Infant Healthcare
Page Updated on November 24, 2007
Unless you have a open-24-hours drug store nearby, I highly recommend having all medications, thermometers, etc. on hand because ouchies, boo boos, and fevers always seem to happen when you can't get to the store or in the middle of the night when everything is closed. Think of it as an insurance policy. If you never use it, wonderful, but if you need it, it will be nice to have on hand.
Products to Avoid
- Cute Looking Healthcare Items Never buy any healthcare item that looks like a toy. Some have cute little designs on them or even plastic characters attached to them. Why would we want to confuse our kids by having something that looks like a toy but then tell them not to play with it because it can actually harm them? Stick with items that are plain and simple.
Products to Buy
- Tweezers (1-2) There are so many tiny parts on a baby that your fingers will just be too big to effectively handle some of them (such as finger nail). Tweezers also come in handy for splinters and other such hazards. Make sure that your tweezers have rounded points.
- Pen light (1) Regular flash lights are just too big and get in the way when you're trying to look into tiny mouths to see if your kids have sore throats, thrush, etc. A pen light is a good investment. You'll use it for years.
- Tongue depressors (12) When you're looking at those little sore throats, take a tip from the doctor and use a tongue depressor. They're pretty inexpensive and can be found at most drug stores and medical supply stores. With older children you can just use a flat lollypop.
- Auxiliary thermometer (1)
Imagine having someone shove a probe up your behind every time they wanted to check your temperature. You can get a general idea of a baby's temperature by using a thermometer under your baby's arm or a temperature strip on your baby's forehead. Normal armpit readings are around 97.6 degrees to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If your baby's temperature is higher, and you're concerned about a possible fever, then proceed to the anal reading for a more accurate measurement. Make sure you get a thermometer that takes temperatures quickly because it is just a pain to try to keep a baby still for 2 minutes.
Vicks Children's Thermometer® is a great idea. It's a wearable thermometer in the shape of a hart that has an adhesive backing. Just stick it under your child's armpit, and it continuously measures your child's temperature. All you have to do is gently raise up your child's arm to read the temperature, so you can even do it while your child is sleeping and you don't have to worry about trying to keep your little one still long enough to take his temperature. It's perfect when you need to check baby's temperature frequently and surprisingly accurate.
- Ear Thermometer This isn't exactly something you should avoid, but in general ear thermometers just aren't designed for baby ears and don't give accurate readings (except for the expensive ones intended just for babies, and who wants to spend so much money on something that will only be used for a short while). I suggest using an ear thermometer just to get a general reading, then use another method to get a more specific reading if you're worried that your baby has a fever. Ear thermometers are definitely good for toddlers and other family members, though.
- Water-based Lubricant / KY Jelly® (buy one at a time) You'll need this for taking baby's temperature rectally. You must lubricate the thermometer to assure that it slides in easily. We all used to use petroleum jelly for this (ask your mother), but a water-based lubricant is now recommended instead.
- Nasal aspirator / suction bulb (1-2) You'll probably get one of these from the hospital, but it doesn't hurt to purchase a small one that you can throw in your diaper bag. This is a must. Babies do most of their breathing through their nose, so when they're stuffy, they're incredibly unhappy, and it could even be dangerous during the night for some babies. Feel free to suck out those boogers when necessary. There are long nozzle suction bulbs and short nozzle. The short ones are supposed to be safer since you can't accidentally jab it into your baby's sinuses, but they don't do as good of a job getting out the mucus as the long nozzles. I would recommend the short nozzle bulbs for throwing in your diaper bag because they take up less space and are good for quick booger removal, but make sure you have a long nozzle bulb at home for those goopy, stuffy noses.
- Cotton balls / pads (stock up) I prefer cotton pads over cotton balls because the don't leave as much of a trail of tiny cotton fibers everywhere, but either product is fine. You'll need these to clean up messes around delicate areas, such as the eyes.
- Cotton swabs (stock up) Purchase the ones designed for babies, sometimes called safety swabs. They have a large bulb with a small tip on each end. They cost a bit more, but they'll protect your little ones ears or healing belly button. They also hold more alcohol than regular swabs which means that they're better for cleaning off your baby's umbilical cord. Also purchase the regular ones if you plan to use them to clean between tiny fingers and toes. The bulb on the safety swabs is just too big for those areas.
- Vaporizer / Humidifier (1) Purchase a cool mist vaporizer. A humidifier can harbor mold, mildew, bacteria, etc. because it only uses cold water. A regular vaporizer boils the water, so it is less likely to have such things growing in it, but it produces incredibly hot steam which can easily burn a curious baby. A cool mist vaporizer is the best of both worlds. It boils the water but cools the steam. Never purchase a vaporizer or humidifier that are made especially cute for the nursery. The cute little characters attract your child's attention and entices them to come over and play with device, which is obviously a safety hazard.
- Adhesive bandages (stock up) You'll need plenty of these in all sorts of sizes. No matter how young your child is, boo boos are inevitable.
- Medicine dropper (1-2) Most medicines for babies come with droppers already labeled for doses specific to the medicine itself. However, you never know when you'll lose a dropper or get the medicine the doesn't come with a dropper. It's simply good to have on hand.
