Did you know that babies get between 4-10 colds in their first year alone?
I didn't know this information and thought I wasn't providing enough of a nutritious diet for my little girl. I was aware that babies are not born with immune systems and they need time and exposure to get strong, but I did not know she would get so sick, so often and so badly. Think of all the colds you have had in your life and your body has fought them off in order to build its immunity, baby sadly has to go through a similar process.
I found once I was aware of this information, I felt much more comfortable that I was still doing the right things and providing the right diet for her needs. I also found these coping strategies helpful.
Blocked nose: saline solution from the pharmacy. This will help to clear the nose so baby can breathe, eat and drink much easier. Using a saline solution about 15 minutes before each meal or feed will make both you and baby much happier.
Runny nose: soft wet cloth. Tissues are not great for anyone's skin, especially babies delicate precious skin. Keeping a wet cloth close by and using every time baby needs a clean up will prevent the red raw and sore nose from appearing and adding to baby's discomfort.
Not eating: sometimes its good to get anything into baby if she is being fussy and not feeling well. I always have a jar of my little girl's favourite, strawberry and banana custard. Even on a really bad day, she will always eat at least half of this. And this has to be better than nothing!
Constipation: one product – Coloxyl drops. Of course the obvious water and extra milk feeds helps, but sometimes when you know its bad and baby is in discomfort, why wait when you can help now.
Unsettled: Brauer Calm. This natural product is amazing. Whenever my little girl is beyond help and no amount of singing, rocking, lullabies will cut it, Calm will help in that hour of need. Calm is also good for flying, some babies get very unsettled and this will make the trip much smoother for you both.
Elevated Sleeping: for some babies, rolling a towel and placing it under the head of the mattress will help to angle baby so the nose excretions can run rather and block up the place. For the older babies and babies that will spend their nights in all sorts of positions, this wont work, because if baby ends up where her feet are meant to be, it will defeat the purpose.
Pain relief: if baby is really unsettled, all the natural techniques dont work and you know she needs a good nights sleep to get the body into healing mode, please be kind and give her some pain relief before bed. There is no point in letting her suffer when she doesnt have to and everyone will get a good nights sleep.
Skin issues: I always go to the local health store and speak to the naturapath. They have amazing knowledge and insight and natural products are always my first go-to item for my little girl. Vaseline can help if baby has broken red raw skin, this will act as a barrier and give the skin time to heal without outside things interfering.
Always remind yourself how awful it feels when you are sick, then think that baby isn't consciously aware of what is happening and this can add to her unsettled state. Being calm and collected and being there for her when she is sick can be all she needs. Lots of hugs, love and smiles can be the best medicine.
This is by no means an extended list of illness and what to do. I have personally found these tips very useful and you may too. If you are ever unsure of what is wrong with baby, take her the the doctor, its better to be safe and feel over protective than spend hours and days in a state of stress and worry, which will only add to baby's discomfort.
