3 weeks and a cold???

[Jayne]

Poor Charlotte is just so plugged up. She can't breath and when I try and nurse her she has the worst time. Yesterday was awful. She would only nurse for maybe 5 minutes and fall asleep. I pumped a lot because I was so sore. She started this on New years Day. It is so cold we have stayed home so I am keeping her out of that but what can I do. I use the "Little Noses" and suction her out but she is starting to cough today also and the sneezing is just awful. I know you can't give them meds this early.

I have the county nurse coming today at 2. Something they offer and we said "OK" so I will ask her and then when she leaves I guess call the doctor but I am debating if that is worth it because they will probably tell me to do what I am already doing right..They can't have meds before they are 6 months..Man I am out of practice it has been 6 years since I had one this little :lol:

[Bev]

Sometimes a cool mist humidifier will help, or even taking her outside for a minute or so to get the cold air at her.

Hope she's feeling better soon. :getwell:

[Jayne]

I have the humidifier going in our room.

I can't take her outside..It is only 10 degree's out there right now. I don't think that would be good (Right???)

[Shel]

Try saline nose drops. Owen ended up with a cold at 2-3 weeks, and that was the only thing I could use for him :(

Hope poor Charlotte feels better soon

[Jayne]

That is what the "Little Noses" Stuff is. Saline nose drops. Poor thing hates it so much. I figured that was all I could give her. I need to find my thermometor too..I don't think she has a fever but I am not sure.

Should I take it under her arm. I know I can do it in the butt but not sure I have one of those thermometers. Mine is a digital thing from Safety first. I have no idea where the directions to it are.

[~Deborah~]

The butt is the most accurate way to get a temperature for kids up to age 4. Watch out for the poop right after :lol:. Hope Charlotte feels better soon:hug99:. Kyle got a cold at around 3 wks old too and I felt helpless too.

[KristenW]

Jayne, remember to add a degree if you take her temp under her arm.
Also, if she starts wheezing at all, call your dr. or take her to the ER right away. This is RSV season and I know that it can really be hard on newborns. I really hope Charlotte is feeling better soon!

[Jayne]

Thanks Kristen. I didn't remember the added degree. I know to watch for Wheezing. So far none but with me having asthma it is one thing I know to listen for. Hopefully the nurse will have some info for me this afternoon and since she comes at 2 I can call the doctor right then if she feels I need to get her in right away!

[Sandy]

I have also been told that infants that small who develop a fever have to be seen by a doctor.

[Michele]

Anna was pretty chronically congested as an infant (she still kind of is). I used to turn the shower on really hot and close the bathroom door and let it run like that for a few minutes. Once it was nice and steamy I'd bring her into the bathroom (in her carseat so her head was elevated) and just sit her in the steam for 10 minutes or so...then I'd suck out her nose/do the drops etc. The steam seemed to help a lot.

I also used to let her sleep in her carseat (I put it right in the crib) and that helped as well.

[~Deborah~]

I also used to let her sleep in her carseat (I put it right in the crib) and that helped as well.

I was just coming to suggest this. I remembered doing this with Kyle when he was congested.

[Karri]

squirt some breastmilk into her nostrils. it sounds weird, but it'll work better than saline. apparently, its got antibacterial properties.

[Jayne]

Oh..I can do that easy enough. I am so engorged because she isn't nursing well right now that I usually spray all over when I go to nurse her. Dan keeps lauging at me.

The nurse came and said really I am doing all that I can do for her. Just to watch for wheezing and elevated Temp like you all said. She took her temp and it was at 98.9 so if I add a degree (she did under the arm) she really isn't elevated for an infant and that is what the nurse said :dunno: I hate to let it go to long because it is the weekend coming but really there isn't much we can do for her and they won't do anything for her either so I guess we just go at it the way we are.

[Lyoshka]

Karri beat me to it... breast milk IS antibacterial, so you can you it for any ouchies when they are little. I used to hand express 15-20 drops in a small tupperwear dish and used a dropper to get it in Nikita's nose. WAY better than anything store-bought :nod:

ALso, since she is congested, run a hot shower, let the steam build and sit with her in the bathroom-not in the water, but just in a closed bathroom so she can breathe that moist air. Do that several times a day, it should help a ton.

I have also heard that Eucalyptus Oil is wonderful for that-drop some in the shower so it's in the mist.... just don't know how many drops.

[Jillian]

I have also been told that infants that small who develop a fever have to be seen by a doctor.


Yep, we were told under 6 weeks anything over 99.5(under the arm) needs to be seen right away.

Other than that, just saline, Travis and Janelle both got colds when they were very young, it is horrible to see such a little thing so miserable.

[Jayne]

Right because 99.5 would really be 100.5

I was told anything over 101 we should call the doctor. (the nurse said this today)

[Sandy]

Sounds like you are doing a great job Jayne. :hug99: I just hate it when they get sick and are so tiny. Hang in there!

[Jayne]

Thanks Sandy. It is all just so uncertain when they are so little. You want to do anything and everything to make them as comfortable as you can and yet you know that you can't give them anything to comfort them.

I had Charlotte sleep in her car seat in the crib last night and that seemed to help a lot. We also did two steem room visits (bathroom/shower fill with steem) and I did the breast milk thing that Karri suggested. This morning she seemed more crusted over then stuffed and once we got her unplugged she has done great and even nursed for 15 minutes on both breasts so hopefully we are on the road to recovery here!

[Sandy]

Sounds like you are! :woo:

[KristenW]

Jayne, I hope that Charlotte is on the mend!!

[Alyson]

Jayne, I hope little Charlotte is feeling better.

[Lyoshka]

Nice to hear little Charlie is on the mend, Jayne!!
Do the breastmilk in her nose several times a day-you can't overdo it :) I hope she is cleared up soon :)