Help fast...Please. Breastfeeding Message Board

bjlmom · 03-11-05, 01:14 AM

Ok Alice has the same cold Ben and I have had. She has the stuffy nose, cough and a tiny fever. Well she isn't having an easy time of nursing. I give her something for the cough and stuffy nose and I use the nasel aspirator....but she still isn't nusring as much as I think she should. That and I am so full it hurts, I don't want to get a clogged duct or anything. She tries so hard to nurse but she can't breath. I don't know what to do. We are at my dads which doesn't help. If we were at home I would just pump and use a dropper to feed her. Might take a while but if that was what it took. She is still dirtying about 6 diapers a day, and I don't think she is dehydrated yet. Does anyone have any advice???? Thanks in advance....

skyqueen · 03-11-05, 01:29 AM

my DS was super sick for months and months when he was a newborn (thanks to my DD being sick and me as well because of her)

What worked for me is to use saline drops in the nose (saline only like "ocean" brand, not saline with other stuff in it -- little noses has saline only but they have all sorts of varieties so make sure it's saline only)
You can squirt that stuff in the nose, then use the blue bulb syringe (the other ones that are supposed to be 'safer' simply don't suction well enough) and suction. (using the saline will also help prevent bloody noses btw)
And do the suction immediately before nursing.

Then, when you do nurse, make sure that Alice is sitting up to nurse. ie: put her bottom on your lap as you semi-cradle her and lean off to the side and forward till your breast meets her mouth. (akward for you but if you use the end of a couch and pillows to prop your arm, it usually isn't that uncomfortable)

She also may just not be all that hungry because she's sick -- so keep at it.