I Heart My NoseFrida

If only they made one of these for adults!!!

This is exactly how it works! Don't be scared!

What is the NoseFrida you ask? Well, it is literally a snot sucker. It is a plastic device with a pointed end that you place at the opening of baby's nostril, attached to a tube that you put in your mouth and suck on. And I wish I invented it.

I was skeptical when my sister-in-law gave me one of these and said it was the greatest invention for kids ever, but I was also pretty excited to use it. I am one of those people that gets a sick satisfaction at sitting in front of the mirror and picking at zits.  Don't judge...I know you do to!

Cut to Baby M having a cold these past few days and waking up with green snot running from her nose. I quickly got out the NoseFrida and started sucking. And I was amazed at what I was able to get out of her nose! She was fine for the next few hours after our initial sucking, and I only had to do it once again that day. The next morning it was harder to get things out, but I could tell that she was having trouble breathing out her nose. I squirted a puff of Saline up each nostril and waited a minute and then sucked out some fabulous green boogies again.

I am embarrassed to say I actually tried it on myself, as I am suffering from a cold along with Baby M. Of course, my husband walked in the room while I was doing it and was horrified. And no, it did not work.

I highly recommend everyone running out and getting one of these suckers. They are sold at most Whole Foods, and some Babies R Us. They are worth every penny, and not as intrusive as the nasal bulbs you get at the hospital.

Suck It NoseFrida!!

Balmex Powder: Where have you gone?

At two weeks old, my son had a horrible, blistering diaper rash. NOTHING worked. I think I bought everything in the diaper rash aisle. I went to the health food store and bought Egyptian Magic, I sprinkled on some probiotics (in case it was yeast), and I raided the non-baby aisles for Maalox, Neosporin.... I could barely get his little bottom clean through all the layers of ointments. Until, I discovered the magical combination of All-Purpose Nipple Ointment and Balmex powder. This powder is a miracle. For little newborns that are always squirting something out, the powder absorbs all the moisture, yet also seems to neutralize the poop and soothes the skin. And it's cornstarch based, so it's safer to use. Within a few uses, the diaper rash was cleared up. I was ready to buy a case in case of future rash incidents, but after visiting what seemed like every Rite-Aid in a three state radius, as well as Babies R' Us, I can find none! Why is it that as soon as I find something I want to buy stock in, it disappears! And yes, I admit I'm writing this blog post so Balmex sends me a year's supply. If you find it, buy some for yourself and an extra bottle for me!

Sick of sickness

So my 13 month old daughter has her one billionth cold right now. Nothing serious – runny nose, slight cough, - oh yeah – and disrupted sleep. There is lots of talk out there about why it is “good” for kids to get sick. Mainly the conventional wisdom says that it helps them build up their immunities for later in life. If they don’t get sick now, they will get sick later. It makes sense to me right now, in the middle of the day, when I am sitting at my computer with a cup of coffee. It makes less sense to me, however, at 4:30 in the morning when I am trying to soothe my sad, sniffly daughter back to sleep for the third time that night. But whether it is actually good in the long run or not, the fact of the matter is that your child will get sick, and will probably get sick with some frequency in the first few years of his/her life.

Since there really is no way to avoid the common colds for these little ones, what can you do about it? If, like me, your child is in daycare, or you bring your child out to the children’s museum, the museum of science, playdates, or really outside for any reason – then your child will get sick so the question isn’t so much how to avoid the cold, but what to do about it when it happens.

I have found a few things that seem to help diminish the severity of the cold:

First – saline drops. My daughter screams her head off every time I try to get them into her. For the first few colds, I just quit doing it because I felt like I was torturing her, but after a few lengthy colds, I discovered that it really does help with the runny nose and it especially helps to keep a runny nose from turning into chest congestion. One suggestion – the doctor’s office has small, single dose saline droppers that they use (sort of like sample droppers). These are MUCH easier to get into a little nose than the giant “infant saline” droppers that you pick up at the store. Next time you have an appointment, whether your child is sick or not, ask for a couple of these sample droppers.

Also – hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. In addition to milk, I give my daughter tons of water, chicken broth in a sippy cup, and sometimes some watered down OJ. The more she pees, the quicker she recovers.

Lastly, I have found that boggie wipes which are just wipes soaked in saline, make nose wiping much more tolerable for my daughter than just using a tissue. If you don’t have boogie wipes, a warm wet paper towel works just as well.

Your Medicine Cabinet

It’s always good to ask your doctor what they recommend, but here are some basic things I think most would recommend to have on hand. And buy two of everything. Pack the second set of products in a small bag and throw it in the bottom of your diaper bag.

• Infant/Child Motrin and Tylenol
• Triple Antibiotic Cream
• Hydrocortisone Cream
• Saline Drops
• Child Benadryl. Ask your doctor the proper dosage in case your child has a previously unknown allergic reaction.
• A&D Ointment. Good for diaper rash, burns, and lots of other things.
• Thermometer. Vick’s makes a good, cheap reliable brand. Most doctors will only take a rectal reading for the first year. Ask your doctor at your first appointment to show you the proper way to do it. And make your husband watch. He’ll make some inappropriate comment about violating your child, but he should know too!
• Bandaids
• Gauze Pads. Better than toilet paper when you’re trying to stop the bleeding on the way to your first set of stitches

- Mama E