Our kiddies illnesses

As I already mentioned earlier Alex wasn't sick many times. 

EAR INFECTION / COLD 

First time she was about 2 weeks when she started to choke and a seconds after scream in her basket. I was sleeping next to her and instantly picked her up trying to calm her down. Her nose was blocked so she couldn't breath properly and cry is the only way for little babies to breath by mouth.
We had this little bulb for sucking the mucus out but that didn't work. I worried myself so much that I didn't sleep until morning. It was Saturday but our health centre was open. We went to see the doctor as soon as it was possible.
We didn't know her. We always went to a different one. I didn't like her from the first moment I met her.
We explained what happened during the night and she took a look at Alex. The examination of her heartbeat and throat was OK but then she wanted to check her ears. She was pulling the away, to sides etc it hurt me as well. Of course Alex didn't like this at all.
She had an ear infection. Even so they say breastfed babies don't have them so often she got it.
She got antibiotics to be taken by syringe and nose drops. The congestion disappeared in two days and she finished the week of antibiotics. We were glad it was over.
But I think that one important item we bought saved us from longer suffering. The same day we went to the doctor we searched for different way to help the baby with a mucus and head cold etc.

A friend of mine told us about the BabyVac. It's a plastic device that helps to clear baby's nose. You can get move details online http://www.babyvac.co.uk/

We absolutely love it. Alex didn't mind it, just now she's a little scared of the vacuum cleaner noise when the BabyVac is connected, but she didn't have a problem with other vacuum cleaners. We are using it anytime she get cold and runny nose as she doesn't know how to blow her nose yet. It's always ready in the bathroom as the winter months are here, we might need it again, but hopefully she built up her immune system already and will go without sickness during the winter.

Another thing we use for colds is a vapour rub. It's a gel that smells nice, fresh and you rub it onto baby's chest. It help release the congestion during the night. Also Saline drops or spray is great, I'm using it myself as well. It's just a salty water that you spray or drop to your nose.

There is another way to get the cold out of your body. Chopped onion or half onion on a bedside table. I usually put half onion next to the cot, but out of reach of the baby. It smells horrible but the onion should catch all the bad things in the air. 

For sore throat we always used onion juice. You chop onion in a clean glass bottle, add sugar and a little bit water, close the bottle and put it in the fridge. In a few hours there is a juice that you can use as a throat syrup. Alex liked it, not sure if that helped her, but we always use it when somebody's sick. I just don't like it, so if I don't need to, I go without it. My hubby likes it, so he always get it ready if he's getting cold.

DIARRHOEA / STOMACH BUG

Alex had it when she was about 9 months. It was a horrible time. She was in pain, her stomach hurt probably. She had bad diarrhoea for 3 days and she puked once or twice as well. I know it's not good to put baby on diet, but we tried to give her only biscuits and rice cakes for one day. She got better withing 24 hours of being on dry food and water/baby tea only. The next day she got her milk again, but most meals were still dry. After two days on this type of food she was completely OK. Of course she could have as many dry biscuits and rice cakes as she wanted. She wasn't hungry, her poop had a good colour, but was just very runny. I'm not a fan of medications but if it's needed it's needed. This time, she got well all by herself. If I wouldn't see improvement during the first day on the diet, I would run to the doctor to get her something, but she's a strong healthy girl and she proved it.

TEETH-ACHE

I know it's not an illness, but you have to deal with this during the first few years of baby's life quit often. Some people are lucky and won't even realise when their little one get a tooth or two. We were lucky during the first two teeth. Then it changed. Alex was grumpy, nervous, it hurt her, she was spitting the food, putting everything she could find into her mouth and biting everyone and everything. The worst time was with her last two teeth. She has 6 now. The last time she developed a very high fever. Nearly 40 degrees of Celsius. We gave her lukewarm shower and had to give her baby medication to get the fever down. She was sleepy all the time, and I think that helped as well as she slept through the pain. She didn't want to eat much. Her cheeks were like on fire, all red and hot. We used Teetha - a teething gel and granules, it's Chamomilla 6c a homoeopathic remedy for teething. It helped a little, but not as much as we would prefer. 

She's still teething every second day. Her cheeks get red, she gets grumpy but no new tooth yet. 

All started when she was about 3 months, but her first tooth came out over a half year later.

FEVER

As for the fever, here are some tips I know from my mother or friends. I can't promise they will work for you, but they are working for some people.

Cut slices of onion and put it at the sole of baby's feet, put socks on and leave it overnight. I didn't try this one as myself I have very sensitive feet, and I know how aggressive could onion be.

Grated potato in socks should work the same.

I tried on my hubby this one: wet socks with vodka or any other strong alcohol, put on feet, over plastic bags and go to bed, it's worked on him like miracle, in an half an hour the fever was gone.

Cold towel wraps, I remember getting these when I was a little, we tried it on my hubby but that didn't work on him, the alcohol socks were better (that's my daddy's recipe ;))

SIXTH DISEASE

Last week Alex developed high fevers. She had them for 2-3 days. She was otherwise alert, played with her toys, she drunk a lot of water, but wanted to sleep during the day more and was awake more often during the night. Temperatures disappeared and rash developed on her belly and next day on her back as well, but after two days it started to fade and it was gone in 4 days completely. We originally thought it might have been a reaction to vaccination, but when I checked with the Dr. she said it was too long after her injection. Alex is fine now. That's the important thing. 
We gave her medicine to lower the temperature only once, the 2nd night as she was very unsettled and waking every half an hour. The rash wasn't itchy, so there was no need to treat it. We went with the days as usual. She had her shower before bed as well, but we didn't use any soap or shampoo. 
 

That's it, she's currently very healthy and happy baby, crawling around the house, walking around furniture and jumping on us. I'll update this page when something new comes. Hope it won't happened soon and she will be as healthy as she is now for a long time.