Medical Advice

I would be persistant in calling your pediatrician, however if your baby isn't looking sick or you don't think he looks or acts uncomfortable, then I would wait until the 10th day then decide whether to call your doctor. I think the humidifier and saline drops are the best for now. You might try propping one end of crib mattress up so everything can drain should he have fluid in his ears or to not build fluid in his ears. The bulbs are also great for getting excess mucas and other things out of noses.

1 mom found this helpful

B., it is good that you are concerned with your son! Let the Dr. know about your history with ear infections so he understands your concerns. He will appreciate it. As time goes by, you will reach a point where you find your comfort zone and may not worry as much. I was like you with my first and now with my 2nd, I find it hard just to make it to the Dr.'s for the immunizations. (I do get them when needed, but with my 1st, I was at the door on the day, w/ my 2nd, I take a week or 2...hahaha) I found that when I would express concerns with my Dr., he would take the time to explain EVERYTHING more thoroughly. This helped me to get more comfortable with what I was doing with my children. You are a good mother... best of luck. :)

With both of my little boys I used Little Bear decongestent - it is a homopathic remedy that seems to clear them right up. We also used I believe "Little Colds" which was a rub on their chests. Our oldest is three and our youngest will be 1 in June.

I am i mom too 3 beutiful babies and with my youngest who is 5 mths now, she had the sniffles for her 1st 3 mths. the peditrcian just told me that all you can do is give them infants tylenol, use the humidifier and saline. they don't like to give infants any kind of medicine. hers resoveld on its on and the dr is pretty certain she just might have an allergy. with it being spring i'm willing to bet that thats all it is. hope this helps a little.

p.s. there is nothing wrong with taking them too the dr for every sniffle thats what they are there for. =)

The humidifier works good we had to keep the saline spray nearby for my baby. Just make sure whenever you are giving the baby the saline make he is sitting up and you are also using the plunger. I was told by my pedi to put two sprays in each nostril but in between them use the plunger. If it seem as though he's getting worse then I would take him to the doctor. We stayed in the doctor office when my baby was first born due to my lack of experience and she being my first. Some appts was unnecessary because nothing was really wrong with her but I wanted to be on the safe side.

The humidifier is good and will help. When I was a new mom I worried all the time too. Every sniffle meant my son was going to dies from some weird something. After a bit I realized a few things, one: worry did not good, I was already losing sleep over a newborn so why lose more sleep from worry? Two: babies get sniffles, diaper rash and all and it just happens. I also learned that some babies get allergies like we do. I nursed my babies and had several with milk allergies. The got all kinds of respiratory ailments. I did not realize it till my 5th child was born and started in with the sniffles and really stuffed up nose that they can get it from what I was drinking and eating too.

The way the allergist explained it was that if I was allergic to something, and maybe it was mild so I did not know, and she was allergic also then my body was not processing it and she was reacting. I had to stop eating and drinking things that upset her.

If you are nursing than maybe this is part of the problem. If not, it may be allergy from another source.

Keep the humidifier and clear out the nose when you can see something. As long as it is clear then there is no infection.

Hope this helps. First time being a mom is scary for sure.

As I understand it, the two most important (controllable) factors in ear aches are lack of breastfeeding and overprescription on antibiotics in childhood. So avoid those! You can probably find more on those issues with a google search.

good luck!
G.

if he can still breathe through his nose then i wouldn't worry, it probably isn't anything. if you are having to keep the humidifier on and saline drops in his nose to keep it from getting too bad, then he might need something else to clear him up. his pediatrician might give you some sudafed or something but since he's so young you will want to have the dr. give it to you rather than buying it OTC and giving it to him yourself. the dr. can tell you how much to give him based on his weight so you don't accidentally give him too much
in the meantime i would just prop him up while he's sleeping (like maybe in his car seat or a swing) and keep the humidifier going and maybe try those sudacare plug-ins (it's like vicks but it goes in the air instead of putting it on his chest) also use the suction bulb thingy, they probably gave you one from the hospital =)
hope this helps!

