Gearing up for the day that your baby will get sick for the first time...
These are some items that have been clutch for us during our Week of the Sick Baby... most of which I had to borrow or go purchase after she got sick, and wish we had had in the house beforehand.
Apparently this is a must-have for babies' rooms in the winter when the heater is running in your house. We never had one, but we do now. I bought the Vick's brand because the pharmacist that was there told me it's her favorite. Not sure it's the best, but it's done fine for us. You can do your own research on how much you want to spend, just make sure it's "cool mist".
2. A good rectal thermometer
It's not as bad as it seems. In fact, it's quite simple and apparently, the most accurate way to take baby's temp. Trust me, if you are doing the "well I think she feels like she might have a fever but I don't really know for sure" dance, it sure is nice to just be able to take her temperature. After the thermometer we got as a baby shower gift didn't work (gah!), we got the generic CVS brand 3-in-1 option that has a rectal, oral and arm option for getting a read. It works great.
3. Infant Tylenol
If you have an infant, you should have some of this in your house. Better to have and not need, than to need and not have. If baby gets a fever in the latest part of the night, running to the store to get Tylenol is going to be the last thing you want to do -- trust me. Make sure you get the kind with the syringe-like measure, not the little cup.
4. Some way for baby to sleep with his/her head elevated
It really does make a congested kiddo sleep better, and it keeps some of the fluids/mucus from draining to his/her ear canal, helping prevent an ear infection. Bucket car seats work, or something like this "sleeper" from Fisher Price (my mom got it at a second-hand store!).
5. A pediatrician that takes phone calls
I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be able to call Penny's doctor's office, talk to a receptionist (a person, not an answering system), tell her everything that was going on, and then have the nurse (who had talked to our doc) call me back within five minutes to chat with me. This saved me a trip to the doctor and gave me all kinds of peace of mind that I couldn't get from Web MD. Plus if Penny's condition had worsened and we had needed to take her in later, they would have already known the back story. If you don't love your pediatrician or the office staff, fire them! There are good ones out there!
Also, if you've got a coughing baby, my post about our Steam Room Ritual might be helpful to you as well!
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There's more where this came from... Five Things I Couldn't Live Without:
Nobody paid me or gave me anything for free... I wrote about this stuff on my own volition because I couldn't live without it!
