Friday, August 28, 2009

What to Do When Baby Has a Chesty Cough...


I know, I know. Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever seen? (It gets better, I promise)

When my daughter (who is now 3) was a baby, I took her to the doctor for everything. And if the doctor's office wasn't open, I took her to the ER. We've spent at least 10 nights camped out in an emergency room waiting area for no reason at all. At the time, I would have argued that she needed to be there, something was very wrong, she was going to die! Now being a Mother of two, I can see where I went wrong. I think part of it was hormonal, honestly, but the rest of it, was I just didn't know any better.

Little Charlie came down with a runny nose the other day. When I got him out of bed, his nostrils were crusted over, his whimper was congested, and his eyes had a solid ring of pink around them. "Awww, noooo, Mommy got you sick", I pouted. When we cozied up on the couch for breakfast, poor baby cried every time he got a good latch. He couldn't breathe through his nose at all, making meal time a wide awake nightmare. We dealt with it, suffering through the day together, and eventually the sniffle simmered and the smiles returned.

Or so we thought.

Instead of draining out of his nose, it was draining down his throat. Of course, right? Dangit.

A day later, he was projecting a chesty cough that sent echoes bouncing from the floors to the ceiling. I plugged in the vaporizer near his play mat, and hoped for the best. Later that night when he went down for a nap, since he hadn't slept all day, there was the cough again. Louder than before, and bad enough to wake him up after his 5 minutes of peaceful slumber. Somehow the cough, that a day earlier had just been a sniffle, had turned into an awful miserable hacking. It was too late to take him to a doctor, and I knew that even if I did, they wouldn't be able to do anything for us. Not, a dang, thing.

I did what came natural. I hopped onto Twitter (I'm @TiaColleen if you want to be friends, *waves*) and asked for help. All of my lady friends were a huge help, not only showing concern for grumpy bear and support for a tired Mama, but they offered up some really great advice that came in really handy, and eventually did the trick! Man, I don't know what I'd do without the Internet sometimes, ya know?

So the whole point of this blog post, is to help another Mother out there, who maybe doesn't know what to do for her baby with a chesty cough. I am by no means a doctor, and always always trust your gut instinct. If you feel like your baby needs to see a doctor, or go to the ER, take her. These are just suggestions that have personally helped me (and others) when help was needed.

Things to do when your baby has a chesty cough (or just isn't feeling well):

-Humidify and vaporize. If you have a humidifier, clean off the dust, fill it with fresh water, and plug that thing in! If you can't afford an expensive one (and really, who can?), Vick's makes a cheapy that works extremely well, something like $12. You can get it at Walmart, Target, all of those drug store type places. We use that one more than we use our larger less affordable model.

-Put baby into a steam room. Take baby with you into the bathroom, close the door behind you, and with baby nowhere near (seriously, we're not trying to burn the baby here) the tub/shower, turn the shower part on as hot as the knobs will allow. Let the room turn into a sauna. Its uncomfortable, you'll start to get sweat and your skin will get sticky, but its what baby needs it (and really, you know you probably need it too). Strip baby down to nakedness, tickle his tummy, give him some raspberries, and before you know it, the mirror will be completely fogged up (write redrum with your finger, draw smileys, mess it all up, because you know you can't resist), and you'll be ready to put baby into a warm bath. Adjust the water temperature, fill up a bath for baby like you normally would, and hang out in there as long as you can possibly stand it.

-Pat baby on the back, almost like you're burping her, but this time you're patting her to loosen up the lung clogging gunk. Someone told me that this worked best after baby gets out of the steam room, and I agree. However, you can do this at any time, and it would probably still be effective.

-I got an email last year from my husband's Nana, something about putting Vick's Vapor Rub on baby's feet, and then covering his feet with socks. She said that my Sister in Law had tried it, and that it had worked for her. Well... if you've got some in the closet, its worth a shot, right? As soon as we pulled baby out of the steam bath, we loaded up Charlie's feet with a few swipes of the stinky stuff (stinky in a good way), and then put his footy pajamas on.