HI!
Congratulations on your baby boy! My daughter had a lot of ear infections when she was little and one thing I learned, the hard way, is that it's best to try to wait out a cold instead of getting antibiotics. One thing that helped me out that you can try is that when you're feeding your baby try to make sure you have him propped up a bit. One of the doctors after the 3rd ear infection told me that it's too much pressure on their ears to have them completely laying down when they are feeding. Also if your at that point when doctors will tell you to try putting ceral in their milk, that's good but this makes it harder for babies to suck through and it's best to try to dissolve it as much as you can before putting it in their bottle. I liked using the "little Noses" Saline nose drops. It's handy to have a mucus remover, but use it close to the outer part of the nose and dont get it all the way in, or it could hurt the baby. After two kids, I've learned it's good to constantly clean their mucus so that it doesn't build up and back up into their ears. That can cause their ears to hurt. It recently even happened to me and I'm a grown woman. But that's one thing that I did different with my second and he has only had one ear infection. With my daughter, I though I would let her sleep and not try to bother her by blowing her nose and just wiping the mucus, but now I realize I should have woken her up gently and tried to get her to blow her nose as much as she could even if it meant sleeping next to them and basically staying up all night to care for them. But since your son is just 9 weeks old the best thing is to try to use a mucus remover and try to have him propped up while he sleeps and feeds. I'm sorry I don't have much more advise, but I hope this helps.

I would get the cold and flu bubble bath from californiababy.com. It is pricy but it works. I will never be with out it. I would also try and get all the toxins out of your home. Toxins in our home cause a lot of heath issues. Asthma is up and cancer is up and it is all being linked to our house hold chemicals. I can help you get safer products for your home. Give me a call or visit my web site and I would love to share with you where to get better, safer products.

B.
www.MoreForMyBaby.com

Hi B.! I was just a couple years younger than you when I had my first, and I too was worried. My daughter had sniffles all the time... this went on and off for almost the whole first year, never with a fever, and she's turned out just fine. Also, chiropractic care can TREMENDOUSLY reduce the probability of having ear infections!! They adjust babies much differently than they do adults (with their fingertips or an instrument). My daughter loved to be adjusted and still enjoys it today. She's NEVER had an ear infection, and I had several when I was a baby/child. You can either use your own chiropractor or find one that's certified in pediatric adjusting. The ICPA (International Chriopractic Pediatric Association) is a GREAT resource! Good luck!

There's an old saying that it takes a cold 2 weeks to run it's cycle, but only 14 days with a prescription! :) lol!

I'd prop up one size of his crib (place phone books under the feet at one end) so he's slightly at an angle (or if you have one of those angle-snuggle things with the wedge pieces - I sound so professional, I know!) Raising him just ever so much will help with drainage so the fluid won't clog in his ears, but go out as it should.

If it's a slimy runny nose, just suck the snot out of it - literally!lol! If it's dry and crusty, just keep those out so they don't clog up his passageways. Saline drops, humidifiers - possibly with the vapor stuff in them, and diligence with a booger-getter are all you really can do at this age. He might need allergy meds. later if you see it's a pattern.

Good luck mama! You're doing great! :)

When my son was a baby, his pediatrician said that a Prevnar injection would almost certainly prevent my son from the horrible ear infections that little ones get. The shot was not a covered benefit, but I did it anyway.

When my son would get really congested, I would take him in the bathroom and close the door. I would turn on both the sink and the tub with really hot water and steam up the bathroom. This helped clear his congestion.

Congradulations to your new Baby Boy! My daughter went to the fertility clinic. I know what you have been through. It's all worth it. It is very important to know that a childs sinusis are horzonital from nose to ear and do not drain down until they grow older. I was always taking my son to the pediatrician and never missed his annual appointments. He had been to pre-K and K, then one month into 1st grade is when I received a call from the school nurse. She told me he didn't pass his hearing test and gave me the name of a specialist to take him to. I took him two days later. He was 95% deaf in his right ear and 50% deaf in his left ear. He had surgery one week later for tubes in his ears. On the way home from the hospital he said "Turn the radio down it's to loud" then he started asking "Mom, what's that noise?". I don't think he had ever heard the road noise in a car. After undergoing more test the specialist told me his hearing was 100% restored with no permanent damage. The sinusis had drained, swelling and blocking his ear canals. For six years the pedidrician kept giving him antibotics and medicine for allergies (never gave him a hearing test but looked in his ears with a light). He had adapted to his hearing loss as an infant. Stay concerned about sinus drainage, it may not all be draining out. Read up on how a childs sinusis are not developed until they are older.

