Dear Dr. Meg,

My baby has a cold, and I’m not sure what to do. I’ve tried everything I can think of to make him feel better, but it doesn’t seem to be working. I’m nervous to give him medication and am not sure if his symptoms call for a doctor’s appointment or not.

Thanks for your guidance!

Sincerely,

First-Time Mom

Dear First-Time Mom,

If your baby is younger than eight weeks, it is important to contact your pediatrician if he has a fever over 101.0 (rectal or under the arm), or if he doesn’t have a fever but won’t eat or doesn’t seem like himself. We are more cautious with very young babies who are sick because sickness can spread rapidly.

Once your baby is past the two-month mark, there are a few things that you can do to help him feel more comfortable during the cold.

Bulb syringe: Get a bulb syringe that has a sharper point. An ear bulb syringe would work. Squeeze the air out of the syringe, place it up into your baby’s nostril and then open the bulb and suck the mucous out. If the ear syringe doesn’t work, you can buy one that uses…