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Coughs and colds in babies are a common thing that occurs when they are still breastfeeding. So, can a newborn baby's cough and cold be treated with breast milk?
Whether it's a cough, cold, serious flu, or other common illnesses, it really worries mothers. Because babies usually become more fussy and refuse to breastfeed. Of course, this makes breastfeeding worry if the baby doesn't get enough daily nutrition.
Actually, there's no need to worry too much about this, Mother. As long as the baby is breastfed, the baby's health is actually always well protected. Moreover, breast milk has complete nutritional content and has various benefits, including protecting babies from various types of diseases.
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Can breast milk treat newborn babies' coughs and colds?
Breastfeeding is known to protect babies from all kinds of diseases, Mother. However, sometimes babies are still at risk of disease. However, the breast milk they consume can at least help them recover more quickly.
Breast milk not only protects babies from the big and scary diseases out there but also protects babies from the common cold, and various other diseases. This is because breast milk helps sense and detect pathogens to which the baby is exposed.
Every time your baby breastfeeds, his saliva transmits information about his immune system to your breast milk and the composition of your breast milk adapts to that information. As a result, this shifts nutrients and antibodies to help the baby fight pathogens when sick, as quoted from the Nest Collaborative page.
Apart from that, breastfeeding provides other benefits for your sick baby, namely comfort. Skin-to-skin contact helps calm your baby and regulates his mood and body temperature when he feels unwell.
“When a baby is not feeling well, the most comfortable place in the world is to be held close to his parents, especially while breastfeeding,” says Robin Williams, a breastfeeding counselor.
However, even though breastfeeding is good for your baby, breastfeeding a sick baby is not always easy. Babies may be more fussy, less interested in breastfeeding, and more.
How to deal with babies who have coughs and colds
Apart from routine breastfeeding, when your baby has a cough and cold, you can provide home remedies such as the following:
1. Keep baby hydrated
Just like adults, babies sometimes don't want to eat when they are sick, but mothers still have to encourage them to breastfeed or drink bottles as often as possible.
2. Dilute phlegm by providing moisture
“Babies don't have the muscle strength to cough effectively, so it's difficult for them to cough up phlegm,” said Stan Spinner, MD, a chief medical officer at Texas Children Pediatrics in Houston, as quoted on the Parents page.
3. Get more rest
Babies need more sleep when they're sick, but all those annoying symptoms can make it difficult for them to get a nap. A calming bedtime routine such as playing music or taking a bath together can help encourage your little one to fall asleep.
4. Use a humidifier
Using a humidifier in the baby's room can help the baby relieve a cold. This is because this tool can help humidify dry air, thus relieving coughs and nasal congestion.
When to contact a doctor?
For babies under 3 months of age, when they are sick and have a high fever, immediately contact a doctor, Mother. Meanwhile, for older babies, be wary of a fever that lasts more than three days or that appears several days after the onset of cold symptoms.
Other signs to look for include wheezing or rapid, strained breathing, which may indicate the presence of a virus. If the baby has a coughing fit, it may be whooping cough.
Usually, antibiotics are not needed unless the condition progresses to an ear infection or pneumonia. If your baby has had a fever for more than three days, or you feel like the symptoms are getting worse, rather than better, it may be time to visit a pediatrician as soon as possible.
Even though it is not easy to deal with a baby who has a cold, home remedies and continuing to breastfeed can help him recover. That is the explanation about dealing with coughs and colds in newborn babies with breast milk. Hopefully the information helps, Mother.
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