Parenting gets challenging when your child gets sick. Studies reveal that infants are more likely to get sick during the first year after birth. Every parent needs to be prepared with an essential first aid kit for infants that you may need if your child gets sick, or uncomfortable due to gas issues.
Seeing your child uncomfortable or sick at any time of the day could be really stressful for every parent. Especially first-time parents get really upset if their child gets sick, and the inability to understand what is wrong with that tiny little human could break you as a parent.
My son got sick when he was about 4 months old. We could not give him medicine as he was too young for oral medication so nebulizing was the only option. No matter how strong you are as a parent, seeing your child helpless and in pain is so heartwrenching. I have curated this list of essentials for baby discomforts and sick days to help new parents. Some of them are medicines and some are tools you can use to help your baby feels so much better.
Remember, you should not be using any medication without your doctor’s advice. As a parent, you should know what route you have to go and what are medications you may need for sick days.
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Baby’s medicine kit essentials for discomforts and Sick days
Your medicine kit should have these essentials at all times for babies at home.
Digital touchless Thermometer
Monitoring temperature for the first several days after birth is very important to regulate your child’s body temperature. Also, if you feel your child is too warm, you must check temperature more often.
Touchless thermometers are the safe ones now.
For rectal temperature monitoring, you need this one.
Ear thermometers are great and accurate. Your child would not be too fussy while getting the temperature checked. Otherwise, you can use other digital ones – just make sure it is safe for rectal use as well.
If your baby’s temperature is more than 100.4 degrees you may need to call the doctor.
2. Humidifier is essential for breathing comfort
In case your baby gets cold or you have too much heat on in your house, having a humidifier would be helpful in breathing without making the baby’s nose dry and mucusy. If your baby gets cold or flu, a humidifier is something every pediatrician suggests.
If you are using a warm humidifier, there is a high risk of it developing mold inside, make sure you have a proper ventilation system. However, you still have to make sure to clean it more often.
3. Baby Nasal Aspirator for mucus removal
A nasal aspirator is a MUST to have in the medicine kit. Congestion and mucus may make cause difficulty in breathing for babies. Thus, it is important to remove mucus from the baby’s nose with the help of a nasal aspirator.
Nose Frieda nasal aspirator is a manual sucker. You can use the battery-operated ones to make it a little easier.
Although using a manual Nosefrieda aspirator is a little tricky yet super effective, and I would say a little hard. Try using the battery-operated nose cleaner that would be a much safer option now.
Read how you can treat cold and flu in babies.
4. Saline drops is essential to relieve stuffy nose
Stuffy nose is very common in babies, so you need saline drops to soften all those crusty boogers in your baby’s nose. Just spray 2 to 3 times in each nostril and this will help suck out all that mucus out of baby’s nose.
If you feel your baby has trouble breathing due to a blocked nose or trouble falling asleep, spray a few times in each nostril, so your baby can sleep more comfortably.
Also when you notice that the baby is getting symptoms of a cold or stuffy nose, rub a little bit of Vicks Baby Rub on baby’s feet and put socks on. This remedy works like a charm for anyone regardless of age.
For better sleep and less stuffy nights, using a chest rub may help through the night.
Boogie wipes are a must for a stuffy nose to helps with cleaning crusty, mucousy nostrils. Boogie wipes ensure gentle touch on the baby’s sensitive skin and don’t irritate the skin due to frequent wipe-offs. But do not buy several months in advance, as wipes may dry out with time.
Learn how you can treat seasonal allergies in children.
5. Fever Reducer is a must for medicine kit
A fever reducer and pain reliever in your sick days kit is a must, but you should use it only if advised by your doctor. Tylenol and Motrin for infants are considered safe for babies and are over the counter medicines that can be used as a fever reducer, teething pain or as prescribed by your doctor.
When you are traveling on long flights, you must carry fever reducer medication with you in your carry-on bag. Find out what essentials you need for babies in your carry-on bag.
