6 Week Old with Congestion

I've had the same problem w/my 2 1/2 wk. old and just asked her Dr. about it yesterday. He recommended using saline drops to loosen the mucus and then suction her nose out. Hope this helps!

I swear by saltwater spray in the nostrils for my kids, even when they were infants and for myself. You can just buy it at CVS or Walmart or wherever and put one spray ineach nostril whenever needed for that age. Good luck!

My baby also has had bouts of congestion but has never reached the full-blown cold stage because I begin putting saline in her nose and suction it out with the bulb syringe about 4-6 times a day. Her pediatrician suggested this method and it has worked like a dream. I also use a cool air humidifier in her room at night so if her nose is stopped up when she sleeps, the back of her throat won't be dried out when she wakes up in the morning. She has remained a healthy little baby and she is almost 11 months now.

My 8 month old still has this problem. He has alot of congestion in his chest but nothing comes out of that little booger sucker thing. It's under control now but no so much when he was born. This was my bedtime ritual I hope it helps you. Bathe him with lavendar wash. Put VICKS BABY RUB on his chest and soles of feet then his socks then his sleeper. There this baby nasal spray totally natural. I sprayed it into his nose then sucked out whatever came out. I'd give him Sleepytime tea found it at Walmart, mixed with his formula. He'd sleep through the night with no problems. I also elevated his mattress on one end. I hope this helps you!

Hello S.,

you could put 4-5 drops of peppermint oil on a tissue or paper towel and put it in her room (not too close to the crib)and see if that helps.

careful, some types of eucalyptus oil are too strong for babies and the elderly.

check your baby for allergies. also, if you're using milk formula, could the milk/lactose be causing the congestion does she have any constipation? does she get 'sick' after going to the doctor? could it be a latex allergy.

no air purifiers, no candles, no air freshners, etc. check the laundry detergent you're using to wash the bedclothes, skip the fabric softener, use regular clothes instead of fire-retardant treated clothes to see if that's what's she's allergic to. find alternative cleaners to clean the bathroom where you bathe her. also, switch bath/shampoo products. in other words, leave no stone unturned.

remember, your baby still too young for many things prescription or homeopathic.... so be very careful.

here are a few links about essential oils:

note: I guessed some the spelling of these oils =)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8479435537623601064

cypress --cough, edema (soak your ankles and feet w/ cypress & epson salt) bronchitis, calming --very powerful against bronchitis!!!

cedarwood atlas
cough, calmin, anti-inflamatory, bronchitis, antibacterial, good for skin - renewing skin

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6305768170638733228

eucalyptus smithy -- safe for 2yrs and older -- smells like valerian. great preventative. kills airborn cold and flu viruses

eucalyptus globulus - - NOT FOR KIDS... most popular - antiviral, antibacterial. too powerful... not for frail/elderly people.

eucalyptus radiata - good expectorant. pulls things out of skin... like splinters, etc.

eucalyptus citradora (eucalyptus lemon) it is not 2 oils mixed! very powerful antimicrobial
very good bug repellant. very powerful antiviral/antibacterial.

also: lovingscents.com

~C.~

call me S.. I give my children melaleuca oil in their nose and they are doing great. It is all natural and works wonders.

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Purchase a humidifer for your daughter's room. Run the humidifer at night.

I used saline drops with my son when he was the same age, has the same problem. Just a drop in each nose, and then sit him upright to let it drain. Make sure it is pure saline though, and not any other kind of decongestant that you get at the store.

S., Since you like natural products you may want to look at some of Arbonne's products. They have a Herbal Vapor Soak (since you do the warm baths) made of natural bath salts with eucalyptus leaves and natural oils. They also have a Herbal Vapor Rub with natural essential oils and vapor action. Both should be safe for a newborn. Take care, R.

My little one (who is 8 weeks now) had that same problem and I put breastmilk in her nostrils with a dropper and even straight from the breast at times even though it seemed the issue was in her sinus cavities. What wouldn't come out at first would come out eventually that way. I also used a cool mist humidifier at night and also during the day at first. We've had this happen a couple of times now - I think it's her little allergies. Anyway... hope this helps!

S.,
I always used 2 books to answer all of my homeopathic and natural cure questions. Here they are :

Dr Lauren Feder MD's Natural Baby and Childcare. This is a great book as Dr Feder is a homeopathic MD and a pediatrician.

Aviva Jill Romm's Naturally Healthy Babies and Children. This is also filled with homeopathic options and herbal remedies.
Romm is a midwife and Harvard medical School student (possibly Dr by now). She really knows her stuff.

I hope this helps.
Smiles,
V.

My daughter, who is three now, has always had a bad problem with allergies and sinuses! When she got her first sickness I think she was about 3 months old, the doc said to use saline nose drops and put in her room a cool mist humidifier (spelling?). The reason she said to use a cool mist one is that the ones that put off a hot mist tends to creat bacteria. Hope this helps and I hope your little one feels better soon!!!

