How to reduce your infant's fever

If you’re a new mom, you have probably experienced having to deal with baby fever. Fevers are basically an indication that the body is fighting an illness and that the immune system is functioning. A fever is not an illness, it is a symptom of one. If your infant has a fever, it could either be from a viral infection or a cold. It could also be from something such as an ear infection, UTI, pneumonia, reaction to a vaccine or something more serious such as a blood bacterial infection. You might also be dressing the baby way too warmly, leading to a fever. So, what happens when your baby has fever? If they are under one month old, you should take your child to hospital. Otherwise, try reducing the fever with these tips then monitor the situation and if the fever doesn’t go away, take them to hospital:

1. Try a cold compress.

Put some cool water tap in a bowl and soak a clean washcloth in the water. Wring out the excessive water, then place the wet cloth on the baby’s forehead. Once the cloth warms, remove it and repeat.

2. Give the baby a lukewarm bath.

For babies younger than 6 months, give a lukewarm sponge bath 2 or 3 times a day. For babies 6 months or older, give a regular bath in lukewarm water a few times a day.

3. Breast milk.

Try to breastfeed your young baby frequently. If your baby refuses to nurse while experiencing a fever, try different nursing positions. You can keep the baby upright while breastfeeding to make your baby more comfortable during feeding sessions.

Mother breast-feeding baby (Courtesy) ece-auto-gen

4. Give more fluids.

Give oral re-hydration solutions, along with lukewarm water to small babies younger than 6 months old to help replenish fluids and electrolytes.

5. Keep your baby in a cool place.

If you’re using a fan, keep it in a low setting. However, make sure your baby is not sleeping directly under the fan. If you’re using air con, keep the temperature at a comfortable level.

6. Dress your infant comfortably.

Avoid all those layers, one thing that many parents fail to understand is that the baby’s temperature is the same as yours. If you’re feeling hot in many clothes, it means that your baby is also feeling hot. Keep the baby in light clothes when necessary and during a fever, keep the clothing as light as possible, otherwise, the temperature may go higher.