We have all been there, when our child will not stop coughing. Especially at night when we all need some sleep, you find yourself scouring the internet in the early hours for as many tips as you can find! I thought I would share some of my top tips:
- Prop them up. So don't let them lie flat on their back. If they are just babies then a pillow is not advisable so instead I used to roll up towels or pop a pillow under their mattress to elevate them slightly.
- A fan. I find my little ones get super hot when they have a cough, which then means they get even hotter when they cough and its a vicious circle because the hotter you are, the more likely you will cough. I tend to pop a fan on them, on a low setting which usually allows them to drop off to sleep. Sometimes if they have stopped coughing once asleep I will switch it off, otherwise I leave it on a low setting away from their bed.
- Snuffle babe/ Vicks vapour rub. Depending on their age one of these rubs works really well. You can't use Vicks until they're quite a bit older so always worth checking the ages on the labels. I pop this on their back, chest and the soles of their feet.
- A Humidifier. I swear by these things they are absolute god sends! I pop in either some olbas oil or some eucalyptus oil and have it going in their bedroom at night. It means the room isn't dry and the oils help with congestion. It also makes the rest of the house smell like a spa!
- Steam helps! I try to get my babies to have steamy showers or sit in the shower room with the hot shower running so they can inhale the steam. It just means their airways can be opened slightly and mean sleeping is a little easier.
- Fluids! The more you drink the thinner your mucus will be, or so a doctor told me once! It also keeps the throat nice and moist and prevents that tickly sensation that makes you cough!
Hope at least one of these helps!
Hayley x
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