Sick 3 Week Old and VERY Worried Mom!

I found that the saline nose SPRAY (not drops) were helpful when my infant was stuffy because the saline would really get up there and usually would cause him to sneeze after a minute or so (which was much nicer than trying to suction out his nose). Also, just putting a vaporizer/humidifier in his room (with no additives) will also help with his congestion.

Can you put his mattress at a slight incline? That's supposed to help. Plus a vaporizor. Get some eucalyptus oil at a healthfood store and add it to the water.

Maybe rub a little Vicks on his chest?

Just keep him hydrated, but insted of only breast feeding try some warm water in a bottle. The milk from the breast sometimes causes MORE phlem. Also, sit in the bathroom with the shower going on HOT for baout 30 mins. you can even feed him in there. that will loosen everything up, then suction it all out. Continue doing that, and everything should clear up in a couple of days.

J. -

Make sure and suction his nose out with a bulb/suction device when he's really snotty, especially before feeding. You can also use a few drops of saline solution nose drops - it's supposed to just dissolve the boogers away, especially if they are crusty. Good luck. If you get really worried, take him to an urgent care facility.

Dana

Have you tried a cool mist vaporizer in his room at night? I would just keep taking his temperature to make he doesn’t get one and if he gets a cough, keep calling the pediatrician to make sure they don’t want to move the appointment up. I would not take him outside unless you have to and really really try to limit the amount of time his is around sick people. Wash hands frequently. You want to make sure he doesn’t have signs of RSV virus. Other than a bad cough and shallow breathing, I am not sure what they are but you could look them up. I have a 6 month old and just learned that an adult can have a cold but have a type of RSV (but it only looks like a cold in an adult). Then the adult can pass it on to a child and then the child will get RSV. Don’t listen to people when they tell you to put VICS vapor rub on your child’s feet. Here is an article telling you why not. Good luck and call your pediatrician whenever you have questions, even at night, that is what they are there for. I am sure my file is HUGE!

http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles...

If you can't get into your doctors office.
Try the Beaumont After hours pediatric clinc in the Beaumont Medical Building on the Beaumont Campus.
Good Luck!

J.,

Call your Dr's office back and insist on bringing the baby in. If your still met with resistance ask to speak to the office manager. It has been my experience (I have 5 children) that Peditricians offices keep "slots" open during office hours expressly for last minute calls for sick kids.

If your gut feelings about the situation are making you very worried then you NEED to listen to it! Most of the time (for me anyway) when I have a gut feeling about something where my kids are concerned- it turns out to be somewhat justified.

Some comfort measures you can use for baby are a bulb type syringe to clear his nose of mucas. Something I always did with a stuffy baby while I was nursing would be to take a long shower together. Let the steam from the shower clear his nose, then nurse him in there too. Another product I always liked was Johnsons and Johnsons Vapor Bath, put them in a nice warm tub, then add a capful or two of the vapor bath and that always seemed to relax, and soothe them.

Good luck and don't be afraid to be insistant with the Dr's office!

If your pediatrician can't see your son TODAY, find another Doctor. A three week old baby should be seen by a Doctor if he has a bad cold. I'm surprised your Doctor would not fit you in today.

Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Time to start looking for a new doctor first of all! I can't believe they are making you wait til next week.

Anyway, to help the situation now, I would squirt some saline up the nose very gently and then use your bulb to suck it all back out. You may need help, because the baby will be screaming and hate and you will be very emotional. When this happened to my little one I was lucky enough to have a ped nurse as a friend to help me.

Good Luck

K.

J.,
Call the drs. office again. This child is only 3 weeks old and they should be concerned. If they won't see him/her, take them to the ER or find another dr. I would call on Monday morning and have him in within 3 hours of calling, especially with an infant. There may be something more, like an allergy or if breastfeeding maybe there is something that you are eating that his/she is allergic to. Either way, get him/her in to the dr. today.

