What to Do When Baby Has a Chesty Cough...

Posted Monday, September 28, 2009


I know, I know. Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever seen? (It gets better, I promise)

When my daughter (who is now 3) was a baby, I took her to the doctor for everything. And if the doctor's office wasn't open, I took her to the ER. We've spent at least 10 nights camped out in an emergency room waiting area for no reason at all. At the time, I would have argued that she needed to be there, something was very wrong, she was going to die! Now being a Mother of two, I can see where I went wrong. I think part of it was hormonal, honestly, but the rest of it, was I just didn't know any better.

Little Charlie came down with a runny nose the other day. When I got him out of bed, his nostrils were crusted over, his whimper was congested, and his eyes had a solid ring of pink around them. "Awww, noooo, Mommy got you sick", I pouted. When we cozied up on the couch for breakfast, poor baby cried every time he got a good latch. He couldn't breathe through his nose at all, making meal time a wide awake nightmare. We dealt with it, suffering through the day together, and eventually the sniffle simmered and the smiles returned.

Or so we thought.

Instead of draining out of his nose, it was draining down his throat. Of course, right? Dangit.

A day later, he was projecting a chesty cough that sent echoes bouncing from the floors to the ceiling. I plugged in the vaporizer near his play mat, and hoped for the best. Later that night when he went down for a nap, since he hadn't slept all day, there was the cough again. Louder than before, and bad enough to wake him up after his 5 minutes of peaceful slumber. Somehow the cough, that a day earlier had just been a sniffle, had turned into an awful miserable hacking. It was too late to take him to a doctor, and I knew that even if I did, they wouldn't be able to do anything for us. Not, a dang, thing.

I did what came natural. I hopped onto Twitter (I'm @TiaColleen if you want to be friends, *waves*) and asked for help. All of my lady friends were a huge help, not only showing concern for grumpy bear and support for a tired Mama, but they offered up some really great advice that came in really handy, and eventually did the trick! Man, I don't know what I'd do without the Internet sometimes, ya know?

So the whole point of this blog post, is to help another Mother out there, who maybe doesn't know what to do for her baby with a chesty cough. I am by no means a doctor, and always always trust your gut instinct. If you feel like your baby needs to see a doctor, or go to the ER, take her. These are just suggestions that have personally helped me (and others) when help was needed.

Things to do when your baby has a chesty cough (or just isn't feeling well):

-Humidify and vaporize. If you have a humidifier, clean off the dust, fill it with fresh water, and plug that thing in! If you can't afford an expensive one (and really, who can?), Vick's makes a cheapy that works extremely well, something like $12. You can get it at Walmart, Target, all of those drug store type places. We use that one more than we use our larger less affordable model.

-Put baby into a steam room. Take baby with you into the bathroom, close the door behind you, and with baby nowhere near (seriously, we're not trying to burn the baby here) the tub/shower, turn the shower part on as hot as the knobs will allow. Let the room turn into a sauna. Its uncomfortable, you'll start to get sweat and your skin will get sticky, but its what baby needs it (and really, you know you probably need it too). Strip baby down to nakedness, tickle his tummy, give him some raspberries, and before you know it, the mirror will be completely fogged up (write redrum with your finger, draw smileys, mess it all up, because you know you can't resist), and you'll be ready to put baby into a warm bath. Adjust the water temperature, fill up a bath for baby like you normally would, and hang out in there as long as you can possibly stand it.

-Pat baby on the back, almost like you're burping her, but this time you're patting her to loosen up the lung clogging gunk. Someone told me that this worked best after baby gets out of the steam room, and I agree. However, you can do this at any time, and it would probably still be effective.

-I got an email last year from my husband's Nana, something about putting Vick's Vapor Rub on baby's feet, and then covering his feet with socks. She said that my Sister in Law had tried it, and that it had worked for her. Well... if you've got some in the closet, its worth a shot, right? As soon as we pulled baby out of the steam bath, we loaded up Charlie's feet with a few swipes of the stinky stuff (stinky in a good way), and then put his footy pajamas on.

-Baby Vick's Vapor Rub. I read the back of the adult Vick's, and the jar states that it can be used on children ages 2 and older, and it when it comes to medicines, you can never be too careful. My neighbor just happened to be going to the store to pick up some allergy meds for her little girl, and she was nice enough to pick up a jar of Baby Vick's for us. When Charlie woke up for his midnight feeding, we put a little bit on his chest. Maybe write that down on your shopping list right now while you're thinking about it, so you don't find yourself making a trip to the store at 11pm?

