Everyone is freaking out about the flu this year. Don’t get me wrong – it’s bad. On a recent trip to Children’s when my son had a cold (he needed to be suctioned, not a big deal) they told us to cover him and leave as quickly as possible. There were so many kids and babies being admitted for the flu. Which is exactly why I’m going to share the natural cold and flu remedies for babies I always have on hand.
When my son came home from the hospital last year, I bought a ton of natural remedies and medicine for him, just in case he needed them. I didn’t want to be up at 11pm with a sick baby, scrambling for cough syrup or something to boost his immune system.
I’m a planner by nature.
This year, I’ve upped my game. I am not playing.
As always, consult your pediatrician! I am not a pediatrician. I am not a doctor. I am a mom. I consulted my pediatrician for everything I bought/used for my son. When he was too young to use some of these, she helped me come up with dosing instructions appropriate for his age/size. My pediatrician is a genius. She is Ivy League educated and fully believes in natural remedies to support the body. If your pediatrician is not helpful or uneducated about these things, I highly suggest finding a pediatrician you trust and who works with you. It took me eight months of searching to find mine. Your child’s health is not something to be taken lightly. Also, please note that these are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, it will be at no additional cost to you but I may receive a small percentage of your purchase.
When my son had a pretty severe cough last winter, I used Maty’s Chest Rub day and night on his chest. It helps to soothe and relieve congestion and also break up the mucus.
I have a million of these saline drops around my house. They are so useful! Anytime my son has the sniffles, we use saline. It helps break up the snot and flush it out of the sinuses. If your house is dry like mine is in the winter, it also helps lubricate the nostrils. I ALWAYS have this on hand. I also saline and then suction my son if he has a very snotty nose.
I also use only this nasal aspirator. I have the bulb syringe and the Nose Frida, and I think they SUCK compared to this.
During cold and flu season, I will often give these immune boosting drops to my son via a bottle or mixed in some yogurt. I do this especially if we’ve been around someone who has been sick. I don’t love that it contains agave, but we use it so infrequently that I’m not concerned.
When my son got bronchiolitis last year, we used this cough syrup a lot and it worked very well. Of course we also took him to the pediatrician which I always recommend when a cough is involved. She encouraged us to give him this cough syrup until his cough dissipated.
Now that my son is older than 1, we have this cough syrup with honey and elderberry, a natural immune booster. We haven’t had to use this yet thankfully! Keep in mind that honey is not recommended for kiddos under one year of age.
You’ve likely heard that majority of the immune system is located in the gut, but we often forget that this rule applies to children as well. I give my son this probiotic daily, especially in winter to keep his immune system and gut functioning.
Last year when my son had a pretty severe cough, our pediatrician advised us to give him a food based vitamin C powder. I searched high and low for a baby version of this before I realized I literally had it in my medicine cabinet: the vitamin C tablets I was taking. I use Garden of Life vitamin C, which is food based and high quality. I simply open the capsule and add to his bottle. I do this regularly in the winter.
This is one of the most important supplements I ALWAYS have on hand. Elderberry is a potent immune booster and has been shown to improve cold and fly symptoms – you can read more about its scientific efficacy here and here.
This is a homeopathic remedy for the flu that I’ve personally found to work very well. Of course, this is anecdotal. Last year after a weekend away for my birthday, I came down with the flu. I quarantined myself in the bathroom and slept on an air mattress in there. I took oscillococcinum and also gave it to my husband and son. The flu lasted about three days and my husband and son never got it.
This is one I mostly use for prevention. I often add this blend of echinacea goldenseal to my son’s bottles during winter to keep him immune system functioning well. The ingredients are great during times of cold or flu to support the immune system and fight off infection.
These are some of the products that make up my natural lil’ pharmacy. Again, please consult your pediatrician about these products and if you think your child has a cold or the flu; especially the flu. This is not something to be lackadaisical about. The flu is serious. I use most of these remedies preventatively.
I am not saying these natural cold and flu remedies are a cure-all or that they will definitely rid your child of the cold or flu. I am simply sharing what I always keep in my house to make sure I’m doing the most that I can to keep my son healthy. I’m super proactive and having these gives me a sense of calm. I’ve consulted with my pediatrician numerous times about these products and recommend doing the same.
