When your newborn has a common cold, you can manage the condition with the right home remedies and keep a close eye out for other symptoms.
Here are a few ways to do this right as a new parent:
1. Keep The Nose Clear
Since newborns breathe mainly through their nose, having a blocked nose can make feeding difficult. Therefore, before feeding them, experts recommend loosening the mucus using saline nasal drops and manually clearing it with a syringe.1 2
2. Keep Fluids Going
Just like with adults, babies affected with a cold should drink plenty of fluids. So you must continue to breastfeed them or give formula as you usually do. But try not to give them fruit juices during this time.3
3. Never Give Over-The-Counter Cold Medicine
Kids and babies under the age of 6 years should never be given OTC medications for cough and cold. Both AAP & CDC have issued strict warnings against this due to safety reasons. At the same time, you should also refrain from giving honey to children under 12 months of age, as it can cause botulism.4 5 6
4. Watch For Fever
Any fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months must be reported to a doctor immediately. Do not wait and watch as fevers in newborns can signal serious infections. Also seek immediate medical care if the baby has difficulty breathing, is not feeding, has no wet diapers for 8 hours, or seems unusually unresponsive.7
Bottom line
Most newborn colds resolve on their own. But if and when you’re in doubt, always call your baby’s paediatrician. That’s because newborns need closer monitoring than older children.