-Elevate baby. My Twitter Mama friends suggested using a Boppy pillow, or even putting books underneath one end of baby's crib. I never used a Boppy pillow, so we didn't have that option, but we do have books. Good tip! Christopher went out into the garage and found some books right away, and put them under Charlie's bed legs.

-Hydrate your baby. If your baby will take water or juice, great. Mine won't, haha. If you're a breastfeeding or formula feeding Mama, don't be afraid to offer baby an extra round or two of milk. Normally I try to offer Charlie solid food in between breast meals, but while he was sick I gave him all the breast he could stand. And what really surprised me, was there was no spit up, which means he needed it. The more fluids you can give your baby while he's sick, the better. Drink up little one!

Alright, so we did all of those things combined, and our sad faced baby (remember the picture from earlier?) actually got some sleep.


I told you it got better, didn't I? ;o)



Re-posted with permission, from The Mama Dramalogues.

September Design Challenge…and the winner is

Congratulations to the winner of this month's challenge - 5. Knot Apron Dress- TEAL ROSES by: KateEmersonDesigns! Kate Emerson Designs is an absolutely fabulous store filled with stylish and adorable garments for children. All are made in Huntington Beach, California, USA, and can be found online and in Boutiques across the United States and Australia. Please, be sure to visit this store, it's fantastic!

*
This month we had a sensational palette of incredible designs. Cheers to all of you that participated and we look forward to seeing more of your wonderful creations next month.

Sibling Rivalry...

Posted Saturday, September 26, 2009

...irritating, yes. But sib squabbles are dress rehearsals for life.

(this is a snippet from an article in Better Homes and Gardens October 09 Issue p.262)

Siblings are the best and worst of friends during childhood, which is right on psychologically-their sole purpose is to gain a parent's attention, and irking a sib is often the way to do it.

I hated when my mother refused to get involved in our spats. "Work it out," she'd say. "I don't' want to hear about it."
But my mom was right. That conflict resolution she forced us to learn not only taught us to navigate relationships, it made us the best of friends as adults.

Many experts say parents shouldn't try to eliminate it as much as moderate it. "Sibling rivalry is a dress rehearsal for life," says Elaine Fantle Shimberg, the Tampa Author of Blending Families and mother of five..You have to learn to communicate and you have to make compromises."

Think before stepping in. "Parents, wishing only to see their kids smiling, sometimes hijack the process," says Chicago psychologist Aaron Cooper, author of I just want my kids to be happy! Why you shouldn't' say it, why you shouldn't think it, what you should embrace instead. They mix in when sibs bicker or fight, thinking it's the way to promote peace. In fact, it backfires much of the time."

Featured Shop : Gorjussstore

Posted Thursday, September 24, 2009

Today's featured store is from sunny Australia. Gorjussstore is full of beautiful girls items to make her look simply stunning and stand out from the crowd.


You will find frilly fancy pants, kimono pant sets, divine rompers and pretty dresses. My personal y favourite is the asian ruffle romper.



Gorjuss proves that you don't need to dress your daughter in pink to be feminine and girly.

Shipping is available worldwide and custom requests are also available.





enjoy!


Time sure does Fly

Posted Wednesday, September 23, 2009

I have been soo busy getting ready for my new bundle of joy that I keep forgetting to post a blog for you to read. So Sorry!! I do have only 5 more weeks to go so I am getting super excited. And Everyone is getting ready for Halloween so that will be fun too. YAY!! Ok wanted to make an effort to at least post something and not be a completely horrible poster.

Ohh and We finally got to find out our bundle will be a little girl. So I have tons of shopping to do still. My five year old son is excited about having a little sister too so I am soo totally blessed with that. Well again I am sorry I have neglected you all and I hope I can get back into the groove of posting for you all.

Kids in the Kitchen - Halloween Treats

Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Well, Halloween is just around the corner! Ooooo....spooooooky!

I love this time of year...the weather is pleasantly brisk, the smell of hot apple cider is wafting from the kitchen...mmmmm...pure bliss! This is also about the time that I start thinking about what kind of treats I'm going to make for everyone - my children's classmates, my friends and family members - like I said...it's my favorite time of year - I hand goodies out to everyone! Plus, my daughter's birthday is the day before Halloween, so right about now is when we start planning for a fantastic costume birthday party - and of course, we have a table loaded with treats there too!

I'm always looking for some fun treats to make - something totally SpOoKtAcUlAr! During the next few weeks, I'll try to bring you some fun - and totally ghoulish - treats that you too can make for your Halloween festivities!

Enjoy!

