After Thanksgiving comes sick....

I don't know if your family is like my family, but it seems that whenever we have Thanksgiving we always get sick.  It's like the world is officially saying "Welcome to the Cold and Flu Season."

This year I know that EG and me both had our flu shots, but with Ocho being only 4 months old she's got minimal protection from just about everything.  Mommy gets sick, so does baby.  And that's what's hit us this time around.

So, tips and tricks for surviving babies first sickness...

Congestion: 
1. When babies get congested, they can't breathe through their noses.  Since they eat by sucking (bottle or breast) and breathing through their noses being congested can really impact everything.  First things first, get a humidifier.  It's a lifesaver and can really impact everything.  It seems counterintuitive, but keeping their noses moist means that they continue to breathe okay.  It means that the airflow continues and they aren't gasping for breath.
2. When sleeping, you should raise the head of the bed.  This helps to ensure that the nasal passages are draining down and out, rather than just sitting.  When they are awake, have them sit in something with an incline, like your bouncer, swing, or nap nanny.
3. Hot showers for babies do wonders.  Much better than baths for releasing mucus in the system.  It may seem scary to take your infant in the shower (slippery baby) but it can really really help.
4. Snot sucking seems a bit gross, but can really help.  Babies don't have any concept of blowing out of their nose.  They really only suck in, rather than out.  Therefore it's up to you as Mommy or Daddy to get the snot out. This seems really gross, but get the NoseFrida. It's totally the best, and does a lot better than any of those bulbs they gave you at the hospital.
 
Fever:
1. Tylenol.  It's your best friend. It goes entirely by weight, and that means that Ocho gets half of what EG gets at 2 years old.  Obviously check with your doctor, but generally it's eery 4 hours as needed.
2. Motrin.  Sometimes you need both of them to keep the night going.  Your child may wake up after 3 hours of tylenol, and that's where the motrin comes into play.  It's every 6 hours.  It's not recommended for children under 6 months, and again, ask your doctor.

Cough:
1. There's nothing you can really do about the cough. Feed on demand and often to soothe the sore throats.

Additional things to remember-

They steal your antibodies, so don't be surprised if you are sick much longer than normal.
Sleep training should be put on hold.  It's not fair and won't turn out nicely for anyone.
Everyone gets better- don't give up hope!