You could try running a humidifier that has a medicine cup with something like Kaz menthol. If you don't have a humidifier go in the bathroom with him and run hot water for fifteen minutes, the steam alone can help. That may help relieve some of the congestion. You could also suck out the mucus from his nose, you can buy those bulb things from any pharmacy. I used them all the time with my kids to get the mucus out, especially before a feed. It is soooo hard to breathe and feed with a cold. When he is sleeping, if you can keep him a little elevated it can help, so if he has a swing or bouncer that he is able to sit in it might help him sleep better (at least during the day).
I can't really think of anything else for such a little one. Hope he's feeling better soon.

My first came home from the hospital and two days later had a nasty cold. It is scary since they're so little - all you want to do is stare at them and make sure they're breathe ok. She's 5 and strong as a bull these days.

Some things that I have found that help after 3 kids is:

1. Saline drops in each nostril as much as you want (I'd do it every diaper change) Saline will help dry stuff up. I would hold their head in my hand and tip them slightly so the drops would run into their sinuses - and hold them there for some mama kisses. Then aspirate to get some mucus out. He will probably hate this and will scream like you're pinching him (like mine did) but it doesn't hurt - he is just acting bothered.

2. Stuff some blankets at the head of his crib mattress and keep his head inclined. This will help drainage.

3. Get that humidifier going full blast! Moisture will help keep things moving.

I have a friend who swears by squirting breast milk in her son's nose. And of course as much nursing as possible for all that immune support and hydration. If he just can't nurse because he's too stuffy - you may have to pump and use a bottle so he doesn't have to suck too hard to get it.

As far as I know, that's just about the safest stuff you can do for the little guy. Hopefully he feels better soon!

Hi J.,

Just like a lot of the other moms are saying "I have never heard of a doctor telling anyone to wait a week with a sick infant." His cold could turn into RSV which can be fatal in infants. I would definitely call back and demand an appointment or find another doctor.

In the meantime, put a vaporizer in his room. When my babies got sick the doctor recommended that until the congestion cleared to feed him by spoon so he wouldn't feel like he was suffocating.

Hope this helps and hope baby gets well very soon!

Honey, you need to know the tricks of the trade. Your child is having trouble breathing. That sentence alone, when you give it to the scheduling personnel at the dr's office will get you in promptly. Then use the sentence, "Also, he is not nursing." You should not have a problem getting in to see the dr. and if you do change dr's. I know from experience the symptoms you have listed quickly progress into RSV. I had two children at a young age with those same symptoms and they ended up having RSV. Don't panic but get him to a dr. fast.

Hi J. at such a young age I wouldnt wait on an appointment. I would take the little one to Childrens Hospital. Even if you take him thru the ER. Being that it is a Childrens Hospital everyone in the ER is qualified to see a child and they have seen some of EVERYTHING. This isnt always hardly ever the case with regular ER doctors. Hope this helps...

Dear J.,
Is it possible to visit another doctor? I would call the doctor's office again and tell them that you don't want to wait until next week and ask where you could go if they are not available. I hope everything is ok. Trust your instinct and never worry about being overprotective. That is your job!

A cool mist humidifer works better than anything and is safe. Give it a try.

You can try running a humidifier and letting him sleep with his head elevated (in his stroller or carseat). But most importantly, you need to switch doctors if you can. A baby that young who is sick should be seen the same day you call or the next day at the latest. Your doctors office must be really overloaded with patients. If it always takes too long to get an appointment, and if you have to wait for a long time when you get there, it's time for a change.

Hello J., Steam!! Boil pans of water on the stove, set up a humidifier in his room. Add menthol to the water, then use a nose asperator to suck out the mucus right before nursing and have him sit as upright as possible while nurning. The doctor cannot do much for a cold, it just has to work itself out, so keep the mucus as liquified as possible with the steam. Sleeping in the car seat also helps for them to breath easier. Good luck.

Keep his nose suctioned and keep checking for a temperature. If he doesn't have a temp then its most likely a virus, which you can't treat with an antibiotic anyway - though some doctors will prescribe them to satisfy mom's. However you don't want to use antibiotics if you don't need them, our bodies tend to get resistant to them over time and then when you really need it, you can't use it. Anyway, fluids are the best thing, so keep up the breastfeeding and maybe try some pedialite on top of that. If you're not interested in using a bottle (and that is wise at his age) then use an eye dropper or spoon to get it into his mouth.

Good luck! He should be fine. The things to look for are a fever or a cough, then you need to get him in quickly.

