# Anyone have any natural remedies for sick babies?



## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Hoping someone can help! Me and my 6 month old daughters have a cold.. They can barely breath out of their noses some sneezing and occasional cough .. I've been rubbing coconut oil with lavender and eucalyptus on their chest feet and back I've also placed garlic on bottoms of feet with socks on I have a humidifier going been giving them milk as much as I can .. Anyone have any remedies that are safe for babies? Thanks in advance!


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

When my oldest was little, he often came down with bronchitis. I had heard that dairy products tend to increase congestion. I tried giving him weak tea, and he did drink it. It's hard at 6 months old, because you want to keep up their hydration, their nutrition, etc. Milk is often the primary source at that age. 

The tea and those blue bulbed "snot suckers" helped a lot! 

At their age, though, things can turn around so quickly. Might want to check in with the Dr. and rule out pneumonia.


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

I already called doc she said nothing much you can do just wait it out basically but the poor child has such A hard time breathing through her nose and sucking her binky to sleep I feel awful for her!


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## Tilly (Oct 16, 2007)

Are you familiar with saline rinses? Google that for you, they really work wonders, and make some extra saline solution for your babies. Put just a couple of drops in their little noses while they are laying down. The saline will break up any congestion in their noses, and allow them to breath better, then the can get some air into those lungs to cough up the congestion down there. Good luck, colds scare the dickens out of mommies and are so miserable!!!

Tilly


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Thanks for the help  still sick! This cold is lasting too long!!


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Not everything can be cured at the doctors office. Often it's much better to allow your body to do what it does best - and let your immune system build while your body fights off the cold. Just making them as comfortable as possible while the cold runs it's course is about the best you can do. And it sounds like you've done well thus far. . Short of an insanely high fever or green snot, you're better off staying home and not mingling with the germs at the doctors office. But since you posted that here I'm sure you already know that. 


ETA: have you tried homemade chicken stock ? Load it up with veggies and healing herbs and see if that helps. Of nothing else it will make their tummies warm and cozy.


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Pretty paisley.. I agree with the doctor thing and lately doctors have been getting on my nerves! I've been giving them some bone broth with their oatmeal in the morning.. Cold seems to be better today yay! We're going camping tomorrow so maybe all that fresh air will do us some good


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

But a stuffy nose isn't one of those times. She called the doctor and was reassured it was something that would have to be waited out. Why replace the doctor ? 

I understand that there was a time when you took you kids to the doctor for every hangnail. I recall when my youngest was 7 weeks old and had a slight fever. My mom was visiting and she panicked. She sternly told me that this fever of 101 was "critical" and to take my baby to the ER immediately. As the mother I knew better. My baby was nursing fine, had wet diapers so she wasn't dehydrated - but to appease my mother I called the doctor. Imagine her surprise when the doc told me to wait it out and the baby was 100% the next morning. 

Exposing a baby to a room full of sick people and looking to medicine to handle a stuffy nose doesn't build a strong immune system. There have been studies linking fever reducers to all sorts of issues later in life. Granted the OP didn't mention a fever but it's better in the long run to trust your baby's body and your intuition if you're looking to raise a healthy kid. And I should know. I was a sick, sick, sick kid and my mom took me to the doctor constantly. Lord knows why ... But I've no doubt the more antibiotics I was prescribed the more sick I was in the long run. 

My kids don't get sick. And I'm not bragging - it is just that I've trusted their body's ability to heal since birth and that is how it's worked out. Seriously - other than for routine "well checks" we've been to the doctor one time with one kid, only to leave without any treatment necessary. Of course I'm certain that if they ever do it'll be from some freak disease with no cure because I can't get my 4 year old to stop sucking farm germs off her thumb. .


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## Lazydaisy67 (Jan 28, 2008)

It sounds and looks bad in a baby because they can't blow their nose like an adult can. You need the bulb to suck out the snot, and as long as it's clear or slightly milky colored as opposed to yellow or green, there's nothing a doctor could do for them. I'm a mother of 5 and I know it's alarming to see them sick, but a cold is not life threatening. Also, at 6 months they could be getting some teeth that will cause stuffiness and a low grade fever. They can also get diarrhea when teething so keep up the fluid intake. If they're exclusively nursing, breast milk is NOT the worst thing for a stuffy nose or cold. It's full of nutrients that will help their bodies fight off infection. I would increase cuddle time for comfort and relaxation, throw the nursing schedule out the window and allow them to nurse on demand, let them sleep as much as possible and keep sucking out that nose. You can infuse oils into a steaming kettle on the stove if you want to as well. Oil of oregano, or Tea Tree, or Cinnamon...all have anti bacterial properties. You're doing perfectly fine, mama! This too shall pass.