- Medicine Dispensing Pacifier These are the easiest for giving medicine to a baby, in my experience, because they use your baby's sucking reflex instead of trying to force the medicine in baby's mouth. If your baby is bottle fed, you can just add it to their bottle. Older babies and toddlers can have their medicine added to a sippy cup. (Hint: Full strength juice is the best for hiding that medicine taste.)
- Medicine spoon (1-2) These are for older toddlers who require larger doses. You'll eventually need it, so there's no harm in purchasing one even if your baby is young. It's actually a good idea for all members of the home to use a medicine spoon because the doses are measured out accurately. Don't use kitchen spoons that you would use to mix your tea or eat your soup because they are not created to hold a specified dose. Just because we call it a "tea spoon" doesn't mean it actually holds exactly one teaspoon of liquid.
- Infant acetaminophen / Tylenol® (2 to start with then buy one at a time) You absolutely will need this for mild fevers, ear aches, and such.
- Infant ibuprofen / Motrin® (buy one at a time) This is for higher fever and more severe pain. I know many parents who skip acetaminophen altogether and only use infant ibuprofen. This can be dangerous, though, because some illnesses and injuries could actually become worse by using ibuprofen, so check with your doctor before doing this.
- Infant simethicone / gas reduction drops / Mylicon® (2 to start with then buy one at a time) This is an absolute must. Babies are very gassy, and they don't like it. As adults we know that gas pains can be downright agonizing, and they're just as painful for babies.
- Saline nose drops (1) Saline nose drops help to thin out the mucus in the nose to reduce congestion and make suctioning easier. If your child as a cold, allergies, or just plain old stuffiness, these drops can really help. You can make your own saline solution by mixing 1/4 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of boiling water (let it boil for 5 to 10 minutes to sterilize the water if you are concerned about any microbes), then let it cool to room temperature before using it on your baby.
- Infant decongestant / Pediacare® / Infant Dymatap® (buy one at a time) Babies can get colds, and those tiny noses can get so stuffy that saline drops and a suction bulb just can't keep up. Since babies breath almost exclusively through their nose and don't switch to mouth breathing very easily, it's a good idea to have some decongestant on hand. Be sure to discuss using it with your doctor before giving it to your child.
- Antibacterial ointment / Neosporin® (buy one at a time) Your baby will eventually get tiny scratches and cuts that will need to be protected from infection. This is where the antibacterial ointment comes in. There is a wide variety of them on the market. Talk to your doctor about which ones s/he recommends for your baby.
- Hydrocortisone (buy one at a time) Hydrocortisone has a variety of uses from bug bites, to eczema, to diaper rash. Just make sure that you don't use it for more than 1 week without your doctor's approval because it can actually damage skin if overused.
- Diaper rash ointment with zinc oxide (buy one at a time) This type of diaper rash ointment is the kind that leaves your baby with a white messy butt. It's great for treating and preventing diaper rash, but I suggest using it only at home because it's just too messy to deal with when you're out and about. The creamy types wipe off easily, but sometimes this easy wipe off feature causes the cream to stick more to the diaper than to the baby. The greasier stuff is thicker and works better but requires more effort to remove it. Get whatever works best for you.
- Diaper rash ointment without zinc oxide (stock up if you decide to use it)
This is a clear ointment that does a wonderful job of treating diaper rash, and it can be used to help moisturize and protect skin (even on your hands) in addition to treating cuts and scrapes. I'm not a fan of petrolatum products because they are made from petroleum (the same stuff used to make gasoline), but I will make an exception for A&D Ointment®. There are non-petroleum alternatives if you look around.
Un-Petroleum Jelly®, 3.5 oz. does not contain petroleum, but it still works great, and is actually better for hyper-sensitive skin than petroleum based products. - Yeast infection cream medication / Lotrimin® / Monistat® (buy one at a time) Babies can get yeast infection diaper rashes that will quickly go away with a bit of this cream. If you are breastfeeding, you can also get a yeast infection on your nipples. It can come from having too moist of an environment (in cases such as leaving on wet breast pads) or can be passed from baby to mom if baby has thrush. This cream will easily take care of it. (Just be sure to wash it off your nipples before you feed your baby, and have your baby treated with an oral medication from your doctor.)
- Rubbing alcohol (buy one at a time) You'll need this to help dry out the umbilical cord and protect the surrounding area from infection. Be sure you have this before you expect baby to come home.
- Re-hydrating electrolyte solution / Pedialyte® (2 to start with then buy one at a time) When your baby gets sick and needs hydration, use a solution especially designed for that purpose. Babies' bodies have a delicate balance. Too much water and not enough electrolytes can cause problems (even death in extreme cases), so stick with an electrolyte solution. If you're breastfeeding, your doctor may tell you that you don't need to use these solutions because your breast milk contains the perfect balance of water and electrolytes already, but have at least one or two bottles on hand just in case. If you are formula feeding, you will absolutely need at least 2 bottles on hand.
- Syrup of ipecac (1) This should be a part of every person's first aid kit, and it's incredibly important to have around if you have children. You never know when they may swallow something poisonous that needs to be expelled immediately. Call your poison control center before giving this to your child. Some poisons are more harmful coming back up than just going through the system.
- Activated charcoal (1) Buy it if you can get your hands on it. It helps to deactivate and absorb poisonous substances. Don't use it unless your poison control center tells you to use it.
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