-Baby Vick's Vapor Rub. I read the back of the adult Vick's, and the jar states that it can be used on children ages 2 and older, and it when it comes to medicines, you can never be too careful. My neighbor just happened to be going to the store to pick up some allergy meds for her little girl, and she was nice enough to pick up a jar of Baby Vick's for us. When Charlie woke up for his midnight feeding, we put a little bit on his chest. Maybe write that down on your shopping list right now while you're thinking about it, so you don't find yourself making a trip to the store at 11pm?

-Elevate baby. My Twitter Mama friends suggested using a Boppy pillow, or even putting books underneath one end of baby's crib. I never used a Boppy pillow, so we didn't have that option, but we do have books. Good tip! Christopher went out into the garage and found some books right away, and put them under Charlie's bed legs.

-Hydrate your baby. If your baby will take water or juice, great. Mine won't, haha. If you're a breastfeeding or formula feeding Mama, don't be afraid to offer baby an extra round or two of milk. Normally I try to offer Charlie solid food in between breast meals, but while he was sick I gave him all the breast he could stand. And what really surprised me, was there was no spit up, which means he needed it. The more fluids you can give your baby while he's sick, the better. Drink up little one!

Alright, so we did all of those things combined, and our sad faced baby (remember the picture from earlier?) actually got some sleep.


I told you it got better, didn't I?

If you have any more suggestions on what to do for a baby with a chesty cough, please feel free to leave a comment. We'd love to hear your ideas. I doubt this will be Charlie's last cough, and I know there are other Mothers out there who will appreciate your home remedies.

98 comments:

  1. UGH! I hate those chesty coughs. When I was pregnant with Merrick, I actually ended up with bronchitis...and someone recommended the Vicks on the feet with socks. Of course I had to take antibiotics to kill the infection, but I tried the Vicks thing at night just to see if it would help (I was desperate) and as goofy as it sounds, it seemed to work. I can't think of a thing to do that you didn't already get advice about. I would add, the nice thing about most pedi offices is that they have nurses and nurse practitioners available who will listen to the symptoms and give you advice about what to do...or tell you if it sounds like you need to bring your little one in to be seen. At our pedi, you can call, even in the middle of the night. If it is at night and the matter is urgent (but not a "call 911" emergency) they will triage you over the phone and tell you what you need to do.

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  2. Having a baby with a cough is sucky. I've never heard of books under the crib... very good solution, I'll give it a go next time. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions... and I'm happy the little man is feeling better :)

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    1. I tried the elevated crib one time and when I went in to check on my baby boy he had rolled sideways and all the way down to the bottom. Ha ha. I swear it was only slightly elevated!

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    2. Thank you so much for this. I used the baby sauna trick and my little one was able to fall right asleep afterwords. I can't thank you enough.

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    3. Should place baby at the bottom of the crib...even when not elevated.

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  3. Isn't the wired world we live in great!


    http://christiecottage.blogspot.com

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  4. that top picture is heartbreaking. But that bottom picture is the best!

    Seriously, the internet is amazing for moms!! After being without for 3 weeks, I hope to never be without the internet again. Ever.

    Glad all the Twitter advice worked!!

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  5. Great post! I have a couple of other suggestions that can help.

    Just before feeding, and anytime baby seems to be having a hard time breathing, use saline drops (in pharmacy by cold remedies) and that big suction bulb you got at the hospital when you gave birth. Suction baby's nose really well and baby will be able to feed better. If baby can't breathe through his nose, he won't eat.

    If your baby is at least 4 months old, ask your pediatrician for a decongestant that contains pseudoephedrine (unless your baby has a medical condition such as a heart condition that would make it unsafe for your baby). Phenolepherine (available in over-the-counter remedies) just does not work. At my house, we've tried a few, and our favorite one is called Dicel suspension. (I do not work for that company- I'm an at home mom.) It contains pseudoephedrine and chlorpheneramine in a long acting form that can be given every 12 hours. And it actually helps to cut down on the amount of nasal secretions (aka snot) considerably. It is very important to give it cautiously, as overdose is dangerous, and this stuff is concentrated, as in a 12 lb baby gets 0.5 ml every 12 hours. That's 1/10 of a teaspoon. Powerful stuff, available only by prescription.

    If baby gets fever, take him to the doctor right away. It could mean that the congestion has turned into pneumonia, or more likely an ear infection. Any time a baby has fever, he should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible. If baby is younger than 3 months, that means in the middle of the night at the ER. That is not a case that should wait until morning, ever.

