Cold

cool mist humidifier...my son had that and no one would let me give him anything. it helped.

Like others said...Use a humidifier and elevate his head. They actually have a thing called a crib wedge at babies r us that is perfect. If his cough gets worse definitely let your doctor know. My daughter had the exact same thing at two months and it almost turned into pneumonia (sp?) and we ended up having to take her to the ER and use a nebulizer for a couple of days to get rid of the congestion in her chest. Definitely not fun!

I hope your little one feels better!

Sounds like allergies to me. I suggest a air humidifier and use a medicated vapor. Vics makes one that isnt bad. Alos the bulb syringe, they hate it but it helps when they cant blow their little noses yet. I think Johnson& Johnson make a vapor rub cream just for babies, this also might help and look into infant benedry or infant allergie drops. The drainage could drain into his stomach and cause him to have an upset stomach so you also might look into simethicone drops as well. This is all I can think of I hope it helps!

Take him into the bathroom with you. Run a hot shower to steam the room. Hang out in there for a while. I found this worked with my kiddos. I've had to do this in the middle of the night but found that they slept better afterwards.
I'm so sorry....I know how hard this is.

The best thing is to rub a little Vicks vapor rub on his feet & put socks on him (like some of the mom advisors have stated prior). The best way for either of you to get sleep at night is for you to sleep in a reclining chair with your son placed right in the middle of your chest in a slightly reclining position. If you feel like you must sleep in bed w/hubby, then have the bed placed at an incline, using bricks to prop up the head of the bed to your most comfortable desired height...usually 2 bricks of the flat gray ones (Home Depot or Lowes) or you can use the reading pillows to prop yourself up. Keeping up the prayers!

Get a cool mist humidifier and vicks baby rub.
That's what i did with my two ...make sure the room has circulating air to get the humidity to him or put the humidifier next to his sleeping area...you want him to almost breathe it directly. also...sleeping in carseat or bouncer with vibrations is ideal.
the drainage will dissipate faster. my 7 month old just got over croup...and her cough was horrible. the emergency room gave her a cough syrup by prescription...but he's probably too young...try the vicks BABY rub. and anything you can do to keep the room cool. the warm air doesn't aid in congestion. if he's not congested, it's ok, the cool mist will help sooth his throat.

A co-worker of mine suggested that I buy some Vicks Baby Rub and put a thick layer on the bottom of your babies feet and then cover with socks. I was amazed at how well it worked and also, try to put a little on the bridge of your babies nose. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me and my son. Good luck!

The best thing I always did when my infant had a cough was lots of time in a warm steamy bathroom. I would actually bring his bouncer or exersaucer in the bathroom and let him play while I ran a very very hot steamy shower. I would let the room fill with steam, and we would sit in there for 15-20 minutes. This always helped tremendously with my son.

Place humidifier in his room blowing away from him. Also, keep his legs/feet covered in onesie outfits.

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet or not, but what we have done is rub a little bit of Vicks Vaporub on our sons feet, put his socks on and he has slept through the night without waking up coughing....I have even tried it myself and it has worked for me.
Hope this helps!
G.

IF it is allergies, I highly recommend a natural product safe for infants called Xlear....it is a nasal spray and I spray one spray in each nostril and then squeeze the nose one time to make it stick to inside of nose. It makes the nose too slippery for the allergens to stick and be inhaled by the breathing. It works great for me and has worked for my children; yes I started them on it as infants. You can get it at any health food store and Market Street.

M.,
I know you have lots of questions as a new mamma, but your doctor is right, you really don't want to give him anything that young. One thing I suggest is those Vicks Vapors, you plug them into the wall and work great. They are very strong so don't have him too close, but have it in his sleeping room, or through out the house. If the cough does get worse then take him back you don't want him to get pneumonia or bronchitis.
Hang in there, it hurts us more to watch our children being sick and not being able to do anything for them.

A humidifier kept running will help alot. Take him into the bathroom at night before bed and run the shower on hot and keep the doors closed and let the room fill with steam. Make sure he is kept warm now that the nights are a little cooler and don't run any fans in his room. All you can do at this age is help treat the symptoms and relieve the congestion. Saline drops work wonders, you can use them 3 times a day and if he has a lot of mucus remember to use the bulb syrenge to clear him out. You could ask your pediatrician about liquid vitamins to help boost his vitamin intake. Good luck. He will be himself again soon.

Use the saline solution and a bulb syringe to keep his nose more clear. That stuff really works well. Elevate the head of the crib and try a vaporizer for the cough. Make sure he is nursing and doesn't get dehydrated (if he has no tears when he cries and his eyes look sunken in he is very dehydrated and needs medical attention right away) good luck.

A cool mist humidifier is what my pediatrician recommends for anything. That and a bulb syringe.

I use a vaporizer and vicks vaposteam... because I am afraid of bacterial growth in a cool mist. Honestly, too - I think I used vapo rub on the bottom of their feet with socks at that age (it can irritate the skin on the chest, which is why they say not to use it under 6 months of age.)

S.

try a humidifier, it might be that the air is too dry especially if you are using fans.