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## AriesMaverick (Jul 8, 2012)

Peppermint helps clear the nose. You can either put the essential oil with a carrier oil to rub on the chest, or diffuse it into the air.

Also, look into black elderberry extract! It does wonders. 
http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/Sambucol-Black-Elderberry-Original-Syrup?skuId=430981


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

When I said milk I meant breast milk they do not drink cows milk and we are better! I just wanted some ideas to clear up the nose! But we are much much better now and camping is going great all this fresh air and being in the woods is great thanks for the replies!


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

I categorize breast milk/any milk as a dairy product.


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Breast milk is not dairy .. Cows milk is dairy .. Breast milk is perfectly suited for a baby's body..


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Breast milk is the absolute best thing for a baby especially when they are sick!


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Countrygal23 said:


> Breast milk is the absolute best thing for a baby especially when they are sick!



YES!!!!

There is no way in heck Mother Nature would have anything fluid intended to nourish your child from your body being off limits when they are sick. Please please please don't spread untruths when it comes to nourishing babies. New mothers who are tired, hormonal, and learning to live with an infant have enough to handle. They shouldn't have to also struggle with their efforts being undermined. Learning to breast feed is not easy. Having them second guess themselves is unfair.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

"I had heard that dairy products tend to increase congestion." I DO consider breast milk a dairy product, and in my experience, dairy increases congestion.

One definition of dairy "A _dairy_ product is food produced from the milk of mammals." People are mammals, and I consider breast milk a DAIRY product. Cow, doe, ewe, mare, human, heck, even a platypus produces milk.

Back to the topic - if a baby is "can barely breathe" he/she is probably also having a hard time nursing. If the baby is unable to nurse adequately, his/her hydration may suffer, unless extra fluids are given. Weak tea, broth, even breast milk, delivered via bottle or cup, may help alleviate low hydration. 

I breast fed both my sons until they were 7 months old when I had to return to full-time work. I began supplementing with formula, and I pumped at work, 3x per day, in an unused office, so that I could continue to provide breast milk. The day came when after picking up my oldest, I set him to nurse, he drained both breasts, and didn't settle until he wolfed another 6 ounces of formula. I weaned him then. 

This is the same son who had frequent ear infections as a young infant, (first tooth at 4 months), often developed bronchitis (no smokers anywhere near him), and without fail, had a major cold/congestion/drooling/milky eyes every single holiday for the first 4 years of his life. He is now a strapping 6'1", 170# weight lifting college graduate with plans to attend grad school.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

No. 

Breast milk is not something to avoid when a baby isn't well because you think it's dairy. That's like saying eggs are dairy because they are sold in that section. 

And babies should be EBF for at least six months - WHO says to breast feed all babies until at least two years.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

I never said breast feeding should be avoided when a baby is sick. With my son, I offered him weak tea _in addition_ to breast feeding, to keep his hydration level up, when he was so congested nursing was difficult for him. 

This thread isn't about EBF, it isn't about WHO. It is about offering respectful, helpful potential remedies to the OP, who may sift & winnow as she sees fit.


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## SunsetSonata (Nov 23, 2006)

Breast milk IS dairy. It just plain is by definition. Doesn't matter where the milk comes from.

I know when I'm congested, milk gets all "secretion-y" in my throat. It's the texture. Doubt breast milk is any different in that respect.

I like the chicken soup idea.


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## Lazydaisy67 (Jan 28, 2008)

I'm so glad you're all feeling better. Good job mama!


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## Countrygal23 (Dec 7, 2012)

Thanks for your replies.. As far as breastmilk being considered dairy this is not true..

This is from kellymom.com:

"Sometimes moms are advised to limit or discontinue breastfeeding because milk increases mucus production. This is not good advice for two reasons:

You are not a cow and your milk is not a dairy product. So even if dairy is a problem, your milk would not be.
In addition, there is no scientific evidence that cowâs milk results in the production of more mucus unless you are allergic to dairy products."


dairy products are from cows milk not human breastmilk.. Breastmilk and cows milk are very different! Just want to clear this up so people aren't confused


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Breastmilk is actually considered a "clear fluid" and is totally safe (and absolutely vital) when a child is sick. It is not a "dairy" that causes build up of mucous and when a breastfed child is ill, even vomiting, breast milk is best because it carries immunities and vital nutrients and is digested considerably faster than any other fluid other than water. To recommend a breastfeeding mama to stop breastfeeding when a child is ill is very dangerous.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

She may sift through as she sees fit but let's limit our advice to the truth, deal? It is untrue, unfair, and unsafe to tell a breast feeding mother that she is producing milk that make her baby worse because you are confused with how cow milk may react in a baby vs. how breast milk does.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

Steam helps a lot. You just have to be super careful not to let them near the hot water producing it. Lots of ways to accomplish it. Close yourselves up in the bathroom (near but not in) the tub or shower running hot water. Or on a smaller scale a thermos thick enough to hold hot liquid without getting hot on the outside held near them (but not close enough for them to grab it and cause you to spill on them).


