by updated on December 29, 2014
At this time of the year, as the mercury dips, so does a mother’s heart beat. Why? Baby usually gets cough and cold due to extreme weather conditions and that is becomes her cause of worry. TCT brings to you a few home remedies to cure your baby’s common cold. Take a look..
Babies (particularly, infants) are more susceptible to cold, cough and fever due to their new and developing immune system. A congested nose would not only make it difficult for the baby to breathe properly but will also make him restless and a fuzzy eater. Such a scenario is enough to give new parents (NPs) nightmares. Take a look at some effective and safe home remedies to tackle cold symptoms in babies:
1. Saline Drops: To ease congestion, put 1-2 drops of saline water in baby’s nose. Place your baby at rest with his chin slightly tilted up and slowly put the saline drops. To make saline water mix 1 tablespoon of salt in half cup of water and bring this liquid to room temperature before using it. You can also use Nasoclear after consulting the pediatrician.
2. Steam and Humidifier: Install a steamer in your/ baby’s room. It is good for the baby to breathe in the air. You can also place a humidifier. This will help ease the congestion faster. Doing this will help your baby to breathe easily.
3. Rub Vapor Rub (6+ months onwards): Gently rub vapor rub on baby’s neck, back and chest before sleeping. This will help the baby to sleep better. We recommend that you consult your pediatrician before applying any chest rub on the baby.
4. Warm Fluids: Keeping the baby well hydrated will flush out mucus and nasal secretions faster. Feed your baby breast milk or if your baby has started taking additional fluids, feed him/her warm chicken soup. An important point to keep in mind is to avoid outside dairy products such as cow’s milk (if the baby is between 0 -to- 6 months old) as they aid in mucous production. Therefore, it is suggested that you avoid feeding your little one cow’s milk till s/he is fully recovered.
5. Plentiful Rest and Massage – Ensure that your baby rests enough so that he can utilize his body’s energy to fight off the symptoms of cold. We recommend that you massage your baby chest, back and neck area with warm baby oil mixed.
6. Cure with Onion – An old fashioned treatment, onion is a decongestant and can effectively clear stuffy nose. Rub a bit of onion or/garlic in your hands. Just a gentle rub is enough. Now do all the cuddles and hugs and Voila! It is a traditional method and supposed to be pretty effective too! Onion has Sulphur which safely helps to clear nose congestion in infants.
7. Proper Sleeping Position– Keep the baby’s head in an elevated position by using a pillow so that he can breathe easily. You should also ensure to clean the baby’s nose from time to time.
8. Maintenance of Hygiene – An unwell baby is already vulnerable hence always clean your hands properly before handling your baby. Keep your baby away from other sources of infection such as pets and sick people.
You might also like:
Filed under: Home Remedies Tagged: baby care, baby care after birth, baby feeding, breast milk, children doctor, health and hygiene, Home Remedies, new born baby
