Are you looking for methods to prevent cold and congestion in kids this winter season? Here are a few simple cold and congestion prevention tips that you can try at home that can help provide relief to your child.
One of my biggest challenges as a new mom was my baby girl suffering from cold and congestion many times this winter. As we live in the upstate New York region, we have harsh winters with severe snowstorms and below-freezing temperatures quite often.
As my daughter was born at the start of the severe winter in later October, she often suffered from cold and congestion from as early as four weeks old. She was sneezing and coughing and had to stop breastfeed every few minutes to breathe as her nose was all stuffed up. She was miserable, fussy and sleeping less in the night.
Since we have a long winter here, I feel like I have come a long way and successfully managed to prevent cold fever with few tricks. The tips that I am sharing below is the knowledge that I have gained from my pediatrician, home remedies from my mother, grandmother, and internet research. Although they were very effective for my baby girl I would recommend you all consulting with your pediatrician prior to using them. Here goes some of my knowledge that I have learned the hard way to help and prevent cold and congestion in a baby.
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1. Run a cool-mist humidifier to prevent congestion in kids in the night
Dry air can worsen congestion! Using a cool-mist humidifier creates moisture which can unclog congestion. Make sure to clean the humidifier regularly to prevent contamination from bacteria and mold. I use this one.
2. Don’t overheat the house in winter
During winter I always maintained a temperature of 70-71 defF. I noticed that by cranking up the heat inside our home, the air was becoming drier. This was causing more congestion in our baby than usual. 70-71degF worked well for me, you have to find the temperature that will work well for you.
3. Saline drops to clean out the congested nose
Saline drops worked wonders with our baby girl. It was the most effective. Spraying 2-3 drops in each nostril helped loosen the mucus. I use this one. There are many more options available over the counter.
6. Giving a steam bath to your baby
Steam can also help loosen the mucus that’s stuffing up your little one’s nose. Run a hot shower in for a few minutes to create some steam and then sit in the steamy room with your baby for a few minutes. Be careful for the hot shower not to touch your little one.
7. Keep your baby hydrated
One way of knowing that your baby is dehydrated is by looking at her lips if it’s chapped it’s a sign of dehydration. Also staying hydrated keeps mucus thin. If your baby is not nursing properly or doesn’t want to take a bottle, use a combination of saline drops and suction bulb before each feeding to help clear congestion.
8. Another home remedy!
Heat 2-3 garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp carom seeds on a pan and tie them in a cotton cloth and keep it somewhere in the room where the baby is sleeping. The smell of this combination helps provide relief in cold and makes it easier for the baby to breathe.
9. Sanitize regularly to prevent the cold infection from spreading in your family
10. Always use masks and gloves while handling cold infected items to prevent the spread of cold infection
11. Provide your baby as much bed rest as possible to help them fight the virus
12. Keep baby medicines like baby Tylenol handy and if your baby develops a fever of 100.4 or more make sure to contact your pediatrician.
You can use a combination of these tips before bedtime to help your baby in cold and congestion. These tips have worked well for us but make sure to consult your pediatrician before using them.
I hope this post was helpful for y’all and you found something useful that you were looking for. I would be eager to hear what worked well for you in preventing cold with your baby in winter?
In case you are looking for similar topics to read from the blog,
15 SIMPLE HABITS OF A HAPPY MOM
TIPS TO HELP YOU BECOME A MORE PATIENT PARENT
TOP 10 PRODUCTS THAT WERE VERY HELPFUL TO ME AFTER MY C-SECTION
4. Suction Bulb
The best way to relieve congestion in babies and infants is to use a combination of saline drops and suction bulb. After cleaning the bulb, gently insert just the tip of the bulb into the baby’s nostrils. Slowly release the bulb to suction out the mucus. Clean the syringe and repeat in the other nostril.
5. Rub warm mustard oil on chest and feet to heal a kid during cold fever
A home remedy that worked wonders for our baby. I rubbed slightly warmed mustard oil before my baby’s bedtime on her chest and feet. Due to it’s antiviral and antibacterial properties, warm mustard oil can provide a lot of relief during cold.
6. Giving a steam bath to your baby
Steam can also help loosen the mucus that’s stuffing up your little one’s nose. Run a hot shower in for a few minutes to create some steam and then sit in the steamy room with your baby for a few minutes. Be careful for the hot shower not to touch your little one.
7. Keep your baby hydrated
One way of knowing that your baby is dehydrated is by looking at her lips if it’s chapped it’s a sign of dehydration. Also staying hydrated keeps mucus thin. If your baby is not nursing properly or doesn’t want to take a bottle, use a combination of saline drops and suction bulb before each feeding to help clear congestion.
8. Another home remedy!
Heat 2-3 garlic cloves and 1/2 tsp carom seeds on a pan and tie them in a cotton cloth and keep it somewhere in the room where the baby is sleeping. The smell of this combination helps provide relief in cold and makes it easier for the baby to breathe.
9. Sanitize regularly to prevent the cold infection from spreading in your family
10. Always use masks and gloves while handling cold infected items to prevent the spread of cold infection
11. Provide your baby as much bed rest as possible to help them fight the virus
12. Keep baby medicines like baby Tylenol handy and if your baby develops a fever of 100.4 or more make sure to contact your pediatrician.
You can use a combination of these tips before bedtime to help your baby in cold and congestion. These tips have worked well for us but make sure to consult your pediatrician before using them.
I hope this post was helpful for y’all and you found something useful that you were looking for. I would be eager to hear what worked well for you in preventing cold with your baby in winter?
In case you are looking for similar topics to read from the blog,
15 SIMPLE HABITS OF A HAPPY MOM
TIPS TO HELP YOU BECOME A MORE PATIENT PARENT
TOP 10 PRODUCTS THAT WERE VERY HELPFUL TO ME AFTER MY C-SECTION
Great post! Where did you get the mustard oil from?
Tania, Thanks 🙂 I usually get the mustard oil from an Indian store. You can also purchase it from amazon.
I discovered your internet site from Google
and also I need to say it was an excellent find. Many thanks!
Hi there! Such a good write-up, thanks!