    Sleep whenever you are possibly able. Your baby will keep you up a lot by his inability to sleep, so sleep when you can!

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  6. I was one of those "don't do anything unntil someone confirms that you can" new mommas, so when Charlotte was itty-bitty I was nervous about putting Vicks on her chest. So I would spread it on her onesie and then put her jammies over it. It kept it off the skin and somehow made me feel better about using it before the "recommended" age. Although, once I was able to talk to the pediatrician she suggested Vicks [of course]. Perhaps that would help someone worried about using it feel more comfortable...?

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    1. Thx Marie, I WAS lil worried about using vicks on her skin- while mama was not. Now i feel better, and gotta stop being an over concerned new dada.

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  7. Great advice, Janna! Always nice to have the advice of a pediatrician!! :)

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  8. I was one of those mamas who called the doctor about everything! I was 19, almost 20 and didn't know anything. I wish I'd had internet back then =o)

    a little fyi: the feet and the palms of the hands are one of the best places to put oils/ointments etc because they allow it to get into the body the quickest...in reflexology it says that through the feet and the palms you can access all of the other parts of the body, so it makes sense =o)

    a little tip: if your baby is having a hard time calming down or sleeping, put a couple drops of lavender essential oil (real stuff from like Whole Foods NOT the crap at walmart & target) on their feet and within a few minutes it will help to soothe them/calm them...you can also put a couple drops into the bath water

    I'm so glad Charlie feels better!!

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  9. Just discovered your blog.... it's great! The 'burping' method works really well, just remember to cup your hand a bit rather than a flat hand. Also if you sit in a chair, put bubby sitting on your lap facing away from you, put your hands on his upper chest (where the seatbelt restraints go) and pat there as well. We use this daily for our daughter who has Cystic Fibrosis to clear her lungs, and it works very well! I also second the 'after the steam bath' and at least a half hour before bed so they can move around and cough up some of that mucus before lying down in bed.

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  10. Your baby is absolutly adorable! I love all the rolls! My 2nd little girl had rolls like that and now that she is 8 they have all gone away but I love to reminise about all that chubby love. Glad to hear you got him feeling better. Give him a good squishy hug!

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  11. Hi, It's 5:30 AM and I've just read your blog about chest colds. My 8 month old has just got her first chest cold. Thanks so much for the information and everyone's feed back... funny how the "burping" method came naturally to me. She is sleeping now and is being monitored by mother hawk:) Thanks again to you, Charlie and the other posters.

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  12. I'm loving all of the suggestions that everyone is leaving. Thank you so much for all of your ideas and remedies.

    And I'm so glad tha this is finding to be helpful for other mothers.

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  13. Thank you so much for this advice, my 6 month old has his first chest cold and like most new mums I need all the help I can get.
    Cheers. Keep sharing!

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  14. Thanks for the blog! I have a nearly 4 month old with a nasty cough, Im off to the pharmacy today to get 'baby vicks' If that doesnt work Im inclined to go to doctor, just coz she is so little, fingers crossed all you tips work b4 I do. Cheers!

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  15. thanks for all the tips my 7mth old boy charlie, is sleeping now.

    and would just like to say that last comment disgusting

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  16. Thank for pointing out that last comment! I just deleted it!!

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  17. Very interesting blog!!............It is true that there are some diseases which can not be cured with the help of scientific medicines but here our natural home remedies makes wonder. These diseases can be cured with the help of home remedies.

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  18. thank you :-)

    I amI coff to try the feet remedy.
    Can highly advise the upkeep of fluids - we live in the tropics so fresh young coconut water is helping.
    I also let the baby sleep more upright in my arms to help with the breathing.
    Not sure i would give a baby pseudoephedrine though. Makes me feel aweful, just a different sick.

    love and light fellow mummies x

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  19. hi mums! my name is ramona,my lil'princess cristina is nearly 3 months and she is going through her first cough and before reading your posts the only advice i got was to use the vaporiser or to boil some water in a pot and place it in bubbs' room but now i can try different remedies and combine them to relieve my lil girl from this awful chesty cough.aw here comes another one!cant wait to try the new things!many thanks to all and btw im a first time mom (just in case you havent noticed) au revoir!!

