Sniffly baby - should I be concerned?

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants

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ewa-jo

Thu, Sep 15 2011, 4:11 am

My 6-week-old is sniffly. She is sneezing and coughing, but is otherwise having no problems. DH is worried that she's been coughing for a few days and thinks I should take her to a doctor. She doesn't have a fever, so I think it's no big deal.

IMO, it's just sniffles. My two boys have been sniffly this week... likely a bug that one of them caught because gan started last week. And I have seen both of them snatch the baby's pacifier a few times and try to suck on it.

The thing is, going to the doctor means taking the bus into town and waiting in a clinic full of sick people. There have been times where I've taken one of my kids to see the doctor (like for an ear infection) and caught something from being on crowded buses or waiting in the clinic with sick people. I don't wanna go. What should I do?

baba

Thu, Sep 15 2011, 5:24 am

Personally, if there's no fever and the cough isnt too bad/getting worse, I'd still wait a bit.
My dd had a stuffed nose for the first few months of her life. Our ped said it was courtesy of her older sister who brought every bug home from maon, nothing to be done about that.

lst

Thu, Sep 15 2011, 9:43 am

I'd take the baby to the dr. if the cough gets worse, just to check her lungs. Do you have any nurse neighbors/friends that have a stethoscope and would be willing to just listen to her lungs?

zionmidwife

Tue, Sep 20 2011, 6:31 am

Newborn baby nasal passages are so small, it doesn't take much for them to sound all snorty and sniffly. Remember that at 6 weeks they are still adjusting to all the many pollutants in the air, dust, perfumes, etc. If the baby is too stuffy to nurse well, putting some saline into their noses, (there are over the counter versions of this available, I don't recommend making your own with a baby that young) really does wonders for clearing and thinning the mucus so they are troubled by it less. If the baby is stuffy yet happy in general, worry less. If baby is stuffy, coughing, and CRANKY, worry a bit more, as they are telling you they are really uncomfortable. If it keeps up, a doc can check ears, and listen to lungs for good measure.

morah

Tue, Sep 20 2011, 8:39 am

At 6 weeks, there can still be amniotic gunk in there, so it's normal to be a little sniffly. If the baby isn't complaining too much, I wouldn't worry. Can you maybe call the doctor and ask if s/he thinks the baby needs to be brought in?

DovDov

Tue, Sep 20 2011, 9:45 am

If she's not sniffly enough to interfere with nursing, I really wouldn't worry -- it doesn't take much. Especially if she's not feverish and sleeping/behaving fine. If her nursing goes off or she gets very fussy I'd bring her in, but I would call the clinic ahead of time to schedule the appt (my doctor will ask newborns to come in either 1/2 hour before scheduled appointments or during the last 1/2 hour of their lunch break to avoid contagion) and take a cab. It's really not worth the risk of getting a newborn seriously ill.

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