If your doctor cannot get you in for over a week with a sick infant you need to switch doctors NOW!!!!

I agree, do NOT use Vicks with a baby that small.

I recommend squirting some breastmilk up his nose. Sounds crazy, I know, but just a little bit will get to work clearing up that mucus and he'll be able to breathe better. Keep his head elevated while nursing - if you can, try sidelie nursing with your arm underneath his head. Take some nice warm baths with him, too. The closeness and warmth will soothe him (and you!) and it'll also help him relax so he can sleep better.

Good luck, mama!

My daughter got a very sever cold when she was 3 weeks old as well. The baby is so small there is nothing that the doctors can do. Cold medicine doesn't work, so what are you looking for them to do? I would get a wash cloth put in the microwave to make it warm, and then put vicks on the wash cloth. This will create a warm moisture that he can breath with out it having to touch his skin. Then I would have him sleep in something that props him up like his car seat, swing, bouncy chair, anything that will help him drain. Remember its just a cold, it just stinks when they get that so young. I would invest in an aromatherapy pack off ebay. I just got one and its amazing. It comes with a pack that has mint in it and its for losening up sinus. Its very strong so you would have to place it a few inches away from you son but he could sleep next to it and it would make it possible for him to breathe. I just used it on my 2 yr old. warmed it up and stuck it in his shirt. Good luck!

If your doctor can't see a sick 3 week old baby, find someone else! Any pediatrician should put a high priority on the health of a child that young. You are right to be concerned....get him seen, if not at your dr. then at a "pediatric acute care" or immediate care kind of place. There are lots of things to avoid when they are that young, and if he is having a hard time eating, GET HIM SEEN! Get angry with your doctor....they should have "urgent" appointments available EVERY DAY for just such things....Your son should be prioritized and should be seen TODAY. Make it happen. They should not be putting you off like this. It is not right, and you are doing the right thing, being concerned and doing your part. Even the emergency room is better than nothing...though be careful to keep him away from communicable diseases...once you get there, demand to be put in a separate place, due to how susceptible his immunce system is at this point. I'm so sorry your doctor is not helping you...it really is a shame when the people we moms need make themselves unavailable. I wish you the best....I'm sure your son has just a touch of something, but he needs to be seen NOW before it turns into something worse. I don't mean to cause alarm...I just get really mad when medical professionals don't get it.

When my daughter was very young, don't quite remember exactly how old, we would put her bouncy seat right in her crib and let her sleep in it like that. It helped her a lot to be elevated.

Hi, your baby isn't feeding well because he can't breathe through his nose. Try a vaporizer in his room or where ever he sleeps. Buy sterile saline and an EAR suction bulb. Squirt the saline up his nose and then immediately suction his nose out.The saline helps break up the mucous. Use the bulb whenever he feeds or seems to need it. Use the saline three times a day. Vaporizers can harbor bacteria so use distilled water and scrub it often with diluted bleach. I mix diluted bleach in a sprayer and use it for a variety of cleaning needs. His cold is a virus so antibiotics won't help. But, if he starts running a high fever, has a raspy sound in his chest or a "barky" cough take him to the Doctor or ER. These are symptoms of a bacterial infection or croup. I am a retired Resp. Tech. You can also run the hot water in the shower, with the bathroom door closed and hold him while the steam accumulates. This technique will aid in breaking up his congestion.I hope this advice will help. Denise K.

I hope I don't offend the other moms who recommended this, but do NOT use vicks vapor rub (even in a wash cloth) or an aromatherapy pack with mint on a newborn. Their skin (and mucus membranes in their nose) are so sensitive that many babies (like mine) get horrible rashes from any chemical (even alcohol free baby wipes). Also, mint is very strong and some people are irritated by it. The kind used in aromatherapy gives me a headache and makes me nauseous and dizzy. I would hold off on stuff like that until he is older.

Now, my advice...

I wouldn't worry, newborns survive colds just fine, but I do agree that you should insist on your baby being seen if you feel uneasy. That's absurd to for a doctor to make you wait a week.

My baby came home from the hospital after he was born with a cold (thanks to big sister). His mucus was so thick it looked like noodles coming out of his nose and we actually had to grab it and pull or it would spring back into his nose after we sucked it out. He survived just fine. Here's what we did...