Is there something in her bedroom that would be causing her to be conjested? Maybe she has an allergy to something in her room if it is appearing only during the morning. Allergy proof her room and see if that helps. Also you may want to massage her chest to help break up the conjestion in the morning. Babies love massages.

I know you also mentioned you want to do things natural. I am not sure if you ever heard of Juice Plus, but it maybe something you can look into for yourself and your husband. It is just fruits and veggies in a capsule. I love it and would love to share more information with you. My website is www.gotjuiceplus.com and I can be reached at ###-###-####.
Sally

A great homeopath in Dallas is Dr. Dan Cook. ###-###-####

Have you tried steaming? You can sit in the bathroom, close the door, put a towel under the door, turn the shower on hot and sit in there with her - the steam helps tremendously!! You can also use a vaporizer. Also, nasal drops - the little noses brand is what I used. I had this problem with both of my babies and these tricks worked really well for us.

I agree with the PP about using breastmilk---

Get a cold humidifier and also a pediacare plug in they are a must for winter time sniffles.

cool-mist hudifier, + a vicks vaporizer works wonders. Rub some baby vicks on her chest or on her feet before bedtime.

S.,
We always use Little Noses saline drops. They are as safe as you can get. We used them with on our son. HTH.
M.

S. -- you might try some reflexology with her, massage in general, plus work on some points on her feet and at the back of her neck/head -- just above where the 2 join. Those are sinus pressure points. Also, work all around her face.

Just about at her hairline you'll find 2 slight indentions (find them on yourself) those are terrific sinus pressure points -- rub them gently for 10 - 30 seconds several times a day. (Women's are close together, men's are farther apart.) Also, just above your eyes are pressure points too, sort of like commas in your skull. Try working on those, very gently.

Best wishes,
A.

You didn't say whether you were breastfeeding her, but if you do, this may be of interest to you:
I read the other day that if you put a few drops of breastmilk in each nostril before you suction her nose, your baby will benefit from the antibacterial and antiviral properties of breastmilk. Unfortunately, I weaned my baby last month, but I would have tried otherwise...

What about some more steam with a vaporizer? Poor little thing. That's awesome you try to go all-natural!! Me too! But I just started learning about all-natural about 6 months ago- so if you have any tips for me, PLEASE email me- I'm dying to learn more! =)

S.,

Bring her into a warm steamy bathroom for the morning feeding and anytime she is congested?

Good luck.

Greetings S.,

Please visit www.alinkforlife.com

My colleague Tamela has over 30 years experience in the area of holistic medicine and has a special infant/baby area in her office for diapers, clothing, etc. Her office is located in Farmer's Branch.

Blessings,

L.

I did what the other moms did using a drop or 2 of saline then suctioning out what I could. Then rubbing Baby Vicks Rub on the chest, around her nose, on the upper lip, and behind the ears. I haven't tried the soles of the feet. You'll have to let me know if that works. A cool mist humidifier and vapor plug ins. They smell like menthol but it's a gentler baby version. And elevating the head so the sinus drains down. Good luck.

There is a baby wash you can buy from johnson and johnson that id a vapor bath.that might help out.I have seen it at walmart and babies r us it is green.

Hi S., I have recenlty found out that sometimes just the cleaning agents you use in your home can trigger allergies or congestion. I purchase all my household products from a company called Melaleuca, a health and wellness company. They also have a product called sol u mel that can be used in your vaporizer to help calm and get rid of congestion. I am partnered with Melaleuca if you are interested in learning more. I hope this information is helpful, I was truly amazed at all the differences in family when I switched.

Saline spray and a humidifier in her room when she is sleeping.

-avoid dairy; if baby is formula fed, try nutramigen & if baby is breastfed, avoid dairy yourself
-steam (hang out in a steamy bathroom or try a humidifier in her room while she sleeps)
-vicks on feet, cover with socks
-avoid chills & cold, outside air when possible
-saline drops in the nose, bulb syringe if needed
-as much rest as she can get
-small pinches of sodium ascorbate powder (buffered & more bio-available, pure form of vitamin c); find it in powdered form in health food stores, central market, whole foods, etc.) - small doses spread throughout the day; don't worry, worse that would happen if babe gets too much (within reason) is runny stool that would resolve soon after dropping the dose - 'take to bowel tolerance')
-try to help baby fight off germs & infections by avoiding stressful situations for a bit if possible

HTH & she wakes up clear soon!

I think you can do the saline wash at this age... check with you doctor. My baby has the same thing... has been that way since at least before 2 months old! I do the saline wash before feeding her a few times to flush the snot out. That seem to get rid of the congestion.

If you put a cool mist humidifier in her room at night, that'll help a lot. Our 20 month old daughter gets congested some times in the winter & we turn the humidifier on every night. Target (and probably Walmart) sell cute ones made for children that don't make much noise.