Home Sick (Home Remedies)

I know some of you are eye-rolling whenever I post something about natural crap. If this is you, just skip this post and wait for the next one with Jude in it. (Tyler. Dad. Etc.)

Does anyone remember some controversy over cough syrup use with babies? I forget what it was about because I think it was during the pre-baby era, meaning I paid no attention to such things.

Anyway, this past week we were all hacking up a lung and feeling like death. Jude had a double ear infection and was cutting four teeth at once. His tiny baby hack was lingering and giving him trouble, and in an effort to avoid a late-night run to the drug store I turned to the interweb. A few easy natural remedies came up using stuff I already had in my house.

Interweb + typical household products = a lazy lady's dream.

If you have a kiddo, I recommend a few of the following. Especially if your babe is already on antibiotics for an ear infection and infant Tylenol for a fever and you're looking for a way to tone down the major drug use occurring in your home :) All except the tea are highly un-controversial and safe, so don't worry, and let me know how it turns out if you try them.

For a baby cough and congestion:

1) Turn the shower on nice and hot and steam up the bathroom. Then the two of you should hang out in there for awhile.

2) Bundle the bambino up and take him outside for some fresh air.

3) Put him in a warm bath with a couple of drops of eucalyptus essential oil. (You can get a small bottle of this at a health store for under $10, and it lasts forever).

4) Make a vapor rub with 3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Rub it on his chubby chest and back. I tried this last night and it seemed to calm his cough.

5) Get a humidifier and keep it going in your child's room every night through the Winter.

6) If your child is old enough for certain herbal teas, you could make him a warm cup of licorice tea with a doctor's guidance. (The health benefits can be great, but some herbs you need to be careful with, especially with children.) No, this is not tea with Red Vines in it - licorice is actually an herb, which I wasn't aware of until recently. This one I haven't tried yet, but a large number of sources recommended it, so I'll take some liberties and post it here. You can also safely give your child chamomile tea for a calming effect, which used to be a common practice in pre-soda days.

If you're interested in avoiding co-pays at the doctor's office for things that can be dealt with at home, a good book to add to your collection is "make your place (affordable, sustainable nesting skills)" by raleigh briggs. I found it on a few other mama blogs and noticed it was only $5. It soon became mine. There are a lot of herbal remedies in it, some were helpful and others overkill in my opinion, but it also has composting and gardening tips and is handwritten with funny doodles.

I'll be using it more often this summer. To make things like manure tea. Water with poop in it. For your plants, not your kids.