You should take your son to a chiropractor who specializes in pediatrics. The doctor will take a look at your baby's neck to ensure the nerves in the neck are working properly to allow the middle ear to drain. If the middle ear does not drain, bacteria builds up causing ear infections. Babies only need 1 or 2 "tune-ups" and their immune systems will be boosted tremendously.

There is a great book called 'Baby 411' my pedi suggested when I was a new mom, I think you can get it used from Amazon for super cheap. Try it, it's a great book, set up well with lots of good info. I give it to all my friends at their showers and have found that it's a very valuable resource.

Best wishes!

p.s. stuffy babies are normal for the first few months

Hi B.,

Since the baby is still to little, there is no medication that they will give him. All they will tell you to do is what you are doing. Try to put him to sleep with his body elevated so that should phlem develope it will not attach itself onto their chest. What I used to do is try to keep my baby in the car seat most of the time and throught the night and of coarse every once in a while take them out and lay them flat for a while so they can rest their little backs. Put some saline solution in their nose and suction it out. Have them sleep with the humidifier just like you are doing. As for the ear infections just when you feed him his bottle give it to him hold him up like he's sitting up. Do not lay him down and prop the bottle with a pillow like many tend to do, this is what causes ear infections. Well B., I hope this little tips help. Although you are already handling it the right way. Hope he get's better. Oh, do not use the vic's vaporizers because that will dry out his nose and it will get very irritated. Just a cool mist humidifier would work very well. You may want to invest in an air purifier and run it in his room so he can breath good hair. Maybe he wants to develope allergies. Good luck

Stop worrying and breathe yourself! That's the only thing you might be missing doing this on your own...someone to give you the occasional sanity check. Being a new mom is so hard!

You're doing all the right things. Did you bring home the little blue suction bulb? After doing the saline you can gently suck the mucus out.

You don't need to worry about an ear infection until an ear infection happens. It will eventually happen and then you'll deal with it. Until then, your pediatrician can't do anything for you that you're not already doing for yourself and your baby.

My best advice to you is to try not to worry about what might happen. You will drive yourself nuts and your baby will pick up on your tension. Try to relax and enjoy. It's just the sniffles. Keep breathing! Much love and support!

Hello B.,
I totally understand how you feel! I have a 5 year old son and in the beginning I drove the Dr's crazy. I felt the same way. It will get easier the older he gets. For now though try putting a book or a wedge under his crib mattress. This will will help with his drainage. Keep a close eye on those ears. My son had multiple ear infections and had his first set of tubes at 9 months old. And he may not have any trouble with his ears, I hope not it is so hard on them. I'm grateful for this web site and wish I had had it when he was little. So any question just post it we all know what it is like to have a newborn! Good luck and God Bless,
K.

I had the same issues with my son who's now 6mo old. Of course, I'm not a doctor but thought I would share some of the advice they had given to me which I still use now when he has a stuffy nose. I use the humidifer only for a few days and have him sleep on an incline wedge. I haven't personally used the saline on him but will clear his nostrals with a nasal bulb. Since Baby Vicks Rub isn't recommended for small infants, they told me to try J&J Soothing Vapor Bath - I just love this product and would recommend you add this to your regiment (maybe check with your Pedi Nurse first)....Not too worry, it's normal to worry about every little noise...You won't worry as much as time goes on since you'll become more comfortable with the stuffy nose situations....

B.,

You aren't crazy. You are just as normal as every other mom that loves their kids. I had my second daughter last august and I was still so paranoid with every little noise, just like you are.