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  20. thankyou this blog is v reassuring for my daughters first bad cough which is freaking us out!

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  21. What an amazing blogpost, the Internet really is amazing for this sort of thing. We are in the Caribbean staying with my mother-in-law and it's impossible to get the bathroom steamy but I am heading out to the chemist first thing to get some baby Vicks and will do a steam bowl first thing in the morning. Thanks for so many wise words fellow mummies!

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  22. Super helpful (& humorous) thank u :o)

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  23. Thanks everyone for the great advice!Just got my little one of by putting him next to the clothesdryer in his bouncy chair; nice warm,wet air. And the sound send him of straight away instead of me having to rock him for ages.
    Now i can spend a some time with the other (quite demanding) 3 year old.

    BTW Looking at the times of the posts on here, we mums dont need sleep,we need to help our kids first!

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  24. So glad this has been helpful to the mamas in the wee hours of the morning :) Hope those babies are feeling better!

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  25. This is a great site...My little man 4 months has had a cold for about 2 weeks. Had gotten better but after shots on Friday and fever on and off yesterday post shots, his cold has gotten worse and now with a bad cough. I have done the steamed bathroom, saline with nasal aspirations, and baby rub. He now has a cough and I decided to use the adult Vicks in humidifier and it seems to help.

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  26. My baby is 6 month now she is having a terrible cough and cold from last 2 months i have given her all medicines but no use ,mostly she coughs at night and i dont feed her food also please help!

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  27. Well Mommies- this too shall pass... all we can do is our best! Lots of liquids, Vicks Vapor Rub AND the plug ins, plug in the cool mist humidifier too, start a warm baths in a steamy room, elevated sleep, and most importantly TLC!

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  28. Oh my goodness. Thank you. I'm a first time mother of twins and one had the exact cough you were talking about. The bathroom thing worked amazingly. Thank you so much for this blog!

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  29. Awsome advice its 1.25am my 4 month 3wks old daughter has a nasty chesty cough it started off az a dry cough about a week ago today and the past few days her cough turned into a chesty thick mucusy one lol she had a stop breathin episode and we rushed her to A&E doc said she has abit of water sittin on her lungs and could turn into pneumonia he gave saline nasal drops and paracetamol she has no fever just a blockish nose and is very chesty its really scary im going to try the steam showe hopefully it will help my poor baby im too scared to sleep lol she is my fouth child none of my children were sick this early in age so im quiet scared about this one, i just cant wait for her to get well

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  30. brillant and so helpful thank u

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  31. Thanks so much for taking time to share these information. You have a great heart!

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  32. I have a 2 month old who has a bad chesty cough, and my doctor said there was nothing to do for her apart from put her in a steamy room,
    So glad the internet exists! It's 7am and I've been up all night because I've been scared that she'll stop breathing! Will try all these tips now, thank you! :)

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  33. My 3 month old has been suffering with a horrible cold for the past few days. I've stared putting him to sleep in his bouncy chair at night (one of the Baby Bjorn ones - just like the old fashioned cloth one my mom used with us in the 70s but has 3 settings so it can be lowered to 'rest' or sleep') so he's not completely upright but still more elevated than the baby blocks under the crib or blankets under the mattress. And it works like a charm - he even slept for 5 hours straight the other night! Wish I'd thought of this with my older son!

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  34. Thanks i will try every one .thanks one in a million. :-)

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  35. Its reassuring to know there's other first time mums out there who worry about their little bundle of joy as much as i do!
    My little boy is 3 month and has had a terrible cough for almost 2 weeks. I've had him to the doctors 3 times, but they just think im worrying about nothing! They just keep telling me it will clear up itself. this is not what u want to hear when ur little baba is coughing all night long and as a mum scared to go to sleep incase he needs u!
    But all i do now is elevate his mattress at the top end, plug in a vicks room aromarizer, rub baby vicks on his chest and also give him a dose of calpol before bed.
    Im definitely gonna try the steamy shower room next time he needs to clear his little chest.
    good luck ladies with ur little ones. and thank u to u all for making me feel not alone in this upsetting experience x

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  36. Wonderful tips for this first time father! Gonna try the elevation. Don't have vics as it late we are gona fill up a mixing bowl with hot water and a few drops of albas oil and place near his cott.
    I realy breaks my heart. He's 6 months,I'll be a wreck when his falling over! Thanks.x

