My first born daughter was always sick between birth and two years. Part of my thinks this is due to the fact that she stayed home during the pandemic and then started daycare later and was exposed to everything. She was so sick in fact, that we had two months of straight sickness (right after daycare) and I thought something was seriously wrong with her. We actually went to the ER twice with her (I was so concerned). After this experience and after much research I know now that the reason why it is so hard to help keep little people healthy is because they cannot take regular medicine and also have no immune systems.
Just a little advice for you regarding healthcare and health insurance. If your health insurance has any service for you to call with basic questions (instead of going to a doctor) – take them up on it! My health insurance plan was Blue Cross Blue Shield Carefirst and they gave me a pediatric nurse I could call and text whenever I wanted and it was – AMAZING! Most of the tips and product recommendations below came from her (by the way). I don’t know about you but health providers now are charging a boat load just to go in and ask simple questions regarding dosage and medications, so this is something you want in your healthcare plan (if they have it). Ask if they have this type of service because they don’t always advertise it.
Side Note: I should disclose that I am not a doctor or medical professional and you should always consult your healthcare provider before giving your babies any of these products.
Here are my Top Ten Best Products for Sick and Congested Babies
Frida Baby Nose Aspirator – Have you ever sucked snot from someone else’s nose? Likely not. Stil, you need this product because babies cannot blow their own noses. Nothing gets those boogies out faster than a quick suck on this gadget. Don’t worry, the snot will go into a tube and not into your mouth. Trust me, your babies will feel immediate comfort after you do this.Although, to be fair, they may not enjoy it. We always distracted my babies when we did it by singing or doing silly things.
Hyland Babies Cold and Mucus Syrup (Day and Night Combo). I like the night time and daytime duo formulas that come together. This is homeopathic, so it is safe to give to babies under one and you can definitely see an improvement once you give it to them. We always slipped it into their bottles before bed or whenever they needed a quick pick me up and when they were particularly cranky.
Little Remedies Nasal Spray – Salt spray open up tiny passages and helps babies to breath better. It is a lot like how a Netty Pot works. I like to use this in combination with my Frida Baby Nose Aspirator to help them feel their best.
Ponds Cold Cream – I know this is an adult product, however, it can be used on babies to get those hard caked on dried up boogers on their faces that other stuff can’t get off. When used in combination with Puffs tissues with lotion, it is the best way to remove the worst kind of boogers.
OccoBaby Digital Thermometer. I know this sounds gross, but the best way for an accurate measurement of a baby’s temperature is to stick this thermometer up their bum. Baby’s internal temperatures are not accurate on the handheld thermometers and you can never be sure. I know this because an ER doctor from a children’s hospital told me this, so I assume she knows best.
Mommy’s Bliss Organic Baby Drops are great for helping your babies with immune support to overcome the sickness faster. It is also homeopathic and my daughter loved the taste of it which was a blackberry sludge. Again, we would put this in her bottle of milk before bed when she was sick. Also, this was great at making sure my little sweetie stayed asleep all night.
Motrin Infants’ Drops and Infants’ Tylenol are both necessary to have on hand for those tough fevers. You need both because you have to alternate them to lower your baby’s fever. Just to be clear, my doctor says a fever is higher than 101 degrees for a baby under 1 year old. If a fever persists longer than 2 to 3 days you need to go to the doctor. My pediatrician says you need to alternate Tylenol and Motrin because if you give your baby too much Tylenol, it can mess with their kidneys.
Vicks Mini Filter Free Humidifier is great because it is easy to clean (no filter), just the right size for a baby, and you can add Vicks pads into that will also help open up small nasal passages. I always keep it on when they are sleeping at night.
The Frida Baby Natural Vapor Bath Bombs – A warm bath goes a long way in helping babies to feel better if they are just congested. It can help relax them and also help with opening up congested passages. The Frida Baby Natural Bath Bombs are a great little addition to the sick baby bathtub and smell great! Alternatively, if your baby has a fever a short lukewarm bath will lower their body temperature until the meds kick in or sometimes you need to do this if they wake up after the night or after a nap and their temperature is extremely high.
Boogie Wipes – Last but certainly not least, you should have boogie wipes on you at all times and/or in the car for those just incase times. If you are nowhere near home you need these for those stubborn dry boogers on those tiny sore noses. I buy those in bulk because – two babies.
Let me know if you have any other awesome ideas or products that have worked for your sick babies?