My new baby, Eliana, is eight months now, but when she was a newborn she had upper respritory infections (very common) over and over again. One of the things that my dr. told me was to have the baby sleep upright. This is possible in a carseat, or a baby swing. All you have to do is make sure that you fasten your precious cargo in. I just wouldn't fasten the straps as tight as you would if you were going to drive in the car. Give your baby some room, and if you don't sleep next to him, I would, just until his sniffles are gone.

My oldest daughter, Alexis, has asthma and allergies from the time she was born. Her pediatrician told me the same thing. To have her sleep upright. Unfortunately her first three months she had to sleep in a carseat.

You are doing the right thing with the humidifier, it always helps a great deal! I would ask your doctor about a vapor rub humidifier?

Just my thoughts!

Many Blessings,
T.

These are the instructions my Pedi gave me for my little newborn.

Doctor ecommendations for runny nose (nasal discharge) or congestion (no discharge, just "stopped up"):

-Push fluids
-Humidifier for sleep
-Elevate head of bed/sleep propped up
-Suction nose as needed (to be used with saline)
-Medicated nose drops (Neo Synephrine/"Little Noses"; 1-2 drops 3/day; no suction needed)

There are also specific measures for runny nose depending on the color and consistency....i have that info if you need it as well..

Good luck to you and congrats on your new babe!

A.

I get rid of my colds with Melaleuca Oil (tea tree oil). I get rid of my son's sinus infections too. I wish I had of known about this amazing oil when my kids were babies. I work with my doctor but it is working so well for us. I can't remember that last time any of us had a cold! I would check with a doctor who is open to alternative medicine and you can water the oil down to such a low concentration for a little one. I even mix it with water and put in into a nasal pump to spray up in the nose. Works great!

Otherwise, you just have to live with it.

Good luck!
J.
www.livetotalwellness.com/janislanz
____@____.com

Dear B.,
Congratulations on your beautiful bundle of joy! I had 2 daughters - the first had ear infections from the time she was
2 weeks old (8 in 12 months) and the other never had one. I
realized she had an infection because she would scream when I would burp her. A couple of things you might try - rub his chest with Vicks Baby Rub - raise the mattress on one end of
his baby bed one notch so his head is elevated. They tend to get stuffy when they are laying flat. During the day you can put him in a bouncer since his head will be up. It's all trial & error -but it will get better. I was a wreck for a while too - but I and my girls did survive! If you don't get
results from your doctor get a second opinion - maybe from an ENT. Good luck and God bless.

C.

Good for you! When you know you're ready (for sure) there is no reason to wait. Besides, a lot of us get the husband and white pickett fence only to end up being single mothers anyway.

Congrats on the baby boy. My children are my motivation and my inspiration........enjoy motherhood. It is the hardest job and the most rewarding.

Yes, it's normal to worry about every little thing- by number four, we were too tired to worry- but with number one, we used to go in his room and poke him during the night to make sure he was still breathing. LOL- by number four we assumed the baby was fine and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES was anyone allowed to wake the baby!!

You've chosen a difficult path- single parenting- but you can do it!! You'll learn to relax and you will know when you need to go to the Dr.s and when a little sniffle can wait a day or two.

B.,
It sounds like you have gotten lots of good advice about the sniffle, so I will just encourage you to not worry about taking your son to the doctor too often. I worried about that at first, too, but I decided that my child's health and my peace of mind were more important than what others think! :) I take my daughter all the time, and more often than not I am right about her sickness. My daughter (18 months) had real trouble with her ears when she was younger, we had tubes put in when she was 9 months old. She had 12 ear infections in her first 9 months, and only one since the tubes! So if your son does start to get ear infections, don't worry, they don't always need tubes, but if they do it is an easy surgery and will really help!

Good luck, and I applaud your decision - you sound like a great MOM!

Yes, it is normal to worry about the weird baby sounds, especially for a first time mother. Use your aspirator to clear his nose. If you are not breastfeeding, you may want to switch to formula that is dairy-free. Dairy makes your body product more mucus. There are many other ways to get calcium besides dairy. Keep him away from public places as much as possible where he can pick up germs for about a week, so he can get well. Good Luck!

