Humidifier - cool or warm mist?

[nigele]

Can anyone tell me which is better for a baby's stuffy nose - a cool mist or warm mist humidifier?

Thank you!

[candybomiller]

From everything I've read, a cool mist humidifier is better for baby's room. I think I read somewhere that warm mist has been linked to sids....could be wrong though.

Candy
-SAHM to Matthew Nicholas, born 5/22/02

[Karenn]

I just bought a cool mist humidifier based on the fact that it is what they recommended in my book by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It does seem to help.

Karen

[wen]

I have a cool mist humidifier and got it because everything I read cautioned against warm mist because of the risk of the child coming too close to the steam and getting burned. I believe the cool mist works fine, but I'll admit I'm not sure if I'd get it if I could do it over again. It's cool mist...so it's cold. And most of my daughter's colds come in the winter. Combine cool mist with a cold room and I don't have a very happy daughter. A warm mist may be better if your house is not that warm in winter. I'm thinking of getting one myself.

[kathsmom]

My 3 week old son has a stuffy nose right now. I called his pediatrician, and the nurse told me to use a cool mist humidifier and to put saline drops in his nose (the brand I was told to use is called Ocean)and to use a rubber bulb syringe to suction out the drops and any mucous it loosens. My mom just bought a Vicks cool mist humidifier for DD, and it has helped her a lot, along with taking Zyrtec - she has some allergies. She is breathing a lot better now. My brother and his wife have the Vicks cool mist humidifier in their room, as well as their children's rooms.

Before buying a humidifier or putting drops in your baby's nose, call your doctor and see what he/she recommends for your baby.

Good luck!

HTH,
Toni - mom to Katherine (5/19/96) and Andrew (9/23/02)

[nigele]

Thanks for all your help. I just returned from the pediatrician's office and she did recommend a cool mist humidifier and also saline drops. She also told me to use an over-the-counter baby decongestant, if necessary. (He sounds really congested when he nurses.) As it turns out, my baby does not have a cold as I suspected - he is teething at 3 months!

Thanks again,

Lisa

[nohomama]

I'm going against the grain here and recommending the Slant/Fin Ultraviolet Warm Mist Humidifier. I have asthma and use this to help survive New England winters without a constant upper respiratory infection.

I bought this humidifier specifically because it uses ultraviolet light to kill the bacteria, molds, and spores that can flourish in tap water. Most cool mist humidifiers tell you to add a bacteriacide/fungicide to the tank and, though many health care professionals recommend cool mist units, I didn't like the idea of my daughter or me breathing in anything with a "cide" in it. It also uses a kitchen scrubby-like disc to filter out any particulate matter. Being a warm mist it also doesn't cool the room down and in terms of my daughter getting burned, we primarily use it when she's asleep.

I think I paid about $70 for it online...a bit pricey but completely worth it in my opinion.

Sarah

[kenlaney]

Get a cool-mist humidifier for the bedroom. If you want to have steam for the baby, take him/her with you into the bathroom and turn the shower on. The room will fill up with steam in a few minutes, and the 15 or so minutes you spend in there will greatly help the baby. We have done this several times with my son. You may be drenched by the time you get out, but that's a small price to pay to help your child breathe better.