Hi
We always have a terrible time when Katie has a cold - sometimes up to 11 or 12 night wakings... sorry, this isn't helping much.
Anyway, yes bath time breathe easy stuff, vaporub, karvol vaporiser, humidifier if you can get one - all these things help. Also, raising mattress a bit (pillow underneath mattress). Plus, calpol / paracetamol to help take away the aches and pains everyone gets with a cold.
Re the not eating - Katie currently has a chest infection and hardly ate a thing for about 3 or 4 days, but we worry far less about this than we used to as she generally stops eating and cuts her milk way back when she is teething / has a cold / fever / infection / anything really! I got some great advice from my doc and HV about this which out my mind at rest - if your LO is on solids, the docs don't worry too much until they haven't eaten a THING for a week. As for dehydration - look out for DRY nappies - dry nappies for 24 hours or more are a sign to get to the ER pronto for some fluids. Really, I think these two things are extremes - I remember one day worrying so much because Katie had only had 2 ozs all day, but she still had slightly damp nappies. Just get some / any fluids into your LO - whatever they will drink.
So, don't worry too much re milk intake - try water and very weak juice if you give your LO this - I remember Katie settling very well for the night with a cold after a bottle of weak juice because she just would not have milk - the fluid is as important as anything when they are ill. (obviously, juice not recommended for dental reasons, but you do what you have to do when they are ill).
Big, big ((((HUGS)))) and here's hoping tonight isn't as bad as last night - I usually find the first night bad, the second not as bad, the third tolerable and the fourth fine.
[hey this is quite funny that I am giving this advice, really, because I just posted the other day asking for ideas for food for an ill toddler - hope this is not too hypocritical of me!]
xx
