What I use or keep on hand for those long, fussy, no sleep days and nights
When sick season hits, I always feel better knowing I’ve got our go to tools and comfort items on hand. These are the things I actually use with my toddlers and that actually help us. The items I keep restocking because they work, or I keep buying because I truly love them.
*This post contains affiliate links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you*
There are so many things that could be added to this list but these are all the tried and true MVP’s (I’ll add a little extra comfort items at the bottom) but these truly help us through.
#1: The Canopy Humidifier
A good humidifier to keep nasal passageways clear, air wet, and sometimes essential oil in the air is essential for helping kids and babies sleep better while they are sick.
This one specifically is mold-inhibiting. It has a filter to filter out contaminants and impurities in the water/air (so no need to use distilled water), it has:
- Mold inhibiting technology with filter and UV light
- A built in white noise machine
- 3 humidity settings
- A dimmable nightlight that has soft white or warm red
- Perfect for middle of the night wakings
- Also, perfect for late night breastfeeding sessions
- It’s dishwasher safe, so it’s easy to clean and keep clean.
I won’t name name’s but the humidifiers I have had before harbored mold like crazy. No matter how much I cleaned it or put additives for bacteria into it, it grew mold.
My Canopy link will also get you an exclusive 15% off: The humidifier I swear by
#2: Saline spray, nose wipes, mist, etc.
When toddler noses are stuffy, crusty, or constantly running and irritated, a gentle saline product is a game changer. Whether it’s wipes for quick cleanup, a mister for a soothing, or a classic spray for loosening mucus, saline helps keep things more comfortable and less dry and irritated.
The wipes are so great for on the go or bedside, misters are great for morning crusties and nasal irritation, and the sprays are good for loosening stubborn mucus.
Adding to this because they go hand in hand are nose suckers. Now I know everyone swears by it so I will add it to the list, the manual Frida nose sucker. I personally have never used this or the saline syringe/nasal irrigation, but they could be a great tool. I think the clear bulb nose suckers work best for a manual squeeze type one, they suck better in my opinion. We have had success with the electric nose suckers as well for when they cant blow but they resist that one a lot harder when they get bigger.
I’ll link a full list of our favorites at the bottom of this post!
#3: Vapor bath
A warm bath works wonders any day but during sick season, it’s a totally underrated tool. Vapor baths are one of my favorite ways to help my little ones wind down when they’re congested or just feeling miserable. The gentle steam paired with calming essential oils helps loosen stuffy noses, ease coughs, and prep/calm their bodies for rest.
We love adding a kid safe vapor bath like Boogie or Oilogic to warm water in the tub before bedtime. It’s such a simple step, but I swear it makes a huge difference. Even just soaking and playing for a bit seems to reset their mood and help them settle when sleep’s been tough.
We also have the Canopy baby bath filter (click the link for 15% off!).
It’s the perfect addition to your lineup when you are giving your kids a lot of baths and don’t want to dry out their skin too. This bath filter has also helped clear up my sons eczema!
#4: Electrolytes and pain reliever
I know, I know. A fever is the body doing its job (keep a thermometer handy), so we watch the fever closely and help when we feel it is necessary. I know as a mom, it’s also really hard to watch your little one feeling miserable. When a fever starts climbing or I know they’re clearly uncomfortable, I do reach for a trusted pain reliever/fever reducer. It’s about supporting their body AND giving them the comfort they need to rest and recover.
We also keep electrolytes on hand (our go-to is currently Kinderlyte since it is dye free) to help them stay hydrated especially if they’re not eating much or if there’s been vomiting or diarrhea. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference. If you are still breastfeeding, let them latch/hydrate as much as they want!
#5: Quick tips for an easier recovery
Okay, so #5 is not an “item” but I thought I better add in some tips to go with the items so that it’s more helpful and I hope that you find value in this!
Cough syrup isn’t recommended for kids under 5, so here are some quick home remedies we use instead:
- A warm drink, usually water (milk can make a cough/congestion worse)
- If your child is over 1, a bit of honey in this can be very soothing if their throat is sore too
- Keep it in an insulated cup so it stays warm overnight and you don’t have to refill.
- Gentle steam from the shower
- This is honestly one of the biggest helpers, don’t underestimate the power of a room full of steam.
- Turn the shower on as hot as it can go (you can throw in a shower steamer with nasal clearing vapors if it helps just make sure they are safe for babies and toddlers) then close the door and let the steam build, once its steamy get your baby down to a diaper (so they don’t get too hot) and just sit in there for 15-20 minutes and watch the magic happen. Make sure you wrap them in a towel when you are done so they don’t get shocked by the cold air!
- A small wedge or folded blanket just under your tots head of their mattress.
- This tiny bit of elevation keeps the mucus running down while they are laying down, so they can sleep a little easier without so much of the drip or cough.
Being sick and having sick kids, especially young ones, is never easy but I hope you found something helpful in this post. I hope this helps a parent in need and let me know what else you have as an essential when your kids are sick!
Our favorite humidifier and an exclusive 15% off any purchases: Click here!
An Amazon list for all our favorite sick day, low-tox essentials: Click to follow
Don’t forget to pin this so you can come back when you need it!
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