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  37. woke up early this morning with my little man(6 months) nasty chesty cough, did a google search and fell upon this!, good tip, gonna give the viks on feet a bit later, im in desperate need of a bath, so i will allow a peeping tom(my baby!) in with me, i've just made a camomile tea left to cool down, so lets see..... have a look at me
    http://foreveryaz.blogspot.co.uk/

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  38. In India were firm believers of ancient medicines and grandmothers cures before resorting to allopathy. My 9 month old recently got a terrible chesty cough and my granny suggested rubbing mustard oil (mustard is considered heaty) on palms and feet, much like vicks but this is natural.. Works like a charm. Another very common practice that works very well is to dry roast Carrom or caraway seeds and quickly tie them up in a muslin or thin cotton handkerchief to make a little ball. Dab the warm ball on baby's chest and back through baby's tshirt. Also keep that ball in corner of baby's cot once cooled. The smell helps baby breathe better.

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  39. My son started coughing really bad last night around 12. I had his humidifier going tried using his nasal aspirater, he was drinking water and i use japanese mint oil instead of vics and put a little on his chest and humidifier.I would get him stopped and lay him back down but within 20-30min he would start up again. By 330 I was going a little crazy from desperation and exhaustion. Found this blog, put the pillow under the mattress and the oil on his feet with socks and he slept cough free until 9am! THANK YOU!! He's not all better yet but being able to sleep will help get him there :).

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  40. Your son is Beautiful!! My daughter will be 6 months old tomorrow (wow time flies!) has been coughing for about a week. She is my third baby so I figure I should know what I'm doing but I'm sleep deprived at this point because it seemed she would only sleep wwithout coughing when she was sitting up in my arms. Your post saved me!!!! I slapped that Vicks on her and at least SHE is sleeping now. Thanks again!!! Alisha and Aulani

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  41. thanks for this article :) my son (10mo) has a cold right now, and he's my second so I figured with all of the sicknesses I would be all "been there, done that!" but I don't remember my daughter ever having a cough like this! all of these tips i technically did know, but when your baby is sick it all goes out the window! once I found your page I was able to get a plan in action and headed straight for the bathroom! :)

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  42. Thankssssssss soooo much i m first time mum.my 6 month daughter had same nasty chesty cough.poor baby cant sleep or take feed propal.Used vicks on chest.but I will try feet also Cant wait to take her in bath.

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  43. Please aslo tell me abt dasiygal seed ball thing is really work as my mum is also from india and she is keep tell me to do this but I m scared to use any homey thing so please advice as my daughter in nasty cough amd soo much in pain try eveything

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  44. Thank you so much. Our little one is now in the bathroom with his Daddy, as i find the vicks and socks.

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  45. My 6 month old has a nasty cold too...heart breaking when they are sick. I am doing the steam, vaporizer, saline drop, suctioning her nose and offering plenty of feedings. She still seems fairly happy. I will not use Vicks because it can cause respiratory distress in small children by creating extra mucus in the airway...to me that risk is not worth it. If she starts to struggle to breathe, develops a wheeze, has a cough that is barking (sign of croup) or becomes lathargic - I will be bringing her to the dr. Also is she develops a fever that isn't controlled be meds or lasts a few days or is really high....this is my baby #3 so I am a bit more relaxed this time. But if you ate worried get the checked out...better to over react, than under :)

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  46. Really great tips! I will be trying them all once my 7 mo old wakes up from his nap. He has been coughing so hard the past 24 hours, he has thrown up 3 times and I am terrified. I took him to the pediatrician yesterday and they prescribed Zyrtec but he still has the bad chest cough. I feel like there must be more that I can do to help him, so I googled what to do & found this article. I feel relieved!!! Thank you ladies so so much.

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  47. Thanks for the great advise. I will try this tonight for my little boy

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  48. Vick's VapoRub is NOT meant for children. It causes increased mucus production, it is not a decongestant, and increased mucus can cause respiratory distress. Also, camphor is EXTREMELY poisonous and is a main ingredient in the VapoRub. Vick's BabyRub is safe, but is meant for fussy babies, not babies with colds although it may help calm them. Not only are you putting your son in danger by exposing him to Vick's, you are advising other parents to possibly harm their children as well.

