We are knee deep in sick season and Grady has had just about everything you could possibly think of. This is actually the first year he’s been sick – really sick. Keep in mind, I’m not a doctor, nor a pro at any of this. He’s my first kid and I was calling the doctor nonstop. The advice I’ve listed in this post is from Grady’s pediatrician and from other moms who know what they’re doing. Because I sure as hell didn’t. We tried a bunch of different remedies and these are the things that worked for us. Maybe you’re a first time mom too and have no clue what to do! I’ve been there!
Humidifier – Any time Grady gets just a little cold, he gets an ear infection. This year, his colds have been nasty. When we registered for baby items, we got a cute little humidifier that matched his room. When he got really sick, the pediatrician recommended we move the humidifier into whatever room he’s playing in to keep his nose draining. Rather than move the humidifier around the house, my husband when out and bought a second one. He just so happened to buy this one and there was a HUGE difference in how it drained his nose. It came with menthol pads that fit into the side to help his cough at night. It’s a little pricier but we ended up throwing out his old, cheaper one.
Chest Rub – This chest rub is for babies 3 months and up. It’s VERY helpful when you’ve got a baby coughing all hours of the night. Grady is 17 months now and I STILL use it when he’s got a nasty cough.
Nose Frida – Thank you to the Swedish doctor that invented this contraption! Another mom swears that when she uses it on her baby, she ends up getting sick. I never have. All I know, is that it pulls all that green snot out of the depths of this nasal cavity. The kit that I bought also has this spray that I use religiously.
Nasal Spray – Grady’s pediatrician said I can never use too much nasal spray. I ran out of his old spray and tried this. A couple shots up the nose and the snot is pouring out.
Zarabee’s – There aren’t many cough medicines out there for babies. Zarabee’s makes several different kinds of syrups but this one is cough and mucus and I swear that when used with the chest rub, he’s sleeping through the night!
Sit in the bathroom with hot water running – The steam is supposed to help break up the mucus in the chest. This one didn’t work for us because, well, I have an active toddler that was beating the door down to escape. Plus, I had to sit in there with him. And it was hard to breathe.
Raise the mattress – This one worked for when he wasn’t rolling all over the crib. I just took a couple of towels and angled one end of his crib mattress. It kept the snot from going up into his nose to where he couldn’t breathe. Now, that doesn’t work because he’s bouncing back and forth all night all over the crib.
Thermometer – This is by far the best thermometer we bought. We had a few cheap ones. One came in a baby first aid kit and the other one we registered for. We threw them out after we bought this one. I’m glad we had it because when Grady had the flu, he was burning up and it was scary. The cheaper thermometers probably wouldn’t have informed me that his temp was 104. This one is quick – reads his temp within seconds. I was checking his temp every hour to make sure it wasn’t spiking and he totally didn’t mind the swipe across the head.
Tylenol and Motrin – After he tested positive for the flu, the pediatrician told me to alternate between Tylenol and Motrin. Tylenol every four hours and Motrin every 8. He told me that the two meds do two different things….I can’t remember what. But you could tell that he was in pain and needed something to help. With the flu, there’s not a whole lot you can do to get rid of it. You kind of have to manage the pain and ride it out. Make sure you double check with your pediatrician before you go doing all this. Your baby’s doc might disagree or have you do something else.
Heated Blanket – When Grady had the flu, it was also 20 degrees outside. He had a fever and chills and I wish I had this heated blanket for him. They aren’t cheap, but this one just so happens to be on sale and it’s in my cart for next time…or for when we get another cold snap and my husband won’t let us turn on the fireplace….because running the gas costs too much money…
Warm Bath – I never tried this, but you might want to do this to break the fever instead of giving meds. I’ve also heard you can squeeze a lemon into the hot water and that helps drag the germ out.
Pedialyte – Grady WILL NOT drink Pedialyte. Refuses. After he was up all night vomiting every hour on the hour, I made Pedialyte popsicles at 4 in the morning knowing he wouldn’t drink it. It worked like a champ. He sat and watched his movie and licked the pop clean. Some other options from pro moms that I had no clue about: they make a Pedialyte with no flavor and you can mix that with water or a little milk. Also, there is water out there that is made with electrolytes and tastes like regular water.
BRAT: bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. After they’ve been puking all day/night, these are the things you offer because they are easier on the stomach. I had no idea. I would have given him a pizza. And he would have vomited it all back up.
Popsicle Molds – I bought these this past summer for healthy homemade pops but had no idea how useful they would be when Grady got sick!
Several people asked if I let Grady sleep in the bed with me when he was puking all night. No, for several reasons:
- I’m terrified of co-sleeping.
- It’s easier to change a set of crib sheets than it is to change sheets on a Cal-King bed.
- I learned that babies have a natural gag reflex so that when they start puking in their sleep, they roll over and wake up.
Every time I heard him puking, by the time I made it back to his room, he was already sitting up and puking some more. After I changed his pj’s and sheets and tried to offer water, he was so exhausted that he passed out the minute I put him back in his crib. I would rub his back for a few minutes until I knew he was asleep and then make my way back to bed. Seems cruel to some I’m sure, but I felt safer with him being in his own space. Besides that, I held him all day the next day when he was awake.
After you’ve wrapped your little darling in a cozy blanket with their applesauce and toast, and you’ve started playing their favorite movie, start wiping your house down with Clorox wipes. ‘Cause most likely, you’re getting sick too!
Did I miss anything? If there’s something you do to treat the sickies I’d love to hear it!
~Ashley