When your newborn is sick...

[lexi]

My 3 week old seems to have a cold-2 of my other kids are sick as well. What do I do? I feel terrible. None of my other kids were ever sick this young. I'm calling our pedi in the morning. Between the kids who's needing breathing treatments and coughing, the one with diarrhea, and a snotty baby I'm so exhausted! Any thoughts as I wait for dr to open?

[lollie010]

I think that doctors take it very seriously when a baby under 6 weeks is sick. When my now 7 yo had symptoms of a virus with a low fever at 5 weeks, she was immediately hospitalized and the doctors absolutely scared me to death. But, if baby does not have a fever and you know that another child in the family has a cold then they will be able to quickly rule out the really bad things that they like to keep babies in the hospital for, like serious bacterial infections. Praying for you and your little ones. I can imagine how exhausted you are. Hoping that you have someone nearby that can help lighten your load.

[Faithr]

Oh boy! My kids were C-sections and often had colds for weeks after birth because they inhaled amniotic fluid. I was always told not to worry. I used a little suction bulb the hospital gave me to clear their noses. Are you breast feeding? I bet the cold won't hit the baby nearly as hard as the others because of that! Stay strong! Let us know what the pediatrician says!

[melissad2]

Steam up the bathroom and sit in there with baby. Use saline nose drops and a buld syringe to clear nose. Prop baby up in bouncy seat to sleep. That's all I can think of right now :). Hope y'all fell better soon!

[lexi]

Thanks. I do think my 3-year-old started out with a cold. Now she has asthma cough. Not fun.

The baby has a very snotty nose-no fever though. I'm breast feeding and she'll still nurse. I have a bulb syringe. It is helping. When the pharmacy opens I'm getting saline nose drops. She's propped up in the boppie pillow now. I feel so bad that she's sick.

I so hope that we are not put in the hospital.

[lollie010]

No fever is good news. I bet you will be able to avoid the hospital. I "made" my little one nurse constantly. She quickly bounced back!!! One benefit was that she became a great nurser.

 

Keep us posted.

[lexi]

That makes me feel better. Thank you.

She's nursing every 2 1/2 hours and sometimes every 2 hours in the evening. We'll keep it up.

I hate when my kids are sick!

[busymama7]

I just went through this with my then 3 week old whose now 4 weeks. It was stressful but he is fine. He did run a fever. I opted not to take him in because he never was wheezing and I knew it was a virus. The whole family had it and it was bad for many of the kids and for my husband and I. But the baby was ok. The biggest thing to watch for is wheezing and if he starts that head to ER right then. If it stays as nasal congestion then the above suggestions are all you can do.

 

Hugs! I know how stressful this is.

[edeemarie]

When I had a sick newborn I had better luck using breastmilk instead of saline spray. I know it sounds crazy but it really works! Plus I would have them sleep in a bouncy seat next to my bed so that breathing while sleeping wouldn't be an issue. I know it can be scary having a sick newborn, but we have been through it and everything was just fine. Praying for you that everyone will get better soon! :grouphug:

[pink&bluemommy]

I heard of the nose frida too late, but I have heard great things about it!

[Jann in TX]

Please take your baby to the Ped as soon as possible.

 

Many 'colds' this time of year are RSV. RSV may not present with a fever. It is one of the leading reasons for an 'asthmatic cough' (without actually having allergic asthma).

 

My 2yr old passed her 'cold' on to her newborn sister-- baby presented 'stuffy'-- no other symptoms until one morning she would not nurse and would/could not cry! Her color was good--but she was in respitory distress (retracting).

 

We had 3 weeks in the hospital (actually 2 different hospitals as they had to transfer her).

 

My baby ended up needing breathing treatments around the clock (day and night) for the first 3.5 years of her life-- then we had a few nights off here and there... She finally outgrew the issue by the time she was 12. I credit her playing a band 'wind' instrument.

[lexi]

Well, we made it through the night with my hubby and I sleeping in shifts between checking on kids and doing breathing treatments and me nursing. I have an appt with the pedi in a few hours. We'll see what he says. My kids are all so cranky and tired. It's going to be such a long day!

[A.Balaban]

Good luck! Hope your kiddos get better soon. Feel better little lady!!

[lollie010]

How is baby today? Is everyone else feeling better? Hoping you all are resting and recouping.