Grandma's handy tips: Home remedies for cough & cold, fever, and more

Team AckoFeb 8, 2024

With the onset of seasonal changes or other factors, health hiccups like chest congestion, cough and cold, fever in babies and infants become more and more common. It becomes difficult to breathe for babies due to a stuffy nose and chest congestion. These conditions should be treated to keep your little one healthy and avoid the risks of any major infections.

Home remedies for chest congestion and cough and cold in babies

When babies suffer from chest congestion and a bad cold, it becomes difficult for them to breathe and they get more fussy than usual as they can’t help themselves much. Try out these effective home remedies to give them much needed relief:

Steam

This is a very old method which is used by all age-groups to get rid of chest congestion. Just take care that you don’t leave her unattended when you are trying out this steam remedy to treat her chest congestion. Place your baby in your arms and keep the steamer little far from her approach. The steam should enter into her mouth and nose. This is enough to loosen up the sticky mucus.

You can also run hot water in the bathtub or bucket and sit with your baby in the steamy bathroom for 5-10 minutes. This is safe and gives your baby the needed relief from chest congestion.

Mustard oil

Mustard oil is effective in treating chest congestion as it has warming properties. Warm a bit of mustard oil and then massage it on your baby’s neck, palms, feet, and chest. This helps in opening up the blocked nasal passage and eases your baby’s breathing.

Breastmilk

Feed your baby with breastmilk as it contains many antibodies and also builds up her immunity. With regular feeding of breastmilk, she will recover soon from cold and chest congestion.

Saline drops

Saline drops help in loosening up the mucus and gives relief to your baby’s stuffy nose. It also helps in opening the nasal passage, which makes breathing easier. Just put 1-2 drops in each nostril especially before breastfeeding your baby or before he goes off to bed to give her relief from chest congestion.

Ajwain potli

Make a medium-sized potli containing ajwain. Gently rub it on your baby's back of the palm, under the feet, chest. Make sure there’s a single layer of clothing on your baby's body while you do this.

Raised head

When your baby sleeps you can place a high pillow under her head on which she can sleep comfortably. A raised head helps the mucus to drain out from the nose and chest and your baby can sleep without much of a fuss. This also prevents frequent coughing during sleep that might be caused due to irritation of the throat and chest due to mucus.

Home remedies for fever in babies

Your baby is too fragile to deal with a rising body temperature. It’s always better to opt for some handy home remedies to naturally treat the little one’s fever. However, if the temperature still doesn’t drop, it’s better to consult your doctor. Take a look at your safe-bet home remedies for your baby’s fever:

Damp washcloth

When your baby is resting, damp a washcloth in cold water, and place it on her head for some time. It will help ease her temperature.

Lukewarm water tub bath

Bathe your baby in the tub in lukewarm water or give her a sponge bath with the same. The water will soon evaporate from your baby’s skin, letting a cooling effect be the residue, bringing down her temperature. However, make sure you use only lukewarm water as cold water will make her shiver and cause more damage than good by intensifying her fever.

Remove layers of clothing from baby’s body

Quite often, overheating is one of the primary reasons for a baby’s fever. So, remove all layers of clothing from the little one’s body and cover her only in a light, cosy blanket, till her temperature gets back to normal.

Keep the fan’s speed low

The fluctuating temperatures around the baby can intensify the fever. So, maintain a constant temperature by keeping your fan’s speed at the lowest.

In case your baby’s fever gets closer to 102 degrees, don’t wait to head to the doctor right away.

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only, based on industry experience and secondary sources. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for health or insurance-related decisions. Content is subject to change, refer to current policy wordings for specific ACKO details.