I wouldn't worry about it that much unless he gets fever. But it is at the end of the Alergery season and not flu season so you don't have much to worry about. But I would say if it is longer than 7-10 days then go back. But colds take 10 days to fully clear the system. Just make him comfortable.

When you lay him down try and elevate his head. A good way of doing this is to let him sleep in his carrier or bouncy seat if you have one. Keeping his elevated will allow whatever drainage he has to go down. I have 3 children and their pediatrian recommended this for all 3.

You've gotten a ton of good advice from the other moms already. The Pediatrician's office is used to getting calls all the time from panic stricken and/or befuddled parents, especially first time Moms. So don't feel bad if you are unsure about what is going on with your baby that is exactly what the doctors and nurses are trained for. Ask as many questions as you need to make you feel more confident in taking care of your little angel. After all it is better to err on the side of caution when it comes to the health and wellbeing of a child.

Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful world of MOMS!!!

With the advise you've been given alot of it like making sure the baby's head is elevated is things a pedi will tell you, but I wanted to add, and I didn't read all of these start to finish so forgive me if anyone has said. My youngest stayed sick when he was a newborn, scary thing can't be to careful but besides the humidifier I found I needed to keep the dust at bay, I learned that when I dusted he need not be in the same room. It helped significantly but what helped the most is when I bought 2 air cleaners and I put them in the rooms that he is in mostly. I guess his colds were mostly from the dust because he cleared up. When your baby is conjested make sure you put him on your lap with head below the rest of his body and pat his back and he will cough some of the conjestion up. You can do this after you have him breath stem from the humidifier or making vapor in a sink. If he gets where he stays sick you can rent or buy the humidifier machines from St Lukes or Tx Children's hospital, I had got one from my sister in law because she had kids that would actually get pneumonia and St Lukes sold her one, and those things really work well, she showed me how to lay him on my lap and get all the conjestion up, but like I said after I got the air purifiers he hardly was ever sick.

Have you tried propping his head when he sleeps. You can either use an inclined sleep positioner or fold a blanket up and put it under his mattress, just to elevate his head a little bit. Just FYI - this also helps tremendously with reflux.

Hi New mom, Congrats...
When it happens to me I apply VICKS. At walgrees they sell a childs vicks and you only put an itsie bitsie small dot on the tip of his nose... And It works... Keep applying the little noses saline.
Good Luck

Hi from another ART mommy.
Let the nose snarker be your friend. You can give the little one a bit of relief by using the nose aspirater you got at the hospital to clear the passages. My god son used to lay on the floor and asked to be sharked because it gave him such relief till he was able to blow well.
if you did not get one go back to the hospital and tell them they forgot to send it home with you and they will give you another one.
Keep using the drops. Find a pedi you LOVE and get ready for a slimmy first year.
I have also found that neck massage below the ears has relieved my sons ear infection problems. ms

Im sorry B. my little boy was the same way especially when he was in day care. but now that he is out and i am staying home with him i have made some changes around the house and he has not been sick since. Try for one using a dye free laundry detergent. then get the matress pad for your babys crib that is antimicrobial. also try not using harsh cleaners in the house. and if you have any pets try putting them outside or at a relatives house just to see if that helps . he may just have really bad allergies. Well B. i hope this helps you. K.

I think you are doing everything right. As long as you are keeping him clear with saline...are you using a "ball syringe?" That is a little rubber ball with a long rubber tube attached that you stick up their nose. You squeeze the air out of the ball and then stick the tube in the nostril far enough to make a suction. You let go of the ball and it sucks the mucous up into the ball. I much prefer the reddish ones you can get from your local hospital in the OB/Birthing area...the ones from drug stores never worked very well for us. Anyway, just keeping his airways cleared out should help a lot. The thing about repiratory/colds is that they do tend to last a while and there isn't really anything you can do but wait. You can give Benedryl to "dry up" the mucous, but so many people have given too much, that there is a warning out on it now...just ask the Dr. about the correct dosage for the baby. That helped manage my daughter's chronic ear infections until we could get tubes. Good Luck and God bless you both!