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    1. Settle down. These are great ideas. It's vicks not crack. geez

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  49. We aren't advising anyone to harm their children, but thanks for sharing your opinion! Also, Vicks makes a rub specifically for babies.

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  50. What is the rub called that Vicks makes specifically for babies? I have a 3 month old baby who has a bad cough :'(

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  51. Here is the link to the Vicks BabyRub info on the Vicks.com site: http://www.vicks.com/products/childrens-medicine/babyrub-ointment/

    Hope it helps. I'm not the mama who wrote this little story, but I used this stuff for my daughters when they were little and loved it.

    Good luck!!

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  52. You can buy Snuffle babe for babies x

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  53. THANKYOU! this post was ment dor me. i HAD a 6 month old lil boy screaming and coughing and didnt know how to help him so late at night. i googled n this post was the first thing to pop up. i followed ur advice to the t, n now i have a sleeping baby boy. i cant thank you enough. xxxxxxx

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  54. Hey thanks. ...... this was very helpful..... its 3am n the vicks on the feet really works..........

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  55. Look up the nose frida. Much better than the ball thing at getting snot out of the nose.

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  56. Well let me tell the person who said vicks baby rub dosent work, there full of it ,mine is 18 months woke up with a cough an has vicks baby rub on feet with sock an on chest an humidifier with a vpor pad on it running in her crib sleep ,coughs every once in a while, but she's had this same cough 3 times since she was 3 month old starts with runny nose n I'm suckung it out all during the day as she sneezes im putting saline drops in her nose so it will help in chest,cause that's exactly what her doctor would suggest

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  57. if your baby has a blocked nose or sound congested a couple of saline drops will help clear the nose enough for them to feed. it moistens the nose to clean it, but only suction if really bad as it can cause more mucus which is naturally there for a reason.

    Also we always put a pillow under the mattress at one end of the cot, if your baby slide down you can make a oval shape out of two towels as a nest and put a sheet over this (this is more for when the baby can't roll) just have their feet over the bottom bit.

    when they can roll i also raise one end of the matress with the pillow but mine finds it easier laying on his side with a rolled up towel behind to stop him rolling down (but only do this if you are happy and comfortable with it)

    we also turn the bathroom into a steam room if needed. also having the window slightly open (but only if it is safe to do so) fresh air does help, nothing worse then a stuffy room. just keep an eye on the temperature in the room and make sure it doesn't get too cold.

    but if you're worried at all about your baby's breathing alway seek medical attention. better to be told it nothing to worry about, doctors never mind seeing a baby if you are concerned.

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  58. You can also mix adult vicks with vaseline to make baby vicks

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  59. It is extremely important to take a toddler to a physician if the toddler has been coughing for 10 weeks or longer. cough remedies for babies

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  60. I have a sick little bubba for the first time, at 9 months old, with a chesty cough. Like others, I turned to Google and came across this article. Thanks to the blogger for putting it out there and also the other mummas for there helpful comments. Steam room, warm bath, baby vicks, saline spray & suction and a bowl of hot water with a few drops of lavender oil in bubs room... She is sounding a lot clearer and now sleeping peacefully :)

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  61. Thanks other Mums :) 10 month bubby coughing away tonight if only I had read this earlier, hubby had a bath with her but had the heater on to keep the room warm which made the steam vapour go away! Bed is on an angle now so will see how that goes and if it goes pear shape vicks with vaseline on the heels

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  62. Thank you so much all you mums out there. My little girl is 16 months and is really suffering, bless her! But have now patted her back and used some snuffle babe. Will prop up the mattress if shd wakes up again. And the 24 tescos must have a humidifier if necessary. Thanks again. Am feeling less freaked out! X

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  63. I am so glad I've found this page. My baby is 7 months old and he's been sick for the past week; we've been in the ER at the Drs and no solution other than your doing the right thing keep giving him Motrin. Am just like really??? Then why isn't he getting any better? So at this point I've tried pretty much everything and I have found that the bathroom thing (taking baby in there with vapor & then warm bath) has really worked but just for a while. And as soon as am done typing this I'm going to try the vicks on his feet & then google what a humidifier is so I can go buy one. (Feeling desperate for baby to get better) Thanks so much for the info & glad baby is better.

