My Favourite Items for Taking Care of a Sick Baby

Family, Holistic Home

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Is there anything more heartbreaking than taking care of a sick baby?!

Being a mom of four I have had a lot of practice at this and while you get more confident, it never gets any easier to see them so sad and miserable. I want to share with you some of the items I have found to be useful when taking care of a sick child.

Remember, I am a mom sharing my advice on products that I have found helpful. I am not a doctor and this is NOT medical advice. Seek medical attention immediately if your child needs it.

When Cove was about three weeks old he got RSV and I had to bring him into the emergency room three days in a row because he was having difficulty breathing. During our stay in the emergency room I remember three or four different people coming into the room and they each asked me ‘Have you heard of Hydrasense?!’ It has since become a bit of a joke whenever a kid is sick. I am going to ask you the same question….have you heard of Hydrasense?!

So let’s get to it. My top 5 things to have on hand when my kids are sick (in no particular order):

1. Snot Sucker

Little kids and babies in particular have a hard time clearing their nose when they are congested and their nasal passages are super tiny which means they get congested easily. A snot sucker (technically, they are called a nasal aspirator) helps you suction out the snot so they can breathe more clearly.

Now, I am not talking about those little bulb things that everyone tells you to put on your baby shower gift registry…from my experience those should just be thrown away because they do very little. I have used the Hydrasense brand but I know that the Nose Frida is another popular option.

Just remember to put in the little filter before you begin sucking! 🤢

2. Humidifier

A humidifier works by filling the air with water vapour that in turn helps to relieve cold and flu symptoms.

At the first sign of congestion I like to turn our humidifier on in their room when they are sleeping to help them breathe easier. You can buy a humidifier at any big box store, pharmacy or here is the one I would pick from Amazon.

3. Essential Oils

Essential oils are so versatile and powerful to support many different illnesses. From respiratory trouble to upset tummies to fevers and beyond there is an oil that can help. I have roller bottle blends of my go-to remedies ready so that when a kid wakes up sick in the middle of the night (like they usually do) I am ready! Or I diffuse them while they are sleeping or in our main living space to either give all of our immune systems a boost or to help open our airways (and for many other reasons…seriously oils are amazing!)

If you would like to learn more about essential oils check out my essential oils page here.

4. Thermometer

Fevers can be scary, especially if you aren’t used to managing them. I am on team let the fever run its course to fight off whatever needs fighting off but you should definitely do some research to see what you are comfortable with.

A reliable thermometer can help you keep track of your little one’s temperature so you can better manage their wellbeing. Again you can get them readily at your local pharmacy or I would pick this one from Amazon.

5. Juice

Hydration is so important when your little ones are sick and especially when you have a gastro bug and are losing a lot of fluids they can become dehydrated very quickly. Juice has the ability to replace the fluids that are being lost and have the added bonus of having vitamins that can help the body do what it’s supposed to do when fighting off a sickness.

Plus, kids rarely say no to juice (or at least not in my house) so its a win win for everyone.

So there you have it. My top 5 things that I like to have on hand for when any of my four kids gets sick. And lets be honest…thats a lot with all the little kids we have around here!

What would you add to this list? I would love to know in the comments.