{Kids} Dealing with baby cold

Umar caught his first cold at two weeks. Feeding time was a struggle as he could not breathe through his blocked nose. He would latch on for a few seconds then unlatched for air, screaming because he had to let go of his source of food for a few seconds, as you do. I asked friends-with-kids' opinions regarding how to best remedy the situation. Most suggested using unmedicated saline spray then suck out the snot using the included aspirator/bulb, which I was already doing. 

But one friend's advice that worked for me was to put some eucalyptus oil on a cloth and place it near the baby's head as they sleep. She also recommended baby vac which you use with your vacuum cleaner to suck mucus out.

The days are getting colder in Perth and Dawud has caught a cold at 6 weeks. I am quite crook myself. It is nasty business looking after and feeding the baby while you're under the weather. So here are some tips to make your days and nights easier as baby recovers:

1. Use unmedicated saline spray in both nostrils (baby's) a few minutes before feeding.

   

   Saline spray and bulb

   
   

2. Suck out the mucus using the bulb or baby vac.

   

   Baby vac

3. Feed baby and repeat 1 and 2 before putting baby to sleep. A baby with a blocked nose tends to sleep fitfully so you want baby's nose free of muck.
4. Put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a cloth, roll up and place near baby's head.
   
5. If baby is older than 3 months, you can rub babyvicks on their chest and back.
   
6. If you can and comfortable in doing so, being mindful of your nurse/doctor's advice about sleeping positions, keep baby's head elevated while sleeping. 
7. You sleep in content (for 3 hours until baby screams for milk).

I got my baby vac from ebay. I find young babies like the sound of vacuum cleaners as it is white noise and therefore easier to use the baby vac on as opposed to older ones who you might have to pin down (2 adults necessary) because they believe the vacuum cleaner can suck their limbs clean off their bodies.

Other tips that might be worth a try are running a hot shower and letting steam tease out the mucus and sucking snot out using your own mouth (which I haven't had the courage to try).

Now that Umar can blow his own nose, I give him a box of tissues and a bucket to throw tissues in when he has a cold. He carries them around the house as he goes about his day parking cars and playing in his one-man band. I still stick to steps 4 and 5 for Umar.

Winter is coming and head colds are pretty much inevitable but hopefully these tips will make them at least tolerable.

Thank you for stopping by!

P/S: Happy birthday to my cousin FA!

{Art and craft} Edible paint

A repost from my old blog horrendezvous.blogspot.com 

Babies and toddlers put everything in their mouths so this quick and easy recipe is great for when you need an activity to occupy the little ones outdoors or even in the bathtub!

Ingredients

1 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 cups water
Food colouring
5-6 glass jars (I reused baby food jars)

1. In a small saucepan, mix sugar and flour. 
2. Gradually whisk in water. 
3. Turn heat on low and keep whisking until mixture becomes thick and, gooey. This should take about 5-10 minutes, no need to boil.
4. Divide into jars.
5. Add a few drops of food colouring in each and mix. I used the handle of a spoon. 
6. Leave to completely cool and let the little tike have fun! 

We set up our 'art centre' in the back patio with old towels on the ground in anticipation of the mess but the bathtub would have been great too as you could just wash the bub off right away and extend the 'art' session!

Enjoy! Ta ra~