He slept in his car seat so he was propped up. We used a humidifier. We used saline drops in his nose and a sucker to clear out his nose when it was really bad and before nursing. Don't use a sucker too often, though, or it could irritate his nose and make him grumpier. I found he nursed better if I kept his body angled with his head higher than his body while I nursed.

Hope he gets better soon.

That is crazy about ur dr office! You need to change dr esp if ur son is 3 weeks old. My pedi is wonderful u call that day she sees my child! I'm so sorry ur little one is sick my daughter was breastfed and got a cold I had to put saline in her nose and suck the boogies out right before each feeding. If ur dr won't see ur baby I would take ur baby to promt care he is only 3 weeks old!

J. ~
Sorry, I don't have any home remedies for you, but I do have some advice....If your pediatrician is not able to get you in for a week when your child is sick, I would change doctors! There is no excuse for that. Most offices keep some slots open for people to get in when sick. What if it's something more serious than just a cold?
As far as I know, there is no medicine you can give your son at this age, aside from Tylenol if he starts to run a fever. You might be able to use some saline drops for his nose .... that would help to clear it up enough to eat...you can check with the pharmacist.
D.

yes J. call them back if they will not get that little giy in i would take him over to after hours he is way to young and it is still rsv season as far as the plug nose when you put him to brest buy a can of simple saline spray little up each side and suck it out with a asperater should help a little

wel i dont have advice on what you can do for him except maybe put a humidifier in his room at night, but my advice is this, change doctors , i work in a pediatricians office in Novi and we never turn away a child who is ill, you can get in same day, the number is ###-###-####. They are very good docs and I highly recommend them.

Why don't you take your son to one of the urgent care facilities in the area or Troy Beaumont after hours clinic. I had the same issue and took my son over the weekend and he already started on antibiotics and is feeling much better.

In the mean time, try to gently help him clear his nose with one of those suctions.

Hi J.,

I don't have too much to add, as everyone else has wonderful advice. And I do agree with them all ... call your Pediatricians office back NOW and insist they see him today. Otherwise, find a new pediatrician. 3 weeks is too young to wait.

Saline drops or breastmilk in the nostrils and then use a bulb syringe to get it out. (the saline and breastmilk helps thin the mucus so you can suck it out)

The only other suggestion is to get some eucaplyptus oil and put it in the vaporizer water. You can typically pick it up at a health food/vitamin store. It helps open air passages so they can breath better.

No vicks vapo or anything like that. He's too young.

Encourage him to breastfeed as much as he can. I often found when my daughter had a cold if I just kept trying, often times it would force her to breath through her nose and help clear away the passages. I would use the saline and nasal aspirator (sucker thing) first.

Hope your little guy feels better soon1

Definitely call your ped's office again -- if they won't take you within a couple hours, get to an urgent care clinic/er and then get a new ped! A serious cold is nothing to mess with when a child is that young. There are sooo many things it could be.

I would make sure you get in the doctor's. Call back and ask for a referral if they can't see you. The "cold" your baby has may be RSV and if so, can be serious. Don't take no for an answer, you are the advocate for your baby. if you can't get in, go to an urgent care....unfortunately, they won't specialize in babies. Best of luck.

being that is he is so young, you need to consider that it might actually be allergies? Unfortunately, he's probably too little to test for such a thing. if its external allergies (dust or pets or such) a vaporizer near where he sleeps should help a little. Give the house a good cleaning for dust mites, and make sure he has a vinyl liner encasing his mattress (dust mites).
my daughter had allergies when she was that tiny...she was a spring baby also (march 15) and its those things that set her off every year, pollen, sprouting grass, dust and mold.
on the bad side, if its allergies, it could be milk...unfortunately even breast milk is a factor when they are allergic to milk.
for relief...that darn sucky thing helps (the nasal aspirator) take him in a steamy bathroom too.
hope he feels better!!!!!

Both of my kids got bad cold at that age. My doctor told me that their immune systems were getting used to the new environment. I would stand in a hot shower, holding my baby. That seemed to help with the congestion. You could try saline drops, too...It's terrible when your baby isn't feeling well!

