4Mo Old Very Congested

the 2 yr. old you could put a tiny bit of vicks vapor rub under her nose

with a 4 month old I'd just go by the doctors words

By pumping her nose, I assume you mean sucking the crud out. You're better off using Little Noses a few times a day, which are just saline drops. It will help to dry up that crud in her nose. Otherwise, that's about all you can do. Unless she has some kind of infection that the doctor will give an antibiotic to treat, there is not much you can do about these nasty colds.

I would take her to an osteopath (www.cranialacademy.org). His name is Dr. Richard Armond in Suwannee, GA. He will gently use pressure on points that will help relieve both of their heads. It is safe for babies as little as 1 day old. It is very helpful for my kids.
I also use the nety pot on my 2+ year old, but you could drip using a medicine dropper 1 cup warm water mixed with 1/2 tsp salt (the nety pot salt is the best at whole foods, but you can use sea salt). It will help flush the nasal and stop the bacteria from growing.
Homeopathic's are really good for the little ones, but you would have to check what is available at your local natural herb store. Hope they are better soon,
J.

Poor baby -- I'm sure she's miserable! I'm sure other posters have mentioned saline -- but that's the best advice I can think of. Ocean spray (or an equivalent) to soften what's in her nose and the nasal aspirator to get it out. That's if she congested... Keeping her hydrated. Make sure your humidifier is CLEAN -- you don't want to be inadvertently causing your daughters' problem by filling the room with microorganisms and nasties through the humidifier. Change the filter often, clean out he base and basin every day, etc.

There's always the 24 hour hotline. 404-250-KIDS. If your baby can't breathe well, don't wait!

I have a 3 yr old, 18 mo old, and 3 mo old and luckily have somehow managed to escape congestion/cough type issues. I HAVE however had lots of other issues and the children's healthcare nurse line (try: ###-###-####) has been very helpful esp after hours. Congestion type issues in such a young baby are not something to mess around with. They will be able to tell you signs to watch for (appearance of chest while inhaling that may mean she is having difficulty breathing and needs to be seen sooner, etc) and some helpful home remedies.

I have several friends who have had infants end up in the hospital for congestion that was really pneumonia and the sooner it is caught the better. Is she able to drink/nurse well still? I don't mean to freak you out but this is something to be really diligent about.

Good luck. I'll be thinking about you!

Try one of those Vick's vapor, waterless plug-ins. They work really well. Just don't leave it in longer than 8 hours. They look like a plug-in air freshener. You'll find them near the rest of the cold meds at any drug store, Target, Wal-Mart, etc... Good luck! We've got it here, too. It's no fun!!

Baby Simply Saline, sold at Kroger.

with my babies i like to use just a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil in bed i put 3-4 on the sheets by the baby's head or while in a sling i may put one or two on the sling and if im breastfeeding i'll put 1 on the fleshy part of my hand between my thumb & index finger to help while i'm holding my breast while nursing. also as much as possible i rub the baby's toes the pads of the toes on the underside of the foot relate to the sinuses and the head so rubbing them helps that.

B.
sounds like you are doing all you can.

if her mucus is green in colour it doesn't mean that she is contagious. It means she has an infection. Get yourself a good humidifier with a filter on it. Use little noses saline drops, and make sure she is getting lots of fluids. you want her to be able to rid herself of all that mucus naturally. When you using the bulb to clear her nose make sure you rinse it our really good so that you are not inadvertantly exposing her to more bacteria and reinfecting her. and wash your hands often and your 2 yr olds too.

Sounds like your doing all the right things. I would use saline nasal spray and the bulb syringe to really clear out those little nostrils. As long as there is no fever and she is drinking enough fluids thats pretty much all you can do for now--Good Luck and I hope she feels better soon!!

I agree with Sharin. Colored mucus doesn't mean contagious. I was told by a pediatric RNP that it doesn't necessarily mean infection either. He said that decongetants and antihistamines can cause it to change colors, too.

Also, make sure that your humidifier is thoroughly cleaned daily. The instructions in mine recommend cleaning with a bleach solution daily.

Also, try propping up her head at night and when she's lying down by elevating her mattress.

Good luck! I know how miserable it can be when you can't make you little one comfortable.

You might try putting some Little Colds Baby Rub on the bottom of your child's feet. I know it sounds crazy, but it works! I won't go into all of the details as to why, but my family has done this for ages, and the Little Colds product is made for little ones. I hope it gets better for you.

There is only so much you can do. Using the saline spray, even without the aspirator really helped my daughter. Other than that it was just TLC.