12 September 2008

Vaporub-covered panty liner under the crib sheet eases nighttime congestion

Is this a hack or what? Nancy's found a creative way to help her little ones sleep better while stuffed up:

My twins are 14 months old, and one of them is fighting off the tail end of a cold with plenty of congestion. You're not supposed to apply Vaporub to little kids, so I was left wondering how I might get her the benefits of the vapors without the skin contact. I applied a smear of the vaporub onto a panty liner, folded the liner over to completely cover the ointment, removed the paper liner and then tucked the folded package under her crib sheet -- one at either end of her crib. The sticky side of the panty liner stuck to the underside of her sheet and the top of her mattress pad, and ta-da -- the vaporub is fully contained and stuck in place, nearby but nowhere that she can get into it!

I've had good luck with the Vicks plug-in vapor thingie (here's another Parenthacker's experience).Vicks also makes a cool mist humidifier with the vapors built in.

Related: Reuse infant incline pillow when your toddler has a stuffy nose

Comments

That's a great hack! Vicks now makes a baby version of vaporub that is safe to rub on babies 3 months and older-and it smells yummy...

My cat seems to go spastic at the scent of menthol, so we cannot safely use Vicks on our kids. Anyone else have the problem??

Hilarious.

Congratulations on a post title so compelling that I couldn't STOP myself from clicking.

I love a good pantyliner hack.

You had me at "Vaporub-covered panty liner"

@Rabia -- I used to have a cat that did the same crazy thing!

Isn't that just amazing? I love it when feminine hygiene products show up in Parent Hacks. Heh.

Can anyone tell me why you can't put vaporub on babies? I put it on all mine. They didn't seem to mind. Now I am worried they'll get cancer or something.

Why aren't you just a smartie pants! brilliant!

Seems like a couple years ago I saw a wall plug night light that did the same thing put out by maybe Vick's. I thought, "I need to get that!" but I never have. This is a great idea!

vaporub can annoy kids when they try to sleep especially if they're already irritable - my kids hate new smells when they're sick. However when they have coughs to help curb it - just put it on the soles of their feet and cover with socks - they'll sleep soundly and so will you !!

Be careful if, like my son, your kids are able to take the sheets off the crib mattress! The plastic backing on the liner could pose a serious choking hazard. I'd suggest using something you can plug into the wall that emits the menthol vapors...I know they make them, but forgot what they're called, sorry!

I just rub the vicks stuff on my son's feet and put a pair of socks on. It will open the sinuses through the pores in the feet! Will take a cough away so the child can sleep at night.

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