just stick it in the side of his mouth and release.

    Some more clear directions.

    Quoth on
  • brandotheninjamasterbrandotheninjamaster Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Quoth wrote: »
    Quoth wrote: »
    My mom always used a bulb syringe rather than an aspirator, but it looks like it accomplishes the same thing. You can also stick it in the baby's mouth (carefully, duh) to get the mucus at the back of the throat, which is generally what causes coughing.

    Is that common? That would really make me nervous, especially with him as he doesn't really sit still.

    I don't think I'd do it with the aspirator, but with the bulb you just stick it in the side of his mouth and release.

    Some more clear directions.

    I think the bulb syringe is a type of aspirator, but in case I was wrong; I was referencing a bulb syringe. When you use it, just be gentle; remember they probably used that to clear your baby's nasal passages when he was first born. It may not be the most comfortable experience for him, but its better then a bunch mucus. Also take a look around, they sell a few that are more contoured to your baby's nose.

    brandotheninjamaster on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So are you guys talking about this:

    11g04QCwkkL._AA174_.jpg

    Or something else?

    Sir Carcass on
  • brandotheninjamasterbrandotheninjamaster Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    So are you guys talking about this:

    11g04QCwkkL._AA174_.jpg

    Or something else?

    Thats what I'm talking about. I can't speak for quoth but I'm pretty sure thats what he was referencing as well.

    brandotheninjamaster on
  • QuothQuoth the Raven Miami, FL FOR REALRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    That is what I meant. There are electronic kinds that look more like ear thermometers and they scare me.

    Quoth on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Okay, yeah. That's what we have.

    Sir Carcass on
  • SuckafishSuckafish Registered User regular
    edited March 2009
    My baby HATES those bulb syringes. He's 8 months now, and got his first cold around the 3-4 month mark. You can get these little saline packets that you squirt in the baby's nose to lossen up the mucus, then use the syringe. I'd only do that when the baby is really stuffy. If only a little stuffy try the steam suggestion and/or slighlty elevate the head of his matress to encourage mucus to run down the back of his throught.

    I've never tried the syringe in his mouth, but it sounds awkward and unnecessary.

    Suckafish on
  • EmanonEmanon __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2009
    Spoke to my Mom last week, she told me she sucked the snot out of my nose when I was a baby. Gross but something to think about.

    Emanon on
    Treats Animals Right!
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited March 2009
    Suckafish wrote: »
    My baby HATES those bulb syringes.

    Yeah, I tried it again last night, and got a good bit more out, but man, he wasn't happy. He was better after he calmed down.

    I'll look for those saline packets. I think he's getting better, but they'll be handy in the future.

    Sir Carcass on
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