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Let me be clear, I never said breast milk was unsafe to feed a sick child, and I never recommended NOT feeding a sick child breast milk. I did point out the importance of nutrition, and hydration. I did share my experience with what I believe helped my son recover from cold & congestion as an infant. He was breast fed, he was offered additional fluids, and I used a bulb/nasal snot sucker thingamajiggy.

Here is a link referencing the University of Western Australia.

http://www.eatrightwv.org/meeting2011/slides/CompositionofHumanMilk.pdf

On page 7, it clearly states humans are mammals. (Female mammals have breasts, or udders...potato, potahto.)

On page 8, there is a cool little chart showing basic components: fats, proteins carbohydrates. The comparison only shows 4 species. 

On page 11, one of the qualities mentioned is that breast milk is anti-inflammatory. Cool. I would, however, surmise that every mammals milk is anti-inflammatory to young of it's own species.

I, too, am glad that the OP and her kidlets are feeling much better.


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Chixarecute said:


> I categorize breast milk/any milk as a dairy product.


See, this is what you said. Breast milk and dairy products are completely different creatures when it comes to nutrition and effects to the human body.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

A vaporizer can often help, along with a menthol rub.

Sorry if this has already been mentioned. I couldn't read all the breast milk stuff due to time...

Glad your kiddos are better. I thought I'd throw this out there if someone needs it in the future.


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Annsni, if I understand what you are saying, you're saying that "dairy" is only dairy if it is being used by a species that did not produce it? See, I'm just saying that milk, produced by a mammal, is dairy, a classification of a type of food - as opposed to fruit, vegetable, meat...

Every mammal's milk is best for it's own young. I've never stated otherwise. I do stand corrected, (#31), that HUMAN milk has anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial to human young,

Hmmm...here's a research topic...is there a way to design an experiment that would indicate if the v_irus/bacteria interacting _with the (infant-ingested species-specific) _milk_ actually increases congestion in ill individuals? (And no, I am not suggesting we try this out on human infants!)

It's not so far-fetched that both sides of this debate could be correct!


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Chixarecute said:


> Annsni, if I understand what you are saying, you're saying that "dairy" is only dairy if it is being used by a species that did not produce it? See, I'm just saying that milk, produced by a mammal, is dairy, a classification of a type of food - as opposed to fruit, vegetable, meat...
> 
> Every mammal's milk is best for it's own young. I've never stated otherwise. I do stand corrected, (#31), that HUMAN milk has anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial to human young,
> 
> ...


Dairy as we consider it medically and in our culture is cow's milk or other mammal milk - not breast milk. Breast milk is a "clear fluid" in most cases (when a child has gastric upset) and even before surgery, breast milk can be safely consumed closer to the surgery than milk or formula. There is no evidence at all that breast milk increases congestion and it actually will usually help fight congestion when a little breast milk is squirted in the nostril and then a nasal aspirator is used to pull out the mucous. Additionally, whatever illness the child is fighting the mother was exposed to as well and her body is creating antibodies that are then passed on to the child, thus assisting the child's immune system fight the bug that they are dealing with. The best thing to do when a child is ill is to continue breast feeding as much as possible - for both comfort and nutrition.


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

One thing that I would like to add is that it is helpful for mom to avoid cows and goat milk products (I would normally use the term "dairy" but I am using this terminology given the posts above). 

When my kids were that young, we used the saline spray instead of the saline rinse. Just spray and then use the booger sucker to clear their nose.


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

When my little one had his first cold at 9 months I called the dr as it was a very congested type of cold and I was worried about pneumonia so was MIL. Dr helped my mind when he said cold normally don't cause fever pneumonia will. I was out of town in the middle of nowhere OK. and it was xmas morning. Bless pedi docs. He also said keep him upright so everyone slept with him on their chests and saline drops helped. We took hot showers/baths with him often as well. the water bill was high that month. 

Colds just have to run their course but it is not fun and kind of scary when they are little. And for twins to be sick at the same time.... hugs btdt just with one but you will do it fine too. You know your babies best. you may be able get to sleep when they are older.


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