Cold and flu season is upon us! And while we might try and hunker down and avoid people at all costs so as to avoid potential germs, we all know that this is impossible. Whether it is school, daycare, the office or just running errands, our daily lives put us in contact with hundreds of people and germs. Then if you are travelling anywhere, it seems as if those germs grow exponentially. It can even be more nerve wracking if you have a little one whose immunities haven’t fully developed quite yet.
Here are some of our favorite tips and things that help us get through cold and flu season
- Keep your nose clean! Growing up our family used to joke about keeping your nose clean, but now as a parent I know it is a constant battle. There are times where it seems like I can’t wipe their noses enough. With my first born, I tried every nose irrigator under the sun and he would cry so hard with every single time. We love the Bbluv Rino. It is a battery operated nasal aspirator that is gentle enough for newborns, infants and toddlers. The best part is that there are no tears! In fact, we have made it part of our routine. My little one will fuss while we clean her nose out, but nothing as compared to before. There are no filters and it is easy to clean. I have also brought it with me when we travel because we have a tendency to have runny noses when we go to different climates.
- Steam and mist. When we aren’t feeling well, one of the things that we do is to take a warm shower. The warm steam opens up nasal passages, which makes it even easier to use the Bbluv Rino. It also seems to help soothe the little ones too. Throughout the day, we diffuse Young Living essential oils. Our favorite essential oil during cold/flu season is Thieves. Young Living also recently came out with a line for children and we have been diffusing KidsScents SniffleEase in their room especially at night. Crane is well-known for its humidifiers and they recently added an aroma diffuser to their line as well. It has three light settings and can diffuse for up to six hours. Our kiddos love the changing light setting.
- Pack your sanitizer. Whether you are in an airplane or just on the go, it never ceases to fail that your kiddos drop their pacifier, bottle or anything else they put in their mouth. And while we can joke about the 5-second rule, it somehow doesn’t apply to items for baby. We love Bbluv’s Uvi. It is a portable sterilizer that uses the same method as the one used in hospitals and by dentists. It uses an instant UVC sterilization, not chemicals and is portable, so you can put it in your purse, diaper bag or backpack carry on. And don’t forget wipes and hand sanitizer too. We like to keep them accessible especially when we travel so we can wipe travel trays and handle bars down.
- Sterilize when necessary. Ironically, as I was putting this post together, both of my little ones got sick. One spit up all over me and while we were in the bathroom cleaning up, my little guy said, “I don’t feel well.” I pulled him into the bathroom and thankfully he got sick all over the tile instead of the carpet. And while I now had an entire bathroom to clean, I was thankful I was only cleaning up tile and not having to deep clean carpet. Thankfully, we had Young Living’s Thieves Household cleaner on hand. I didn’t have to worry about harsh chemicals in the product and the smell was refreshing instead of a harsh cleaning solution, all while still getting a deep clean. We have also found it helpful to have an air purifier in the kid’s room. The Bbluv Pure removes up to 99.7% of allergens and pollutants, even as small as 0.3 micron. It captures tiny particles in the air, including dust, pollen, bacteria, chemicals and pet dander. We run it when they are in the room and at night.
- Cuddles for the win. When all else fails, snuggle up on the couch and watch your favorite movie. Sometimes you just have to ride it out. We grab our Tula Cuddle Me blanket and watch our favorite movies when we are sick. They are made of 100% viscose from bamboo, which means they are super soft. My little guy has claimed our Cuddle Me blanket in Out & About print as his own. He says its CityRiffic!
We were given items by BBluv, Crane, Tula, and Young Living. All of our thoughts and opinions are our own. Please consult Young Living’s site for instructions regarding usage of oils.
