totally NWR - babies aren't my speciality, a little help if possible

nottheonlydreamer44

This is a really odd question but I didn't feel like googling it.

The baby I nanny has had a cold over the last few days. She normally wants her pacifier but when she has it in she is snorting obviously because she needs to breathe through her mouth. She is only 4 months old.

Is there any way I can get her to blow her nose? Is that even possible? I just want to keep her hands out of her mouth because she is germy and I cannot imagine that's a good thing. I don't have kids so I am unfamiliar with this whole "sick baby" thing.

Sorry that this post is so completely out of nowhere but she's swinging next to me and I hate to hear her sound like a little pug all day. LOL.

breezerb

I am also not a baby specialist but most of my friends have them so I will give you second-hand "maybe this will work" advice.

I know that they have a thing that look like a mini turkey baster (nasal aspirator) that you can stick in their nose and suck the boogeys out.

Also, if they have one I suggest putting a humidifier on.

Danielle284

With Bryland i would stick him in the bathroom.  Start a hot shower for the steam.  I would than suction out his nose.  There is also baby saline mist that will help.  If you have a humidifier laying around, that will also help.  He got better for awhile and than ig came back and, i took him into the Dr.  He ended up needing neb treatments.

leia1979

I know nothing about babies, but I find a humidifier helps when I'm stuffy. I also know one of my friends runs the humidifier every night for her baby.

ETA: Apparently Breezer, Danielle, and I are all on the same track.

nottheonlydreamer44

Thank you ladies!!! I am going to put her in her baby rocker that vibrates and turn the shower on - she doesn't have a humidifier that I can find anyway. I appreciate the help! I can't stand to see her all stuffy - she is so uncomfortable and she sounds like a little piglet

aperitisa

Saline spray and then the nose sucker.....the saline breaks up the snot.  Just a heads up...most babies don't like the nose sucker, so you might get some screaming...but its not hurting him at all.

nottheonlydreamer44

Aperitisa - you are not kidding about her not liking it. I tried that first and woah she flipped out. loll. She literally only cries when she's hungry so it was unexpected. We're sitting in the bathroom right now with some steam - she seems a little better.:)


thank you all again for advice on my extremely random question.

Danielle284

Do they have vicks baby rub?  Its for babies 3 months and older.  It has lavender, rosemary, and aloe vera.  It relaxes them.  Rub it on her chest, neck, and back.  It really helped Bryland to relax and sleep.  He was fighting sleep when he was sick. 

aperitisa

Yeah, the babies I used to nanny for HAAAAAATED it, but it has to be done.  It was the quickest way.  I found the best way to do it was to lay him down on the changing pad and crook my arm around his head so he feels safe and hugged kind of.  Then I would talk to him for a bit and dive bomb with the sucker.  Then let him calm down for a bit and dive bomb again.  I really hated to do it.  He would scream bloody murder and his mom couldn't handle it so she had me do it while she left the room.  

notquiteblushing

I don't know much about babies but why don't you call the parents and see what they suggest?  I wouldn't want you willy nilly sticking things up my baby's nose without checking with me first.

dwest2201

Every baby despises the booger sucker (aka nasal aspirator)... you really have to hold them down and sneak it in there.  My son has oversized tonsils and adnoids (we didn't find this out until age 2) so he was always stuffy.  The suggestions mentioned are good ones.  The other thing that worked best for us was having him sleep on an incline.  When he was really small we had a little wedge (sold at babiesrus etc) that he slept on.  When he got older we rolled up a towel and put it underthe mattress (between the springs and the mattress) per the pediatricians suggestion.  Obviously you shouldn't do any of this without the parents okay but asking if they had considered it might be a good idea.

NOTE: DO NOT use anything to add an incline to the bed until the baby can lift their head and roll over.  Babies need a firm mattress and softening it (the towel under) would increase the likelyhood of suffication to a very young baby.

nottheonlydreamer44

Thank you NQB and Dwest!

NQB - Mom actually texted me before I even got to the nasal aspirator and told me to use it if I felt brave enough. I used it for about 5 second before she flipped out so I stopped. The steam worked well though.

Dwest - good advice about the incline - I put her in her swing and made sure it was at an incline so she isn't just lying flat. She took her bottle and then fell asleep holding it in her mouth while swinging. Too cute.

Poor little thing she's so cute I can't help but want to make her feel all better.

Thanks again ladies!

zipis1

I've heard of some mommas, when they find themselves backed into a corner, sucking out the boogies with their mouth.

I mean, I get doin' what you gotta do, but from where I'm standing

jeanacorina

Zipi, that's horrifying! But, hey, I guess is it any worse than the baby spitting up in your mouth? Hmm... I dunno.

Anyway, glad the shower is working. I would still use the booger-sucker if she's stuffy after the shower. At least the steam will have loosened things up.

And about the screaming- you are not hurting her by sucking snot out. She just hates it. How would you like it if someone shoved their finger up YOUR nose? Sometimes, babies need you to do things that suck. And if she can't breathe through her nose you might have to use the sucker thing regardless of her screaming. Just comfort her, talk to her, and do what needs to be done.

Also, if she's having trouble breathing it may not be a good idea to give her the pacifier. Load yourself up on vitamin C as well. I used to take a few Airborne every day when I was a nanny.

notquiteblushing

I'm glad you figured it out.  Hope the little one gets better!

[Deleted User]

I would suggest everything that everyone else has suggested...esp the nasal bulb.  I had a friend, with her 1st baby, who didn't know anything about it and ended up having to take her baby to the ER cause she couldn't breathe.  They made her feel better, but she felt so embarrassed that she didn't know about it.

I would limit the amount of steam/humidifiers, though, until you check with the parents to see how the baby has been tolerating it till now.  I have mild asthma and anytime the humidity is "high", I get really congested (my grandpa developed asthma in the South Pacific, got it from him).  I can tolerate a little bit, but not a lot.

Hope for both your sakes that the baby is feeling better soon.