Note: when you feed your baby any medicine as prescribed by your pediatrician, always dispense it with the help of a dispensing syringe on the side of your baby’s cheek. Dispense gently and do not do it straight in the throat. This could be risky in so many ways.
For babies aged 0 to 3 months, you can use a pacifier dispenser to feed the medicine.
6. Gas drops for relieving every day gas issues
If your baby is formula-fed, colic, or has digestion issues when you introduce solids, you must have gas drops at all times. Babies’ stomachs are tiny and it takes time to digest food and getting used to it. Giving a couple of drops every night before bedtime ensures sleeping through the night.
For my son, I had used Mommy bliss gripe water night time. I highly recommend that.
However, for my daughter, I had used Gas drops by little remedies. Whenever she gets uncomfortable at night or she ate something gassy, I gave her before putting her to sleep, so she doesn’t get upset at night due to stomach pain.
Read more
Why do babies get gas and how to relieve gas issues in babies.
7. Windi for gas discomforts
If your baby gets gassy and experiencing trouble passing gas, then Windi will help your baby release the gas. Windi is getting popular among new parents. Gently insert it in the baby’s rectal area to release gas.
Also, you can get this basic baby care kit by Fridababy that includes pretty much everything your baby needs.
Read about 13 reasons why do babies cry.
8. Itch solution for dry and itchy skin
Itchy skin is common among newborns and babies due to dryness, sensitive skin, or eczema concerns.
Although newborns have the right amount of moisture in their bodies naturally. You don’t need to apply lotion unless advised by your child’s doctor. But over a period of time, the skin starts getting dry. Ideally, keeping it moisturized with organic coconut oil and good organic lotion is a great way to keep skin healthy, and itch-free.
For my son, the coconut oil was not working any better at that time because his itchiness had gone really bad. Then I discovered Curel Itch defense lotion by another mom on google who was facing the same issue and swore by it. I had to give it a try and it WORKED. within a couple of days, he was all good. I highly recommend this for babies and adults.
There is no harm in having it in your baby’s toiletries. If your baby doesn’t need it, anyone can use it in your family.
Pro-Tip: If the baby is spitting out bubbly saliva, it might be one of the most significant signs of your baby feeling itchy – somewhere. You need to figure it out. Maybe an old wives tale, but proven true in my experience.
9. Rash Ointment
Introducing formula, new food, or whole milk, rashes are every baby’s story on this journey of life. After trying Desitin and a couple of other rash creams for my son, his pediatrician recommended A+D ointment. It has vitamins A and D which keep skin soft and moisturized. Therefore, it is safe to use with every diaper change. It really works even with a one-time use.
Related: Why babies get diaper rash and how to relieve diaper rash in super effective ways.
10. Using oil for baby’s massage
Massage is super soothing for babies just like adults. They sleep better, and they feel relaxed. Massaging the baby’s belly helps in releasing gas.
Earth Mama Organics Calendula oil is amazing for baby massage.
You can also use coconut oil or olive oil for massaging your baby every day.
11. Easing constipation
Babies do get constipation just like adults do. Changing formula or anything new in the diet does make babies constipated.
My son had his first when he was about three months and he went about 5 days without pooping. At that early age, I didn’t want to give him any oral medication. The only thing that worked at that time was vaseline petroleum jelly. I had applied vaseline on a clean Q-tip and inserted it in his rectal area.
Although I was really apprehensive to use something like that, and it actually worked and he pooped the same day. So yeah, if you are comfortable to use, you can try this method. It is always a good idea to keep a jar of Vaseline handy in your baby’s cabinet.
Related: Best remedies for constipation in babies and children.
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15 health conditions of newborns that require immediate evaluation.
Conclusion:
If your baby gets sick or you have any concerns about your child’s health, you have to speak to your child’s pediatrician. If there is an emergency you need to call 911.
Do not use any oral medicine like Tylenol and Motrin without talking to your child’s doctor.
Comment and let me know what is in your baby’s sick days box?
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