B.,

For the sake of your little one I hope you find a Daddy for him and a lifetime best friend and love of your life for yourself. Children (especially boys) need a loving mother AND father in their lives. GOOD Husbands and Fathers are NOT a hassle, but a blessing. Keep looking, girl, there are good ones out there. Good luck and God bless!

What a great mom story you have to tell. I remember my son constantly had the sniffles, from about 4 mos on. One good thing is that it never went into his ears. He didn't get his first ear infection until well after turning one. I bet it would really be horrible to have an infant with an ear infection. You could try some of the homeopathic things out there for sniffles. The bulb suction thing works wonders along with the saline. Letting him remain upright in a bouncer, carseat, swing, etc. for as much time as possible might help things drain. I remember the humidifier NOT working at all...which was frustrating...there is so little you can do at first. Above all, I would try to remember to stay away from the doctor for every sniffle b/c my son always catches something at the doctor's office!! Of course go if you think he needs it, but you know what I mean.

Good luck and congrats.

Hi B.,

I can relate to what your going through. I have adopted a newborn and she is now 3 1/2 months. She has been sick since she was 2 months and I can't seem to help her get better. Her doctor tells me to take her to the emergency room if she runs a fever of 105 or more. She has not fever but is very stuffy and coughs and is weezing in her little chest. He also had me buy the saline drops for her nose and the Vicks Vaporizing Steam Humidifer. I could not find saline drops, I could only find a saline gel that is not doing anything for her. The Vicks Vaporizing Steam Humidifier does help her at night sleep better but it just will not budge. Can you tell me where you found the saline? I've searched all over Wal-Mart. I'm desperate to try anything to help her feel better.

I'll make this short and sweet...
try Pediacare decongestant(not the cold formula or multi symptom)

Vapor baths are great

Try sucking the mucus with the bulb syringe from the top oh the back of his throat as well as the nose (you'll be amazed at what you get)

sleeping at an angle will help with drainage

Hope this helps, good luck and congrats on the baby!

Hello,

My daughter had a stuffy nose too and I think in large part, it was from dust in her room. You may want to try washing all his bedding (in my case, I think it was from the crib bumpers)
and trying to make sure the room is as clean as possible...baseboards, etc.

It's worth a try! Good luck.

I put a big pillow under the crib mattress next to the springs to raise his head up and help keep that drainage out of his ears
good luck

You are doing all that you can do for him right now at his age. The humidifier and saline are the best. I think the combination of the two help a little. I never noticed our daughter getting well faster from it. He will probably have his little cold for about 2 weeks. I wouldn't take him to the doctor unless he has a fever, if his mucus changes colors (green or yellow), if he has a fever, or if you see him rubbing his ears. Ear infections do not always come with a fever. It's ok to worry, it's your baby, and their illnesses can be so serious sometimes. You're doing a great job!

Hi B.! I know what you are going through. When my son was 3 months old we had the same issue. The humidifier is good but it didn't help my son. What salene drops are you using? I found a brand called "Baby Salene" and that work miracles compared to "Little Noses" that I was using. Also make sure to elevate you son when sleeping. Another thing my doctor told me was to run hot water in a sink and put my son over it with a towel over his head or run a hot shower and sit in the bathroom with the door closed. This helps break up the stuffy nose. I took my son into the doctor after he had a stuffy nose for a week and the above items was what I was told to do. Unfortunately that didn't completely heal the stuffy nose and we ended having to give him Amoxicillan. I definitely recommend the Baby Salene. I use that and it breaks up the congestion instantly! Good Luck!

Hello B.. I'm a 47 year old mom of 20something children. Mine had sniffles alot and my son had asthma. The humidifier is good. What type of formula is he on or are you breastfeeding? It could be the milk based formula. I would wait until the ten days and go to the doctor. You can never be too cautious. He may be proned to ear infections because of your history. Try not to lay him down completely when feeding him so the milk does not drain in his ears. Slightly elevate the head of the bed, so for the same reason and it makes it easier for him to breath.

Congratulations on the is wonderful blessing and the best advise is follow your mother's instinct, it works.

K.