I've NEVER heard of anyone having to wait a week with a sick newborn - J. I think you'll have to find another pediatrician. I can always get into mine that day or the next day. To clear his nose you could use a special bulb that helps suck out mucus. Also a humdifier in his room might help. I would speak to a local pharmacist for advice too - good luck - Alison

Sit in a steam shower with him. Get the bathroom really steamy, sit in there for about 5 minutes and then leave the bathroom and try nursing him. It is amazing how it opens up the nose! Also, prop his mattress up. Put a pillow underneath the mattress (do not lie the baby on the pillow). This helps with drainage too. However, I would keep calling the doc until they can get you in because waiting a week is ridiculous!

if you are that worried, no offence intended as this an old post, first action you should take is get your arse off your computer seat and phone the relevant services. Even if you look stupid when the ambulance man says you have wasted their time. SAFE rather than....ye know. Any way, my point is, this site is good for general stuff, if you are worried, phone 999, or 911 if ye a yank. all else fails, phone ye mum.lol
ps try nasal saline spray,, take about a day to work properly but good for instant relief

J...

I am appalled at your doctor and his office. I have never heard of a pediatrician making a Sick child wait to be seen as if it were a regular appointment. They expect to be called last minute for sick children and fit them in. I would call back and insist, ask for a doctor or nurse to call immediately or tell them you'll hold. Then I would find a new doctor!! Ridiculous. I'll be thinking about you both and keeping you in my prayers. My grandson, who is almost two, also has a bad cold and is miserable. I can't imagine having a baby that young, nursing, and being told to wait a week to be seen by a doctor. I'm sorry.. I'm so aggravated and po'd for you.

L.

Ask your DR first, but Saline drops and an asperator will help your little one breathe....Godd luck!

J. - Don't consider getting a new doctor's office, GET a new doctor's office. I have never heard of such a thing - that a three week old would not be seen immediately for any condition affecting respiration -- for all they know, it could be late onset Group B Strep which is an extremely serious infection that is related to germs acquired during birth. Respiratory problems can quickly get out of control in little babies, so it should be addressed sooner rather than later. There are lots of excellent physicians in the area who would drop everything to see your little guy to make sure it is *just* a cold. If you want a recommendation, please email me - I have always been able to get my sick children in within a hour or two when something like this comes up. You should take charge of this and get your child in right away.

I would go to the nearest READY CARE / URGENT CARE ASAP.....The baby is only 3 weeks only....

troy & royal beaumont beaumont has an after hours pediatric clinic. it's down the hall from the er and staffed by pediatricians. we've used it a few times. call them
troy ###-###-####
royal oak ###-###-####
they work with your insurance. troy opens at 5pm and royal oak opens at 6:30

First of all, I'd find a new doctor! You need a doctor that will get you in sooner when your child is sick. Mine gets me in the same day I call. As for help. My 3 month old has had a cold for about a week and a half. We put a vaporizor in her room and it REALLY helped her stuffiness at night. She always seemed to be breathing well at night, and I would suck it out in the morning when she got up.
HOpe that helps.

J.,

1st find a new doctor
2nd. Put a steam vaporizor in your baby's room
3rd put a few towels under the head part of your mattress to elevate the your baby's head while his is laying down. You can alos put vicks on a towel and lay it in the crib so the baby can bring in the vapors.
Also by little noses saline and put a few drops in his nose and then suction it out. Yes it's very hard and heartbreaking to make the baby cry but it will help break up the mess in his litle head and help him breath better.

I hope your little guys starts to feel better.
P.

Hi J.,

Congratulations on your new baby! First of all NO Ped. should make you wait one week before getting you in with a new baby. Especially a sick baby. I would very much start calling around for a new ped. My son is 9 yrs. old and his Ped. will get him in within one day if I told him he was getting sick. Please find a new one.

In regards to the eyes, keep using a luke warm wash clothe and dabbing his eyes. Don't rub but dab lightly, just to keep the yuckies out. Second before nursing maybe try a nose syringe to suck some of the yuckies out and maybe it will be a little clearer just to nurse.

