There are many ways to handle a baby when they have a cold.
If you notice any type of fever you really wanna go to your physician to see what's going
on.
Usually a fever is a sign that there is some sort of infection, viral or bacterial, going
on within the body and you wanna figure out what that is.
So if there is a fever with congestion it's best to go to your doctor.
When they say the baby just has a cold there are certain things you can do to make your
baby more comfortable.
Babies can't take cold medicine or decongestant, but they can have a few simple things to make
them breathe more easily.
Number one is saline.
Simple baby nasal saline will help relieve the nasal passages.
The parents can squeeze the saline up each nostril and use an aspirator to help relieve
the mucus.
Going into a stream shower several times a day will also help relieve the congestion.
It can be a steam shower or a simple shower with the hot water turned on very hot and
standing beside it.
Several times a day will really help with the congestion.
Adding a humidifier to the baby's room will also help.
There are also vaporizers that have a menthol scent that helps babies breathe as well.
If a baby is really congested and has a bad cold they also may prefer to sleep upright.
They may feel better sleeping in your arms, they may feel better sleeping in their car
seat, a bouncy seat, or a swing, or you may have to put some books under the baby's bed
to help tilt the baby and relieve the congestion.
Babies also may require a little bit more feedings when they're sick simply because
they don't feel well.
So when the baby has a cold doing things like saline, stream shower, humidifier, and sleeping
upright can really help them feel better.
The key is to make them feel as comfortable as they can until the cold passes and that
may mean extra cuddles, extra pacifier, and extra feedings.
If it doesn't resolve itself or it gets worse you need to talk to your doctor and have them
seen immediately.