I hope they made sure it was not pertusses. I use vicks baby rub on my kids chest. it helps.

good luck. if it gets worse please go to acute kids urgent care after hours or get a second oppinion. also make sure your baby's room is not too warm it is cool and have a ceiling fan on in the room.

A. J

It could be allergies or cold and cough. But since he is so young, be informed about an RSV virus I think it is.
It causes the cough to get really bad and only little ones get it.
My son had got it when he was so young and I remeber the doc saying it is just a cough and also it was the weekend.
by the time we figured out, he needed a lot more medicine.
Be proactive and watch for other symptoms like weasing and the intensity of the cough.

saline solution before feedings
cool mist humidifier
put a couple of books under his crib on the headboard side so that he is slightly elevated and the stuff will not run down his throat and cause coughing fits or let him sleep on you in more of an upright position.

take your child in the bathroom and turn on a hot shower and get the bathroom really steamy. That helps break up snot and open airways. About 10 minutes really helps.

Go get some vicks vapor rub for children and rub a small amount on his chest and on the bottom of his feet. Cover the feet with socks and keep them on. It will help. Don't ask me why, because I don't know. All I know is I have 6 kids ranging in age from 32 to 6 and it's worked on them all at one time or another. We're doing it to grandkids now and it still works. My doctor said it was good to do it, so good luck and best wishes.

some things that might help would be a vicks vaporizer in his room while he sleeps. also, you could put him in the shower with you and that should help drain his nose. good luck. it can be very frustrating!

I'm sorry your doctor wasn't very helpful, but he's right at that age there's no medicine for a cough and runnyu nose. I know how scary it is though when our young ones are sick.

I don't know what will help the runny nose, but I do know that for the cough you could get a dehumidifier for your sons room. That will help a lot. It will break the cough up a lot sooner than it would on it's own and it will therefore heal faster.

Good luck Mommy! My prayers are with you.

Hi M.,
First, please don't give your baby ANY medicine, as others have recommended. It is NOT meant for babies at all, especially a 1 1/2 month old. This is why the FDA is taking away our medicines---b/c they've been overused and applied in situations that they are not meant to be applied!!

My baby boy was sick constantly once he went into daycare at 10 - 11 weeks old. The doctor told us the same thing that yours told you: there's not much you can do but let their own bodies heal themselves (it's good for their developing immune system too). He told us to use saline drops (a drop or two in each nostril), the use a bulb syringe to suction his little nostrils. This helped to relieve our baby of mucus (for awhile). So, we'd always do that several times a day...especially at bedtime to help him sleep just a little while longer.

About bedtime, as others have posted, the drainage and congestion in his chest (which causes the coughing) worsens when they lay down (just like it does for all of us!). So, our doctor told us to elevate the head of his crib (actually, it was a bassinet at that age) to help the drainage to not settle in our baby's chest. We were also told that using a humidifier would help, as some of the other mamas mentioned. We just never bought one, so I can't tell you much about that.

As Anu mentioned below: Keep an eye on that cough and make sure it doesn't worsen. If it does, go back to your doctor because it could be the RSV respiratory virus. My baby had that as one of his illnesses and he was coughing so hard that he was gagging and throwing up. It was sooo sad. So keep an eye out for that type of coughing!!

And, not to scare you, but I have heard that Whooping Cough (Pertussis) is making a come-back. So, that is another reason to take him to the doctor immediately if his cough worsens.

Pertusses is often passed to babies from adults, so my doctor recommended that any adults in contact with our baby, such as my husband and I, the grandparents, any caregivers, etc. get the TDaP (Tetanus, Diptheria, acellular Petrussis) vaccine to boost our prior Pertussis immunity. It can't hurt to be extra cautious at that tender age!!

Take care and stay strong!
D.

I can't believe they didn't tell you anything you could do, I'd start looking for a new doctor. In the mean time, when he sleeps try to prop him up a little so he's not flat. You don't want him to be able to suffocate, so it's best to put a small blanket under his mattress. If you have a humidifier I'd use it where he sleeps. Hope this helps, I'd really call a different Doctor though, there should be something they can do. Even give you advice.

Mari,
Vicks vapor rub on the bottom of his feet then put sox on him.

Check out www.discoverlimu.com/jcarden.
Superfood in a bottle and great from birth to death.
Lots of great testimonials. Let me know if you want more info
J.

M.,
*cool mist humidifier at night when he sleeps (pointed away from his bed)
*elevate head of crib mattress (pillow underneath)
*run hot, steamy shower and sit in there with him for about 10 min before each time he goes down to sleep
*saline drops (Little Noses Saline) and bulb syringe to help suction out the mucous from his little nasal passageway
*****!!!!lots of holding of him and snuggles and soothing voice/singing to help him be calm and feel secure

Hang in there, Mommy. He will get better.

There really isn't a lot you can do for him except make sure that he stays hydrated by drinking his formula/breast milk and lots of loving. Also, you could probably use a saline solution and clean out his nose-that may help with the sneezing but I say if it isn't bothering him let Mother nature take her course. Also remember, that often times they tend to get "worse" at night so just keep your eye on him and if he does get worse call your doctor. I know it's hard but keep your head up, you are doing a good job.

