I think my newborn has a cold.... please help / any advice?!

[MamaK]

Hi,

Miles is now 1 week and a half old and since yesterday has been sneezing and having trouble breathing - sounds like he is grunting a little and making weird noises we have not heard before.

He has slept WAY more than normal over the past 24 hours and has been eating less (I'm BFing, so instead of doing 2 boobs at one 'eating' he is just taking 1 at a time).

We took his temp, but thats 36,8 so he doesnt have a fever.

Does this sound like a cold? Or possibly an allergy like hay fever (we did take him outside in his buggy for a walk (10 mins) the last 3 days so maybe he has picked it up from there).

Any advice?!

Also, should I wake him for feedings? Since he is sleeping alot more (he usually wakes for feeds every 3-4 hours), but if he goes over the 4 hours, should we just wake and feed him?

From a slightly worried mama who is just trying to figure the best for her son

xxxxxx

 

[Sparky0207]

Hiya hun

I know babies have a lot of colds in their first year which builds their immune system up but if you are in the slightest bit worried id give your doctor or nhs direct a call and they'll reassure you.

With reagrds to waking him, I always used to let Lucy go up to one hour over her normal feed time then wake her. If he's that hungry he'll wake himself

xx

 

[FierceAngel]

i had a chest infection wen luisa was a week old and she got a real bad cold she sounded like she was struggling to breathe

i went to the docs but at tht age they cant give them anything but they gave me the following advice..

use ordinary saline drops if her nose is stuffy (you can buy in chemist)
sit with them in a steamy bathroom

pop a towel under the head end of the moses basket stand/crib to elevate it to keep them at a slight angle..

hope this helps xxxxxx

 

[MamaK]

Thanks alot ladies, xxx

 

[pollyfungle]

dd3 got a cold when she was two weeks old, really bunged up and struggled to breath. We used saline drops, and tried to keep her nose clear. Had her head propped up when she was sleeping helped a little.

If you're worried go to the docs hun

hope he's feeling bette soon x x

 

[kelly-pelynt]

hi, my daughter got bronchiolitis at 3 days old, which she caught from her sister which just appears as a bad cold in an older child and adults, ella was taken by blue lights in an ambulance cause she was finding it difficult to breath and making grunting noises, we stayed in hspital for 2 weeks in HDU with her on a ventilator. I dont want to scare you but just get little one checkrd over just incase.

 

[Jade--x]

My LO had a cold when he was newborn, and there really isnt much you can do to help them and its so horrible
I took him to the doctors and spoke to my HV and they just told me to prop his matress with a towel (one told me to prop it so he was more upright, and one told me to prop it so his bum was slightly higher than his head but I proped the top up so he was more upright) and to sit with him in a steamy bathroom, and they told me I wasn't allowed to use saline drops because they burnt there nose (not sure if thats true but I didnt dare risk it) or anything like karvol or olbas oil or vapour rub until 3 months old and to be honest I dont think any of them worked because he had it for what seemed like a lifetime (I think it was actually just over a week) and he got over it on his own.
After about a week though when he wasnt getting any better, the HV told me to put a little bit of mild baby vapour rub on the outside of his vest so he can smell it to help him breath.

As for the feeding, they told me to let him go an hour over his usual feed and then to wake him up, but if hes taking less than usual then I would wake him up when he normally has it (with it being hot he could dehydrate) and take him to see a GP.

Hope he gets better soon

 

[Sarahkka]

I think if it's a breathing issue and a newborn that you should go see a doctor. I'm sure you'll be told exactly what the others here have told you to do, but your peace of mind is important. And just in case it is something other than a cold, it's much better to have checked in with your health care provider.
As for the sleeping longer, there are many different schools of thought on this. Some feel very strongly not to wake a sleeping baby, others think it is dangerous to let a newborn go longer than 4 hours without feeding. If baby has a cold, lots of sleep is the perfect way for that little body to fight it off (we take to bed with a flu or cold, right?); however, fluids are also important and he only gets that from you feeding him. Are you breastfeeding? That will be very helpful in giving him the antibodies he needs to fight bugs off. Regardless, fluids are important, so I'd second Jade's advice and let him sleep an extra hour, then wake him. Lots of babies snack and snooze at that age, so maybe he'll multi-task for you and solve the problem!
Most importantly, go see your doctor. It will make you both feel better.

 

[pollyfungle]

I also used a couple of drops of olbas oil in a bowl of water, helped alot x

 

[Taurustot09]

my little girl has developed snuffles/cold/baby hayfever..m/w discharged us today but did say to have her check with g.p and could be given saline drops. their little sniffles sound worse than they are bless.

 

[redberry3]

cold mist humidifier and saline drops up the nose. My LO had 3 cold in the first 3 months of his life and just had a 4th this month, and that is what I did each time. It works like a charm!