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  64. I've noticed that sleeping elevated helped as well. My 6 month old has had a cough for almost a week and she sleeps best w/o as much congestion when in her swing. Gonna try the vicks next. Dr says not much else we can do if she has no fever and is pretty much in good spirits ( no obvious suffering)

    We did skip the flu shot for now. No reason to risk it

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  65. All the parents are facing this kind of the baby nasal congestion problem and every one want to avoid this problem and if you need nasal aspirator then about the online site I know that can help you for getting this.More Info

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  66. thank you mamas how wonderful to know and see pages like this exist, my 2month son has gotten a cough and has gradually gotten worse overnight, I am a new mama very concerned and sad and at 5:09this morning I have just finished reading all your solutions and remedies comments, as of now my son sleeps but when he wakes I will definitely be trying out all these things, thank you all, I have hope and a bit of piece at mind...

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  67. I got a 1year 7months boy he has been coughing for almost 2months now and he got a heavy chest and running nose sometimes the flames comes out yellow and then it will clear and comes yellow again.I have to the Doctor 3times now gve two different antibiotics which is not helping even cough mixtures not helping flu pain medicines not helping and they did a chest xray its normal I don't know what to do anymore

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  68. my 4months old has been having awful chesty cough for ages..... things that helped him are: onion syrup....( home made, fresh organin white onion cut into pieces put in glass dish and covred with 3 large spoon fulls of sugar) ....let the onion get the juices out and give it to babies...suitable from 3 months onwards.... For older kids replace sugar with honey,....also rubbing goose fat on the baby chest and cover the area and after that dress the baby. The same apply on feet and cover feet with socks.....and one more incredible help for the whole family is excellent elderberry syrup..... Will post how to make it when i have a minute.... Sumbucol syrup original is great....available for kids from1 onwards....but for children below one is not suitable and that is why elderberry home made is excelent because even my four months old can have it..... Sorry for mistakes .....but i hope my ideas will help some desperate mummieees xxx

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  69. Vaporizing baby bath helps very much too!

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  70. I just stumbled across your blog when Googling '4 month old has a cough what do I do?' and I'm SOOOOO thankful I did! Your little write up about turning your bathroom into a steam room, giving baby a warm bath, then rubbing Baby Vick's Vapor Rub on baby's feet sounds brilliant. I will definitely be giving this nighttime routine a try this evening.
    I am a first time mom and when I heard my baby girl cough last night, I began to freak out. (Very much like you explained you did with your first.) So, thank you so much for giving me a little bit of relief. Can't wait to try this with her tonight and then give her extra lovin' and cuddles before bed. Thanks again!

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  71. Hi,I too am glad I came across this site. My 3mo old baby girl got this cough(no fever or runny nose) 2days ago and it breaks my heart every time she coughs. I'm thinking abt bringing her to the Dr on Monday which I think will just prescribe her an antibiotic w/c I won't probably oblige to (Antibiotics are my last resort). I will try the steam and Vicks for a few days and I hope she will get better faster. Thanks for the helpful blog!

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  72. Thanx girls.....for the wonderful advice.....

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  73. Thank u for all the ladies...my 2 month old baby has cough ..did try steam bath and now vicks vaporub..hopefully she shld be fine....i was really worried for my baby...

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  74. Thanks its 1am and i wanted to know which position would soothe my 1year olds cough best his sleep being disturbed for what sounds like hes barking, as he is over one (just) he can have 1yr+ cough medicine its soothed him abit and thanks to first comment i rolled him from tummy to his back he seems little more settled already but if he wakes again we doing the steamed bathroom act and snuffle babe (vickes) on feet. Thanks!

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  75. Stumbled on your blog in a desperate attempt to help my baby who's been crying no stop from a cough, runny nose and fever. He's got so much phlegm that he doesn't know how to cough up. Trully appreciate all the wonderful advice.. A huge thank you from a first time mom all the way from Indonesia

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  76. thanks for the advice..my husband is going to go buy some vicks right now and we are going to try your advice right now..my 16 month old baby girl has been sick already for 5 days and my husband been staying up watching over her...it hurts me when my kids get sick....it's the worst thing ever...thanks again...