You could try a cool mist humidifier. That works wonders for my kids when they are stuffy. Also, as another mom mentioned, use some saline to help that little nose.

If he gets worse or his symptoms change take him back to the doctor.

Good luck, I hope he gets better really soon!

Do you breast feed him? If you do, you start taking ginger any form. YOU could take ginger powder with honey or fresh ginger juice(you shred ginger root and squeeze out the juice) with honey. This only for you to take if you are breast feeding him. Not to give to baby no matter what.

Go to a specialist. My pediatrician said the same thing and it (wheezing, coughing, congestion, etc.) never went away from October until February! I tried everything under the sun to no avail. Finally, I went to Steven Copenhaver at Presby Dallas, and he was REALLY good. He specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology. We did breathing treatments and Zyretc, and WHALA--went away instantly! His number is ###-###-####.

-holding in a steamy room
-running a humidifier in the room while he's sleeping
-vicks on feet w/ socks
-saline drops in nose; gentle suction
-if you're breastfeeding, avoid ALL dairy; if he is formula fed, try switching to Nutramigen
-and, my addition:

*****Sodium Ascorbate*****

It's a non-acidic vitamin C powder, you can give your son a pinch or so every feeding (if he gets runny poo, back off the dose a bit) -- I find Sodium Ascorbate (NOT calcium ascorbate or ascorbic acid, by the way) at our local health food store, Central Market, Whole Foods, etc. Brand isn't too important, though we use Source Naturals or NOW.

*one other note, to be clear: DO *NOT* GIVE YOUR 1 1/2 MONTH OLD BABY HONEY

The best things that we have found are a steamy bathroom (but don't overheat him!) and the saline/bulb syringe. The steamy bathroom does wonders!

The vicks baby rub says ages 3 mo & up, so check with your Dr before using that. I know that Johnsons & Johnsons used to make a vapor bath, not sure if they still do.

I'm sure you got all the usual advice. saline drops in the nose might help. A humidifier for sure. Naps in a bouncy seat vs. laying in a crib have been helping here.

I am going through similar with my 4 month old, it isn't effecting his sleep at night so I am not too worried about it but I know he is just miserable!

A very good friend/colleague of mine is a Chiropractor in Frisco and she specializes in Pediatrics. She treats kiddos from a cold/allergies to tumors/Autism/ADHD...she gets wonderful results and children respond SO favorably to her non-force technique, shich is VERY gentle. She th ebest of what she does...you should schedule at least a consultation so you can get a better idea of what she has to offer. Her name is Dr. jaime Francescangelli (Dr. Jaime). Office # is ###-###-####. I see first-hand the great results she gets, as I am also a chiropractor in the same office...but she's your 'go-to-doc' for children this young... Best of Luck
~ Dr. H. S.

M., my son is 4 now but since he was much younger, anytime he started to get sick, it started with a cough and still today. The Dr's all say to allow the kids to cough as they are breaking up the mucus, however if he's up at night or keeping you up through the night with his cough, you might ask for something to give to him at night. This is the only time my dr will prescribe medication for his cough. Lastly, it never hurts to get a second opinion if he starts getting that nagging cough everytime he starts to get sick. Hang in there, I understand my child seemed to keep a cough for a while and those people that give you that crazy look when you're out in public. :)

try running a vaporizer in his room. That will sometimes help. Put some Vicks in it too! This will help him. I did this with my daughters when they told me the same thing. I got that advice from my own Mother.

If you also need help with childcare anytime.... for a few hours to have a break, I'm available. I have references and love children. You can call me at ###-###-#### or you can email me at ____@____.com this helps,
L. Randolph

I have one more for you... you can put eucalyptus oil on the sides of the bathtub and run a hot bath... the steam plus smell is awesome (much like Vicks) even if your little one isn't taking full-fledged baths yet being in the bathroom with the steam might help. So sorry! It's hard to see the tiny ones sick.

K.

We go to a homeopath and he helps my son with colds etc. I want be careful if you are vaccinating him while he is sick. A doctor will tell you its okay but TRUST me it is NOT!!!
L.

aww poor baby.
Its just so painful for the mother when the baby is sick!
When my baby was 6 weeks old she got a terrible cough and cold. I gave her pediacare(no longer available) and it worked great. All this talk about cold medicines not working on babies is just so confusing to me because they always worked great for us.
My advice is:
Find a new Dr.!

put a vaporizer in his room, elevate his head when he sleeps by putting a pillow UNDER the mattress on the head side. Use the bulb aspirator that they gave you at the hospital. Any medications will only make him worse at this age. Give him all the comfort and food he wants. Hold him close to you, or carry him in a sling or infant carrier. Nothing makes a small baby happier than that. He will get over it, and it is building his little immunity to the world. Good luck to you.

I'd like to add one more thing, if you are nursing you might take all dairy out of your diet.
What ever we ingest gets passed into the breast milk.
With that said make sure you are drinking plenty of water and try some fresh ginger tea with lemon and local honey.
Good Luck!