To treat an infant for congestion, you will have to apply methods that do not bring the child in direct contact with any substance you might have to use. Run a hot steamy bath and add a few drops of eucalyptus oil or a bit of Vicks vaporub in the water. Hold the naked baby in your arms and sit with it in the tub. Let the child perspire freely. This will help to loosen congestion to a large extent. Be careful that you do not let the baby touch the water, as this may burn the child. Raw garlic will help loosen phlegm. If the baby is breast fed, the mother should eat a couple of cloves of raw garlic every night before going to bed. This will help the baby tremendously.
Prepare a paste of equal parts of honey, fresh ground ginger and holy basil. Mix a drop of this paste in a teaspoon of water. This is an excellent remedy to loosen phlegm. Make sure you use a nasal aspirator to clean the baby's nose every three to four hours, since the phlegm will collect in the nose, and the baby would not know how to flush it out. Feed the baby warm vegetable or chicken broth. If possible, make it at home by chopping vegetables or chicken pieces and boiling them in water with a pinch of salt. Strain and feed this to the baby while warm. The alternative is to buy organic.
answered by G R