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  77. hello,

    I'm a first time grandmother...Amaris is nine months old with a chesty cough. I was advised by someone not to give her apple juice because it causes mucus to build up in her chest. Is this true?

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  78. Aw, what a sweetie! He looks absolutely right as rain in the last one!

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  79. I love this post!

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  80. My 11 month old baby boy. Coughing for almost a month. Dry cough onlybat night. Please help. True raising his mattress too. Not helping. Please help

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. This helped me feel better. I was about to head out to the ER since my baby started to have wet coughs. I feel better knowing it's a chest cold n will take in all the great recommendations and info. Thanks again.

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  81. So glad I read this. I'm a mum to two kids too now. And honestly I don't go to the doctor at all about every little thing anymore. All I heard with my first, you have to wait and use saline spray etc. That's all you can do my 10 months old is down with a chesty cough. Like yours it started off with runny nose. I thought it was teething. So now she's on snuffle baby and nurofen. Not much more I can do whereas my 3 year old is on honey, vicks, nurofen. I'm always waiting a week now and see. Because I found in the past it went away within a week and I went to the doctor after 2 days or so so more than likely the cough would have been gone without meds

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  82. A cough is a forced expiration. It is naturally designed to get rid of pus, irritants, and dead cells from the lungs.

    You have just had a cold. Using a cough medication to suppress your cough is not the answer. You really need an expectorant. However, expectorants will make you cough but they will clear your lungs.

    My recommendation is that you do not take any medications. Here is what you need to do. However, the choice is yours.
    earache

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  83. This was so helpful! My usually so happy 7 month old has had a chesty cough for 3 days now. I just tried elevating her mattress and putting a humidifier by her face and she's been sleeping pretty peacefully for the past hour (might not seem long but she's been waking every 15 mins the last couple of nights). Thanks for the tips!

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  84. This was so helpful! My usually so happy 7 month old has had a chesty cough for 3 days now. I just tried elevating her mattress and putting a humidifier by her face and she's been sleeping pretty peacefully for the past hour (might not seem long but she's been waking every 15 mins the last couple of nights). Thanks for the tips!

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  85. it's a very helpful article, In my opinion, every mom wanna-be should understand that being pregnant is a miracle, so they will take care their body with a great love and understanding.
    regards,

    Medical Jobs Australia

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  86. Thanks for sharing this extremely informative article on cough. I recently read about cough treatment, preventive measures to control and medication for cough on breathefree.com. I found it extremely helpful.

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  87. While Vicks helped my son, it's actually had a bad effect on my daughter. I tried adding some to her humidifier one evening and within 10 minutes of the steam filling the room, her cough intensified drastically. I had to remove her completely from the room and only then was she able to find relief. I had to let the room air out for quite a while before going back. I share only because of the vast difference it had in both of my children and this was just one of those scented Vick inserts you place in the top of humidifiers.

    Elevating the crib and steam baths have helped us. I've heard good things about nose fridas too and plan to get one tomorrow to help clear her nose better. Also, for a really bad coughing spell, step outside in the cold night air for a minute or two. The cold air immediately helps stop a cough for our littles.

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  88. Thanks for sharing this blog with such in depth details about wheezing. This is indeed a very informative post and really helpful for those suffering for wheezing.

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  89. I cant read all the comments on this but a few drops of eucalyptus oil and a few drops of peppermint oil work great in the vaporizer or just in general wipe down of surfaces in bubs room

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  90. Coughing And Wheezing, A Remedy That May Work For The Common Chest Cold And Bronchitis
    https://www.viphealthtips.com/remedy-for-chest-cold-and-bronchitis/

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  91. Last year I started on COPD Herbal formula treatment from rich herbs foundation, the treatment worked incredibly for my lungs condition. I used the herbal treatment for almost 5 months, it reversed my COPD. My severe shortness of breath, dry cough, low energy, fatigue, chest tightness and others gradually disappeared. Visit rich herbs foundation via their web-site ww w. richherbsfoundation .com. This COPD treatment has improved the quality of my life greatly, i breath much better and feel comfortable doing so!

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  92. I used to use Vicks cough drops with honey, or just take a teaspoon of honey, or put honey in hot tea and drink up. There used to be something called Robitussin that would stop the coughing.I suggest you Home remedies for cough through this you get instant of knowledge about How do you get rid from cough .

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