Good luck, your baby will be okay. But I would really call another Ped. or call your current one back and say he really needs to be seen. If you have to say he has a slight fever just to get him in. I have done that before. You can never go to far when it comes to the precious ones we love the most:)

Let me know how it goes. If you need to send me a PM if you have any questions or just need to talk.

S.

My son was stuffy that early as well. Thank goodness Summer is around the corner!
The best thing to do is saline drops (I like Little Noses brand) and use the booger sucker. It's kind of scary to do the first time because he will scream, but it will clear his sinuses and give some temporary relief. You'll have to do it more than once though. Hang in there and give lots of cuddles!

My first thought is to try another doctors office- I know my daughters doctor has always seen her the same day when she's sick or I can take her to the after hours clinic at Troy Beaumont. Making a sick baby (so young) and a worried mom wait a WEEK is insane in my mind. Our doctors ph# is ###-###-####. It's a bit of a drive for us, but like I said, we've never had issues with being seen when needed (or calling during non-office hours for questions).

I would also recommend a cool-air mist humidifier wherever he's sleeping. I'm not sure if baby saline nasal spray is ok for someone so little (but a doctor could tell you- even over the phone). Try to keep his head elevated, too. Are you able to suction his nose at all right before nursing? Or try nursing in the bathroom w/a steamy shower running (I know this isn't the most comfortable place for you, but it may help him breath a bit). Good luck, I hope you're able to find something that helps and a doctor who will take a sick newborn serious.

Get him into a new pediatrician for your own reassurance and for God's sake, do NOT put Vick's on him! Read the labels, people! There are virtually no cold medicines safe for an infant!

And J., this IS your life. Life does not "fall into place". You can improve it if need be. God Bless!

J.
Use a warm mist humidifier. I use mine every time my daughter is stuffy. It works great. If you're really concerned, take the little one to an urgent care since you can not get into your doc. Good luck.

S.

I agree wit most things that have been said here. The vaporizer in babies room, take a warmer shower then normal let the bathroom steam up and have baby in a bouncy or swing in the bathroom to get the steam. You could always go to a urgent care or med center if you are worried about an infection. However if it is just a cold your Dr. can not do anything for you. They will not give meds to children anymore for things like this unless they have an infection of some sort.

Try a suction bulb in his nose to release some of stufiness. A bath should also help. Put a humidifier in his room. Keep breastfeeding..it's the best thing you can do for him. No meds at this age. I think any illness in a three week old is a big deal and I don't like the fact that your doc can't see him until next week!?! I would consider a different doc.

If the doctor's office cannot get you in for a week for a SICK visit, then you SERIOUSLY need to consider finding a new doctor's office! I mean, sometimes I cannot get in to see our primary care doctor right away, but there is always another doc in the office who can see you for a sick visit.

When my daughter was little, I would let the hot water run in the bathtub & let it steam up in the bathroom. Sitting in there with her seemed to help.

Hi J.,

This might sound odd, but squirt some breastmilk up his nose. It really works. Breastmilk is great to cure lots of stuff.
Also, take note on how long he nurses for and how many wet diapers he has in a day. If he's not drinking enough and so only has a couple wet diapers, you might want to call and update your doctor. Our little three week old was admitted to the hospital in Dec because she had caught a cold and wasn't getting enough fluids.
They gave her and IV and she was fine two days later.
Not trying to worry you, but it's good to be informed.
God bless you all.
M. G.

You need to get a different doctor, if you have a sick 3 week old they should make an appt with you immediantely. You need to call them back and say that the baby needs to be seen today, as in NOW. If they refuse you really need to seek another doctor, but you need to get your baby seen to make sure that he doesn't have something more serious. My son has had serious respitory issues without any fever.

I just want to say GOOD FOR YOU FOR BREASTFEEDING YOUR SONS. I'd say that having 2 small children qualifies you for having a life that's already fallen into place! Your plans for school are awesome too. The breastfeeding will give your baby antibodies to fight this thing he's gotten, so that's the best thing you can do. Can you clear his nose with a baby nose syringe and saline just before you nurse him? Keep a close eye on him and take him to an urgent care if you need to or keep calling your own doctor. Don't let him get any sicker, even if you have to go to the ER. Check his temperature often and nurse as much as you can to keep him hydrated. Good luck, J.!

