5 week old with a cold - what to do?

[Taboo917]

Caleb is 5 weeks old today and has caught a cold off DH and I. Last night was awful he was making choking sounds and often sounded like he was struggling to breathe while he was in his snuzpod. Let him sleep on my tummy and that seemed more comfortable for him.

I've checked his temperature and it's normal, we've had him in the bathroom with the shower running so he had the steam to loosen everything up and I've given him nasal drops. We've also raised the part of the pod his head rests on at night in the hope that'll help him sleep.

Is there anything else I should/could be doing? Is there any point me taking him to the doctors? I'm assuming they'll just say I have to ride it out?

 

[Pumpkin9]

If its just a cold the doctors won't be interested unless there is something that is causing you serious concern (like rash that doesn't go under pressure from a glass etc.)

At 5 weeks old your limited with what you can do as calpol isn't recommended at that age. Have you tried putting a rolled up blanket under the mattress to raise his head so that he's not totally flat? Buying some snuffle babe to rub on his chest and also a nasal aspirator to suck the snot out (disgusting but works) also calpol do plug ins. They are expensive but help soothe and clear airways.

Other than that I'm out of ideas but someone else might have something else

 

[naomip]

^wss not a lot else you can do I'm afraid. You'll have to use a nasal aspirator as babies can't feed properly if they're bunged up x

 

[Staceylou27]

My lo had a cold around 6/7 weeks old. We used a nasal spray and put some oibus oil on a bib and fastened it around the handle of the Moses basket

 

[Mackmummy]

You can get baby Vicks, I think he's too young to have it in his feet (check the age) but as stacylou said out some in a bib near the cot. Calpol also do a vapour plug in but again check the age it might be from 3 months

 

[CARNAT22]

We have a cold here. Bee has finally caught James' germs. I already have all the cold paraphernalia because of James (baby albas oil, baby vapour rup, nasal sucky thing, calpol plug in etc....) but for the time being I am just letting it take its course

I am keeping her in her chair at night though so she is raised when she sleeps. Not that she sleeps lol

X

 

[Taboo917]

Thanks ladies, he seems okay in himself I think I'm more bothered by it and all the horrible noises he makes in the night!

Tried the bib trick last night and also raising his head in pod more than usual, have nasal spray and aspirator and been putting him in bathroom and running shower so he gets the steam...hopefully be better soon.

What chair do you have her in nat her bouncer thing? I had Caleb on my tummy last night as he seems less congested that way and whilst it's a crap nights sleep for me it's still better than when he's in his pod and I spend all night checking he's still breathing and get no sleep! x

 

[CARNAT22]

We have this chair http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1624423.htm

It's the only thing she sleeps in (she hates to be flat even before her cold!)

X

 

[nicejuicypear]

Keep an eye on her breathing, look around the bottom of her ribs and her throat, if it looks like they're sucking in when she breathes take her to the gp. Also if congestion stops her feeding. My baby had bronchiolitis at 2 weeks and that's what they were looking out for.

The doctors said to me if I have any doubts to bring her in, they'd rather see little babies and it be nothing than the other way around.

Hopefully she's over the worst of it now though.

 

[Rachel11]

Ladies, while you are talking about chairs how long should baby be sat in them? Maisie has a fisher price vibrating chair bouncer thing and I worry how long she should stay in it for?
Is it like a car seat no longer than 3 hours or is it just me being over the top lol!!!

Maisie is growing so fast she is 2 weeks today, she goes anything from 2 hours to 4 hours between feeds and he about 3 to 4oz last night she went through on 4hours a time so I felt like I had a nice night lol- but I'm sure she will settle into a pattern

Zoe -- Maisie was the same, had lots of mucus but it passed after about 3 days! She just wanted lots of cuddles and lots of back rubbing lol xx

 

[Rachel11]

Sorry ladies I thought I was in the jam feb mummy's lol god I must be tired Hahahahah