It is likely that your baby will catch a cold as some point, and this can understandably be an anxious time for parents to watch your baby find difficulty breathing. It is possible that along with the cold your baby may develop a low grade fever. Symptoms may include a cough, runny nose/sore throat and watery eyes. She may also display signs of irritability. Your main concern at this point to keep in mind and to keep an eye out for the possibility of this cold turning into an ear infection as the mucus generated by the cold can get backed up into the ear canal. What to look for is a persistent, higher fever and notice if your baby is pulling at her ears or rubbing them. If so, it would be advisable to definitely see your pediatrician to get that checked out. It can be very painful for your baby, but is easily corrected with antibiotics.

When your baby is really young, there is nothing your can give her to alleviate her cold symptoms. There really isn't much you can do at this point besides try to give her as much TLC (Tender Loving Care) as you can. Your baby will be irritable and grumpy because of her stuffy nose. If she is under six months old, she won't be able to breathe through her nose if she is all stuffed up so she will be having some trouble eating and breathing. Your baby won't yet be able to blow her nose so there will be the added misery of the runny nose. Even if your baby has been sleeping through the night, she probably won't during this time. She probably will awaken several times during the night because of the difficulty breathing.

If your baby is very young, it could even linger up to two weeks. Of course, every child is different, but your baby will probably have from between six to 10 colds by the time she is two years old. If your baby is younger than three months old when she gets her first cold, you should contact your doctor. If she is over three months old you need to contact your doctor only if the fever gets too high, the cold lasts too long, or you suspect that your baby by have an ear infection, sore throat, cough, or other secondary problem from her cold.

Until the cold disappears, there are several things that you can do to ease your baby's discomfort during this time:

• Rest is important - try to be sure that your baby gets as much as possible.
• Force plenty of liquids, especially if a fever is present.
• If the baby is stuffed up, elevate her head by putting a pillow or two under the crib mattress at the end.
• Keep your baby as comfortable as possible by wiping her runny nose - this will help her to breathe easier.
• This is the best tool and tip of all for a stuffy nose - Take a rubber suction syringe. If you did not get one of these from the hospital, you can get them at the drug store. (It looks and works a lot like a turkey baster, just a lot smaller.) Push all the air out of it, gently stick the pointed opening right inside the baby's nose and suck out the mucus. Expel the mucus in to a tissue, wipe it off and do it again until you have suctioned out what you can. You baby will fight it, but it doesn't hurt and it will help so much.
Give as much love, affection and patience are required at this point. This too shall pass.

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