Finding the Best Humidifier for Babies with a Cold

When our twins got their first cold it was incredibly hard as you're so limited in how you can help them. We read online that humidifiers are a great option to help relieve colds and we're glad we did. Humidifiers for your baby make the world of difference. This post explores what is a baby humidifier, how they help colds, 9 things to look for when buying a baby humidifier and some of our recommended baby humidifiers on the market.

We recommend the Nectar Baby Humidifier as it doubles up as an essential oil diffuser all the while operating at a whisper quiet sound level and providing a white noise generator. The is available from Amazon for .

What is a Baby Humidifier and Why Should I Buy One?

We've been there in those first few months when your baby gets a cold and you can’t give them any medication or even a teaspoon of honey. It's a super tough time. You have to try your best to ease their discomfort as you wait for the body immunity to fight off the cold. One of the best ways to help reduce your baby’s cold symptoms like cough and runny nose is by the use of a baby humidifier. 

Humidifiers work by adding moisture to the air to increase the internal humidity in dry climates to prevent dryness which we know can bring irritation to many parts of the body. Humidifiers emit water vapour or steam to increase humidity in the air. They are effective in treating dryness of nose, throat, skin and lips. By adding moisture to a room, a humidifier makes it easier to breath thereby helping to ease the symptoms of the common cold. 

You will get two main types of humidifiers, that is warm mist and cool mist. Healthcare providers recommend the cool mist humidifiers for children because they pose a lesser risk. There are three kinds of cool mist humidifiers which include:

• Evaporative humidifiers use a fan to blow air over a water-soaked sponge-like cylinder
• Impeller humidifiers use a rotating disk to produce mist
• Ultrasonic humidifier produces mist through vibration (also the quietest option)

Why use Humidifier for a Babies Cold?

Humidifiers are excellent at alleviating cold-weather ailments by putting moisture back into the air.  Humidity hinders airborne viruses from travelling which protects your child from catching flu, colds and other airborne diseases. 

While a humidifier also helps keep the air in your baby’s room clean and moist while protecting them against dry air. We found using a humidifier most useful during the winter months when the indoor air is mostly dry due to the increased use of the heating system.

By adding moisture to the air, the humidifier helps create just the right breathing conditions to help your baby sleep comfortably and prevent the buildup of mucus. It also helps to relieve the baby of irritated, dry skin which can cause red patches as well as tender chapped lips. 

You'll also find that some humidifiers also provides white noise when placed in a baby’s room. They produces a rhythmic, comforting hum which resembles the whooshing sounds of the womb. This helps to drown other household noises and lull your baby to sleep. 

9 Things to Look for when Buying a Humidifier

When purchasing a humidifier for your baby, there are essential elements which you should consider. We recommend looking out for the following features when buying a humidifier:

1. Easy to clean: Ensure that your humidifiers emit clean and safe moisture, look for one which is easy to clean. Ensure that it is easy to drain, rinse, and dry as well as to keep it free from moulds so that your baby can breathe clean air every day.
2. Automatic shut-off: Choose a humidifier which comes with an automatic shut-off feature. It shuts itself up once the tank starts to become empty which will help avoid the unit from breaking.
3. The presence of a filter: Filters help trap mineral deposits in the water making the air emitted quite clean and free from impurities. We recommend cleaning the filters weekly to ensure that you do not compromise on the quality of air emitted.
4. Consider the size of the room: When shopping for a humidifier, look for the recommended square footage for the particular model you are buying. If you pick a very small humidifier, it will not help you while a very big one risks mould growth.
5. White noise generator:
6. Ambient lighting: 
7. Doubles up as essential oil diffuser:
8. Mist flow: Although it is not entirely necessary, a humidifier which comes with an option to change the direction of where the mist flows is a plus. This will help you achieve a more targeted room humidification.  
9. Price: Consider your budget when buying a humidifier. Most of the excellent models have an affordable price range which will not leave you feeling drained but there's no need to go overboard as most of the mid tier humidifiers offer great bang for back.

Where to Place a Humidifier Near a Baby

We recommend that you place a humidifier in an area where it can disperse quickly through the air and far from the baby’s face. 

The moisture should not accumulate on surfaces like the baby’s crib. This may lead to over-humidification, which is quite dangerous to your baby. Also, ensure that it is far from the baby’s reach to avoid pulling it down on themselves. 

We also recommend ensuring that you don't have it too close to a door where it might otherwise leave the room and not be effective.

Are Humidifiers Safe for Babies?

If well maintained and not placed too close the baby as above, humidifiers are  safe for babies, and they provide the right humidity in the room’s air to help them comfortable and avoid some common ailments like colds. 

Humidifiers also prevent dry skin and ease coughing and congestion. However, if not properly maintained, or if humidity levels stay too high, they can make your baby sick. Ensure that you monitor humidity levels and clean the humidifier daily. If your humidifier is fitted with a filter, clean it regularly and replace it frequently.