I'm with the other moms....find a pediatrician that will see your baby TODAY! My son's pediatrician always gets him in right away and would never wait a week...especially at that age.

I hope everything goes well for you and your little guy gets better soon!

Hi J..
First and foremost--call your dr back TODAY, and insist they see the baby. He is TOO young for them to put off any concerns a week. Most pediatric offices would never do that. Make sure they understand that he is sick and needs to be seen. Even though there is no fever, you are a new mom and need to feel secure that he is ok. If they really will not see him, then you need a different dr.

--In the meantime until you get that cleared up, use a cool mist humidifier. Take it everywhere in the house that he is. If you are in the living room, move it into the living room, etc... and keep it in close proximity to where he is. If he is in the bouncy seat, sit the humidifier next to him, not spraying right on him, but in his direction.....and he should definately be sleeping next to it.

--You can use saline drops for his nose and suck the mucus out with an aspirator, they probably sent you home with one from the hospital, those ones are better than the ones you buy in the store. Just drop about 2 drops in his nose (he will NOT like it) and then suck the saline/mucus out.

--Also, keep in mind that November through April is RSV season. RSV is a respiratory virus that can be very dangerous, especially to newborns (my son got it at 5 weeks old). Watch his breathing and if he is becoming really labored, call your dr. right away.

--Elevate his crib mattress. Lift the mattress up, put a pillow underneath the mattress, between the mattress and the bottom of the crib and lay his head at the end you elevated. This will help keep the mucus draining instead of all stopping up in his nasal area.

--Last and not least, trust your instincts and follow them, to the ER if necessary. I am 33, but had my first one at 18. I was not assertive enough with the dr.s and so forth. I trusted what they said and didn't question it much. I felt worried and helpless. Do yourself a favor and find a dr that will truly listen to you, so that you do not have to sit and worry. Feel free to contact me via email privately too if you have questions. Also, remember there is always the ER or urgent care if you feel like something is really wrong. Good luck :o) and hold faith that things get less scary and more second nature as you go along. :o)

My son was in the hospital with RSV at 9 weeks. The doctor should see him TODAY! Call them back. If they won't see him take him to ER.

When you do get to see the doc, make sure they are informed that the staff refused your request for an appt. Often the doc is unaware that the patient even called!

FIND A NEW DOCTOR! I cannot believe that any peds doc would make you wait that long for an appt-esp with a newborn! I work in the peds ER and many babies are coming in testing pos for RSV and influenza right now. Either get a new doc quick or take him to an urgent care clinic to make sure it isn't anything serious. You should never have to sit around and worry about your baby.
I've taken my kids to the urgent care on Dixie in Clarkston and they were pretty good there-and it's 24 hours/7 days a week.
Good luck .

Call the drs back. If they can't "fit " you in before closing today hang up with them, and start calling other drs. Switch drs!!!
Stress the fact that the nursing is being hindered... And you don't feed with a bottle...
If noone will get you in before the end of the day then go directly to the emergency care or ER... At least your fears will be soothed until you can get an appt with a new dr...
At 3 months I was visiting family out of state when my 2nd child got a cold... He was having a really rough time breathing because of the congestion... I knew I wouldn't sleep a wink because of the fact I could hear him breathing laborously from across the room... I did take him to the Urgent care and guess what? had to pay out of my pocket for it... But I was relieved that it wasn't anything the drs thought was an issue and was given permission to give some meds to him... I slept alot better after that...

Hope you find a dr that actually cares about seeing those not real emergency, but could easily turn into a really big emergency cases...
Good luck!!

J.,
My kids are 18 months apart and my second son was sick WAY more often and much sooner than my first ever was. Hopefully your family won't get too much sickness over the summer.
Looks like everyone covered some great advice on here :)

Hang in there!

for one if he's sick and your pediatricin can't get him in for a week than you need a new pediatrician.The only reason I say that is he's three weeks old he is a High priority. Try to suck his nose before feedings. Run a pot of watter on the stove when it starts steaming reall good hold him over the steam. Just his face so his nose can drain and get most. Or you could sit in the bathroom with the shower running. Use the nose sucker. I wouldn't use a any type of rubs on him. But you should call the pediatrician back.