Tips For Tackling Cold & Flu Season

Winter is coming! The cold and flu season is upon us and you know what that means? Germs germs germs! The tiny humans are always the first to get hit and then it slowly spreads around the rest of the house. The first time Anaya got a cold we were so worried and had no idea what to do. Now that we've gone through it, we've figured out some tricks to help us prepare for the colder months.

Nurse Nurse Nurse

When your little one gets sick, you want to make sure you watch for signs of dehydration. Sunken eyes, lethargic, a drastic reduction in wet diapers, etc. Well meaning caregivers may tell you to give your baby water or pedialyte during this time to make sure you keep them hydrated.

Note: Breastmilk is just as nutritious as Pedialyte, has more nutritional value, and its easier for your little one to digest. Also, breastmilk is 90% water, so there is no need to give your little one any water. Nurse away!

When you nurse your little one, the baby's saliva signals your body to begin making the antibodies needed to fight the cold. The best thing you can do for your little one is give them breastmilk.

Congested?

This is probably my least favorite part when Anaya gets sick. I hate seeing her struggling to breathe with her nose all backed up. Peppermint oil is a staple in our house to help with congestion. Peppermint oil helps to clear sinus and lung congestion. Using it alone can cause a tingling sensation, so its best to dilute it with another oil.

We take two drops of peppermint oil diluted with coconut oil and rub it on the soles of her feet and her spine. We put socks on her feet to help the peppermint oil sink in. The peppermint oil has a very strong scent so you can usually immediately notice a difference in the way she's breathing.

If you have a humidifier, place that near the baby's sleeping area to help with relieving the congestion. If we don't put the peppermint oil on her feet, sometimes we will put a couple drops of the peppermint oil in the humidifier instead.

Warning: make sure you wash your hands after using the peppermint oil. That tingling sensation doesn't feel great when it gets in your eyes!

Sometimes it's more than just easing the congestion. When their nose starts running it feels like it doesn't stop until the cold is gone. You may have been gifted or picked up one of those bulb syringes to use whenever the baby has a runny nose. Let me introduce you to the Nose Frida. It's a game changer. #ad

To use it, you spray the baby's nose with your favorite saline spray, stick the tube at the base of the baby's nose, and suck the snot out from the other end. Wait, stay with me, I know it sounds gross. There's a filter in the collection tube that stops anything from entering your mouth. It's safer to use than the bulb syringes, plus, it's more sanitary because you can take it apart and properly clean it! Trust me, the NoseFrida is a game changer.

Fever

We try our best to pursue natural remedies before resorting to tylenol or ibuprofen to help with a fever. Consult with your pediatrician about dosage or which to use prior to giving some to your little one.

Our first course of action is to place a cool rag on her during skin to skin. My husband or myself (whoever is holding her) will take our shirt off and place her on our chest. This allows our body temperature to help regulate her temperature. While holding her, we place the rag under her arms or on her neck. These are usually the warmest spots on her when she has a fever.

If the cold rag isn't working, we give her a detox bath. We fill up her bathtub with cool water and place about two tablespoons of epsom salt in the water. The epsom salt helps to remove any toxins in her body and help her immune system fight the cold.

Cough

To help with a cough, we give her elderberry syrup. Elderberry is a natural way to treat cold symptoms. It's packed with vitamins and antioxidants that can help boost your immune system. Because Anaya is under 1, we give her the elderberry syrup without honey. It's something that the whole family can take, plus it's safe for moms to take and won't impact your breastmilk supply

I hope these tips were helpful. What does your family do to prepare for the cold and flu season? Let me know in the comments below!