"Dirty" Popcorn Balls

Perfect for a Halloween party, these dressed-up popcorn balls can be made in advance, or let the kids make them during the party. If using microwave popcorn, choose a low-salt or salt-free variety.

Ingredients:

12 cups popped corn (about one 6-oz. package microwave popcorn)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

16 gummi worms (about 6 oz.)

Directions:

Pour the popcorn into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter on High until melted, about 45 seconds. Add the marshmallows and stir to coat. Microwave on High until the marshmallows start to melt and look puffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and cocoa powder and toss to mix. Set aside.
Stir together the melted marshmallows and butter until smooth. Pour the warm marshmallow mixture over the popcorn and stir to coat the popcorn evenly.
Using well-buttered hands, scoop up a handful of the popcorn and shape into a baseball-size ball, pressing firmly. Pull apart 2 openings in the ball and place a gummi worm inside each opening, letting the worms' heads and some parts of their bodies peek through. Close the ball and press firmly to seal the worms inside. Repeat with the remaining popcorn and worms. Roll the balls in the cookie-crumb mixture until roughly coated.

Eat immediately, or wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Makes 8 popcorn balls.

Preparation Tip: To mash the cookies for the dirt, place whole chocolate cookies in a sturdy sealable plastic bag and press them with the back of a spoon.

Candy Corn Variation: Skip the cookie crumbs and gummi worms. Tint the melted marshmallow mixture with orange food coloring. Mix a big handful of candy corn into the popcorn with the marshmallow mixture and form into balls as directed.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kids Parties, by Lisa Atwood (Oxmoor House, 2008).

An Interview With a 3.5 Year Old

Posted Monday, September 21, 2009

I saw this interview and thought it would be fun to try out on Gracie, which I did back in April. It doesn't matter how old your little kiddo is, as long as they are of talking age. So go on and try these questions out on them! You'll be laughing at their answers, to be sure!

My interview with Gracie:

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Don't run away


2. What makes Mom happy?

Being a good listener


3. What makes Mom sad?

Bedtime and naptime

(oh, yeah right!)


4. How does your mom make you laugh?

From making silly faces

5. What was your mom like as a child?

Like a baby

6. How old is your mom?

This many (holds up five fingers)

I'm five?

Yeah. Five


7. How tall is your mom?

Like a giant

(seriously, I'm 5'2'' and the shortest person in my family, including my 13 year old cousin)


8. What is her favorite thing to do?

Play with me

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

Play with my toys

(um.... no)


10. What is your Mom very good at?

Drawing


11. If Mom became famous what would it be for?

{Gracie begins to cry}

Why are you crying?

Because I don't want you to be famous! I want you to be my mommy!

Gracie, seriously. Stop crying. If I went on TV, what do you think I'd be doing.

Being on a cooking show

(for what, making macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets?)


12. What is your mom not very good at?

Not good at doing the alphabet

13. What does your mom do for her job?

Work with Angie

(Angie is the gal who does my prints, and one of Gracie's favorite people)


14. What is your mom's favorite food?

Spaghetti

(It really isn't. We just eat spaghetti all the time because it is quick and cheap)


15. What makes you proud of your mom?

Taking a shower

(exactly what is she trying to say here?)


16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

Ariel

(she’s right, I would choose Ariel)


17. What do you and your mom do together?

Play tag and paint

18. How are you and your mom the same?

Because we have hair


19. How are you and your mom different?

Because we are different than penguins


20. How do you know your mom loves you?

Because you lick me and you’re my friend

(yes, that says LICK not LIKE. Apparently I lick her)


So come on, mamas. Grab a paper and pen, and interview your kiddos. You just never know what is going to come out of their mouth.


Re-posted with permission from The Mama Dramalogues

EtsyKids Design Challenge-VOTE NOW!

Posted Sunday, September 20, 2009

It's time to vote for your favorite item! Voting will be open through midnight EST on Sunday, September 27th.

This month, EtsyKids members were challenged to create an exciting new item based on a theme 'The Colors of Fall.' We have a very talented team and this month's entries are fantastic! It will certainly be difficult to choose just one. So, please check out the designs below and VOTE!

1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
10.11.12.
13.14.15.
16.17.18.
19.20.21.
22.23.24.
25.26.27.
28.29.30.
31.32.33.
34.35.36.
37.38.39.
40.41.42.
43.44.45.
46.47.48.
49.

