Post contains affiliate links. I was not asked to write, nor was I compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own. Attending a baby shower? Working on your registry? Anyone with a baby needs one of these! Do you have one?
I can remember quite well the first time my oldest child had a cold. As a first time parent, it’s terrifying to hear your baby all stuffed up and miserable but both the FDA and AAP do not recommend using cold medicine or decongestants in children under two. So, what’s a mom to do? Close the bathroom door and pace with baby while running the shower full blast for the steam, right?
Johns Hopkins and many medical professionals recommend a humidifier to relieve congestion in young children and Hopkins also suggests that decreased humidity during the cold season can make “the nasal passages drier and more vulnerable to infection.”
The Mayo Clinic states that “increased humidity may ease breathing in children and adults who have asthma or allergies, especially during a respiratory infection such as a cold” and University of Rochester Medical Center says “humidifiers may help those suffering from sore throats, headaches, nosebleeds, and coughs related to dry air.”
Charles Shubin, M.D., Director of Pediatrics, Mercy FamilyCare also recommends humidifier use. Dr. Shubin says “Maintaining humidity in the 30-35% range limits drying out of the lining of the airways and the skin, making us feel better. Both personal and professional experience has convinced me it works. One does have to watch for mold formation so humidifiers have to be kept clean. I recommend the use of humidifiers in baby’s room (and parents’ room, too!) whenever the weather is cold enough outside to make the air inside dry (usually a 20 degree difference between inside and outside).” Dr. Shubin is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. In the past, Dr. Shubin has served as Chief of Pediatrics for the U.S. Public Health Service in Baltimore and as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics/Medical Director, Comprehensive Child Care Clinic, at Johns Hopkins University and Hospital.
Not only can humidifiers relieve symptoms and increase comfort, a 2010 study suggests that using a humidifier to control indoor humidity may reduce the survival of airborne influenza virus.
Our own pediatrician recommended we put a humidifier in our daughter’s room to help relieve her cold symptoms, so there we were, buying the only one Target had. That same year, Target started carrying Crane humidifiers and every time I went down the aisle, I wished we had one of their adorable animal shaped humidifiers instead of the one we grabbed when we had to have one!
We finally gave up on that late night purchase humidifier and bought two Crane drop humidifiers. It makes a huge difference for my husband (who has sinus issues with the dry, winter air) and our son, who seems to sleep much better with it on, even when he is well!
It may seem like a strange baby gift, but skip the blankets and booties and buy them a NoseFrida and a humidifier. I promise they will thank you for it later!
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. 
Readers, which brand to you find easiest to keep clean? For me, that is the key. I need to buy a second one for my second son. Our first one is a little tricky to clean but otherwise I like it.