When your baby catches cold, things turn into a mess and his/her sleep pattern is disturbed with constant running nose, fever and general malaise. This can cause you to lose your cool as well. Most mothers start fretting when their babies fall sick and even for a simple cold, they get a doctor’s prescription to be on the safe side.
This is in fact not needed as there are several safe and effective home remedies that can be used for treating cold in babies. These remedies are gentle on their immune system and ease the discomfort naturally without the aid of medications.
Useful Home Remedies For Baby Cold
Honey
Honey is a mild antiseptic and a simple remedy that can treat cold and throat irritation. Take a feeding bottle and fill half of it with warm water. Add half teaspoon honey and let the baby drink this.
Honey is not recommended for babies who are less than one year as it can contain botulinum spores that may be dangerous. Giving honey twice a day can help in keeping the symptoms down and also for treating the cold effectively.
Steam
Dry air can aggravate the symptoms of cold and also cause throat irritation as well, making the cold worse, especially at night and preventing the baby from sleeping. Steaming is a great way to keep the moisture content in the air up. You can use a steamer for this purpose so that the air remains moist.
Steaming can also help soothe the throat and loosen up the phlegm that could be making your baby difficult to breathe. Another way to apply steam is to open a hot tap and keep the doors and windows closed so that the steam enters the baby’s respiratory system and eases the breathing.
Saline Drops
Saline drops will help in cleansing the nasal passages of the baby and removing the trapped and hardened mucus that could be causing your baby difficulty in breathing. Take 1/4th teaspoon salt and add to one cup of water.
Using a bulb syringe, slowly add a few drops into one nose and remove through the other with a bulb syringe. Repeat until the nasal passages are clear enough for the baby to breathe. It should not be done for more than four times a day as it can dry the baby’s nasal lining and cause irritation.
Ginger
Ginger is an effective remedy for treating cough, cold and congestions. It helps in increasing the circulation of blood and also in warming up the body so that the phlegm is melted and expelled out.
For babies, make a tea by adding five grams of ginger to one cup of boiling water. Steep for ten minutes and then add half a teaspoon of honey. When it reaches room temperature, fill half a bottle and give it to them. Ginger is very effective in treating colds in babies.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus is a very strong remedy that can immediately remove all the nasal blockages and ease the breathing trouble. Add a drop of eucalyptus oil to a dispenser and let the baby inhale the fumes for a few minutes. This is an excellent remedy for treating cold, chest congestion and cough in babies.
Vapo Rub
Rubbing vaporub on the chest and is another effective way by which you can relieve the baby of the cold. Vapo rubs that can be administered on babies are available now and these are safe for use even for babies as small as three months.
Remember to avoid all vapo rubs with camphor and menthol while treating babies as they are not recommended for children younger than 2 years. Vapo rubs give a cooling effect to the body and though they actually do not remove congestion, they make the baby feel much better with their cooling action.
Garlic
Garlic is an antibacterial agent and helps in destroying the bacteria that could have caused the cold. A tea can be prepared with garlic by adding chopped pieces of 2 cloves of garlic to one of boiling water.
Steep for ten minutes and allow it to come to room temperature. This can be given to the baby in small quantities all throughout the day. Add a teaspoon of honey if your baby is older than six months.
Lady Finger
The mucilaginous nature of lady fingers have a probiotic effect on the baby’s body and helps in removing the bacteria and also the mucous from the body and also removing throat irritation and inflammation.
Take one lady finger and slice to smaller pieces. Boil with one cup of water and steep for ten minutes. Allow to come to room temperature give in small amounts to the baby.
Turmeric
A pinch of turmeric can be added to the regular fruit juice or milk or even warm water that your baby drinks and this can be given twice daily to remove cold. Turmeric helps in removing inflammation, bacteria and also strengthens the immune system of the baby in fighting off the infection.
Lemon
Lemon is a mild antibacterial and antiseptic that can be used for treating cold. Lemon is also rich in vitamin C that comes of help for developing immunity. Take the juice of half a lemon and add a teaspoon of honey for older babies.Give it in small quantities by adding adequate amounts of water. This is a simple yet very effective treatment that can be given for cold in babies.
Chamomile
A mild tea prepared from chamomile can help relieve the inflammation in the throat and also soothe the throat of babies. Take a chamomile tea bag and boil with two cups of water.Steep for ten minutes and this diluted tea can be given to babies older than six months.
Chicken Soup
For babies who are six months and up, giving chicken soup is a way to treat their cold fast and relieve the symptoms.It Is known to relieve the symptoms of cold, reduce fever and inflammation and take care of aches and pains as well. Chicken soup that comes canned too is known to give effective results for cold.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.