Conference moira::parenting_v3

	Two good starting points for me:

	Put a blanket/pillow under the crib so the baby is propped
	at an angle (obviously with head elevated).  My 7 month
	old has been sleeping with an angled mattress since birth
	practically!

	At the drugstore, I bought a bulbed syringe thats is labeled
	to be for the ear!  The nasal syringes are tool wide to fit
	into tiny infant openings to their nose - the ear syringe
	is much "pointier" and works great for me.  Everytime I
	changed a diaper, I was sucking out junk after junk.  For
	sometime, I also used a small dropper & put a very diluted
	saline solution (1/8 tsp. salt to ~1/4 c. warm water) up
	her nose, but I don't know if it really added any value.

	Both my kids were on antibiotics quite early.  I found the
	it took a lot of experience before I could successfully
	guess whether the 'cold-like' symptoms were also causing an
	ear infection.  Hence whenever the cold-like symptoms lasted
	more than 2 days or there was any signs of distress, I took
	the kids in for ear checkups & sure enough, they can start
	real early.  So watch for this.

I second the ear syringe in .1.  I use Ocean Spray, wait a few seconds, then
"vacuum" with the syringe.  We also elevated the head of the matress, and have
left it that way for the past several months, and used the cold-mist
humidifier.

We used Pediacare at that age, but it didn't seem to help. My pedi allowed me
to use Dimetapp (1/4 tsp) and that seemed to work just fine.

When they are *really* congested, they may sleep better in a swing or car
seat.

Good Luck!
Kristen

    My daughter, Elizabeth, started with colds/ear infections at 3 weeks of
    age - it's really scary.  We found that having her sleep in her car
    seat was the only way she could breath.  Her car seat worked the best
    because it had a cloth cover and she wouldn't slide down.  We also put
    a blanket under her.
    
    Yes, little ones can and do take antibiotics and decongestants. 
    Naldecon, either the over the counter stuff or the perscription one
    have worked the best for my girls.  It doesn't wind them up the way
    Pediacare does.  All kids react differently, so you may have to try a
    few to find the best one for your child.
    
    She'll eat more when she starts to feel better.  She may also have
    trouble sucking if she ends up with an ear infection. 
    
    Hope she's feeling better soon,
    Debbie

    Another way to raise the head is to put a book under the feet of the
    crib for the end you want raised.
    
    Christopher spent many nights in his babyseat in the crib - sitting up
    and safe!
    
    Patty

    My son had real bad conjestion from about 3 months to 5 months.  His
    Pedi wouldn't give him anything but Ocean until he was 6 months (it had
    cleared itself up by that time).  They suggested elevating the crib
    itself. (They suggested putting a 4 inch block of wood under the legs 
    of the crib to elevate his head.)  I tried putting a pillow in his
    crib, but he would wiggle off of it.  They also suggested steaming up the 
    bathroom and either bathing him while the room was steamy or feeding 
    him his last bottle before bed in the bathroom.  That worked, Stephen 
    slept alot longer and he didn't sound so conjested while he slept.
    
    Try sucking the junk out of baby's nose BEFORE you fed her.  I found that
    Stephen ate more that way, because he could breath.  I would also get
    up at various times of the night when I heard him having trouble
    breathing and clean out his nose.  He would just lay there and let me
    do it.  He knew he would be able to breath afterwards.  I personally
    don't see any difference with using the cool air humidifier.
    
    Kathy
    Kathy

    
    When my son kevin was two months he was in the hospital with a
    respitory infection.  He was in oxygen because he was congested.  They
    also had him on an IV and there was a medicine that a machine blew into
    his face and would make him cough and sneeze to clear his nose.  They
    also had him on amoxicilan and Pedialyte.  In a week he was back to
    himself.