When your baby has a cold

A cold will only go away if your body works out the virus. The same goes for your baby, of course. This article tells you what you can and shouldn’t do when your baby has a cold.

Do’s when your baby has a cold:

• Put cotton clothes on your baby. If your baby has a fever, this will prevent him/her from getting too hot, and at the same time, these clothes will feel more comfortable.
• Go outside as little as possible until the cold is over and especially until the cough is gone.
• Ventilate rooms in the house well when your baby is not there.
• Avoid drafts (watch out for an open door and don’t put the bouncer in cold places!).
• If your baby is already used to warm foods (from about 10 months of age), broth works wonders. The warm liquid causes the airways to open and slows the propagation cycle of the virus.
• Give your baby plenty to drink! Drinking is a panacea for any illness that your body must overcome on its own!
• Avoid sugars. Think not only of sweets but also refined products such as white bread, white pasta, and white rice. These sugars reduce the action of the immune system, which provides resistance. Rather, choose multigrain or whole-grain products.
• Wash hands and face regularly. Not only does this make your baby feel fresher, but it also prevents reinfections. You can do this with a clean cloth and some lukewarm water, or with special facecloths.
• Make sure that the air is humid enough by hanging trays of water on the heater, for example. There are also humidifiers specifically for children. You can put in some eucalyptus.
• Do not let the room where your baby sleeps get warmer than 15 degrees.

Don’ts when your baby has a cold:

• Don’t think that your baby doesn’t understand you. Always talk to your baby and tell him it will be okay. Tell him that you know he is having a bad time and that you understand him. Tell him and show him that you are there for him. Especially now that he is having such a hard time, he wants to notice that he can always come to you. This will grow your bond.
• Going to work anyway because you can’t miss that one appointment… Working obviously creates obligations, but your baby really feels better with you than at the daycare center when he is having a cold!

Want to know everything about your baby’s mental development and find out how you can stimulate this? Download The Wonder Weeks app or buy the book.