1. Six Halloween Acorns - Orange and Yellow Felted Acorns. by: Fairyfolk
2. tippa by: mette
3. Pumpkin Patch Boys Custom Boutique Set by: Thumbora
4. SPOTTED OWL Skirt for Girls and Toddlers by babe-a-gogo by: babeagogo
5. New FALL COLLECTION Pre-Order -Knot Apron Dress- TEAL ROSES by: KateEmersonDesigns
6. Yumi Fall Dress by: LittleTrends
7. Colors Of Fall Infant/Toddler Smock Apron by: adonals
8. Caramel Apple Onesie - 6 mos by: Winklepots
9. Hanging Wall Letter Set (hand painted . wooden . monogram . initials . custom . Times Bold font) by: bobsandbits
10. Lovely Autumn Tree - Jack Frost Was Here Tree - Waldorf Wood Tree by: prettydreamer
11. Fall Lady Doll by: byAgnes
12. Les Petites Amies Dress in Chocolate Corduroy - Ready to ship in 2T by: elisehooperdesigns
13. New for FALL Baby or Toddler Pillowcase Dress In Apples in Cream by: ButterflyBabyPlace
14. Dapper Dillingers in wide-wale corduroy OOAK by: OneGirlCircus
15. SweetBirdie Knot Apron Dress in Wonderland 5yr-10yrs by: sweetbirdie
16. SALE - Fall Colors Apron - Ready to Ship LAST ONE by: jjandjojo
17. The Colors of Fall Felt Headband by Daisy Creek Designs by: daisycreek
18. The Esmerealda Two Tone Twirly Skirt by: Bellesmademoiselles
19. Autumn Blooms Felt Flower Hair Clip by: CuzItClipz
20. Halloween Black And Orange Soft Fuzzy Stripes by: outoftheboxx
21. Autumn Tree Long Sleeve One-Piece Bodysuit or Shirt - Unisex for Girls and Boys by: potatopatch
22. Layered Ribbon Flower Hair Clip by: BeadedSocks
23. Autumn Harvest Knot Dress - 12mo - 10yr by: havilahashby
24. Fall Back to School Girl Toddler Tunic and Pant Set by MoochiesMamma 3-3T by: moochiesmamma
25. Precious Owl Costume for Halloween Size 4/5 by: thePaisleyPearl
26. It's the Great Pumpkin Knot Dress .. by Avery Lane .. Pumpkin Applique Twirl Dress by: AveryLane
27. Candy Corn Sack Hat ALL SIZES Perfect Photography Prop by: 40LittleToesDesigns
28. Friendly Spider Skirt Custom Boutique Handmade by: RagsNRibbons
29. Fall Harvest Gumball necklace by: cfarmdesigns
30. CANDY CORN HALLOWEEN PILLOWCASE DRESS SWING TOP TUNIC TOP GWBG by: PRINCESSDESIGNS
31. Just Ducky Autumn Wool Felt Hair Clip / Brooch by: claraclips
32. Beautiful Fall--Indian Corn--Tutu--your little girl will be a fall princess this Thanksgving day by: piggytailsboutique
33. Custom Handmade Autumn Leaves Pillowcase Dress by: madly2005
34. CSL Boutique Classic Cut Kimono Coat in Ginseng Choose your Size by: CandyStickLane
35. pressed flowers ruffle pants and top - sz 5-6 by: sunnybrookfarmdesign
36.Thanksgiving Turkey Applique TShirt Twirl Skirt Set Size 5/6/7 Ready to Ship SewSoNancy Boutique by SewSoNancy
37. READY TO SHIP---Pink and Brown Custom Boutique Peasant Dress by: Brkids
38. Brown and tan flannel Houndstooth Newsboy cap (choose size) by: kidinthehat
39. Orange, Brown, Black and White Boutique Style Hair Bows by: pumpkinsboutique
40. Classic Twirly Girl Fall Harvest Fleece Poncho by: carriagetownkids
41. Leaf Suncatcher Kid Kit by: AndThen
42. Pumpkin Patch - creeper or t-shirt by: roseprintsonline
43. Sunburst Snuggle Rag Quilt by Ahmelie
44. Personalized Pumpkin Shirt/Bodysuit Great for the Pumpkin Patch Long/Short Sleeved Bodysuits by: designabag1
45. Patchwork Pumpkin - 18 month short sleeved T by: thepolkadottotspot
46. Reversible Fall Jumper by: sewsosweetboutique
47. Autumn Selebration Hand Knitted/Crocheted Jacket Sz 7/8 years by: mylittlecitygirl
48. BABY GIFT SET - BIB N BURPIE FOR HALLOWEEN by: thecraftpatch
49. Dottie Collection - Size 6-12 mo dress with ribbon trim, shoulder bows, bloomers by: SassySweeties

....and now please follow HERE to vote:)
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