If your baby's uncomfortable, treat the fever. You can:
✔ Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen (if your baby is at least six-months-old) to reduce the fever. Follow the dosing information on the package.
✔ You can alternate each medicine every three hours for maximum effect.
✔ Sponge bathe your baby with tepid water.
✔ Don't overdress your baby.
Clearing Baby's Congestion
Saline drops: Use saline drops to loosen and thin the mucus. Place a few drops of the salt water in each nostril. Wait at least 60 seconds. Then use a nasal aspirator to gently remove it.
Humidifier: A cool mist humidifier adds moisture to the air in your baby's room and often helps ease breathing. After each use, empty the water from the humidifier and follow the manufacturer's instruction on keeping the machine clean and disinfected.
Steam: Sometimes a humid room helps to open up your baby's breathing. Run the bathroom shower with hot water long enough to turn the bathroom into a temporary steam room. Sit in there with your baby for about fifteen minutes. If it helps, repeat several times each day. As the congestion looses, use the suction bulb to remove excess mucus.
Heads up: Improve drainage when your baby sleeps by raising the head end of the mattress up about fifteen degrees. You can either raise the end of the crib or by place a pillow or wedge under the mattress.
Colds, unfortunately, are a normal part of life. With age, your baby develop immunities to help fight off infection. Until then, you can try to avoid colds and minimize the discomfort when one occurs.
What works best to get your snuffly, uncomfortable baby feeling better?
