Arm Yourself this Cold and Flu Season

First it was the God-awful Stomach Bug agony we were in.

Then we arrived to my parents only for all heck to break loose when the stomach bug popped up there, as well as a massive mucus-infested, booger-filled Christmas that had arrived uninvited. Ugh!

I could not WAIT to get home, and not because I wanted to free myself of everyone being sick (alright, that might’ve been part of it). Oh no, it’s because I had a few weapons in my arsenal to help me fight and treat this war, this attack on our health. Oh heck yeah, mommy wanted her bag of tricks, complete with this baby lying in wait, begging for me to use, in all it’s warm misty moisture goodness, the Vicks GermFree Humidifier.

I had already taken it out of the box to inspect and ogle when it arrived, but despite being exhausted after driving 12 hours from Florida to home (a drive that should’ve only taken 9.. ick), it was one of the first things I did upon walking in the door. I set it up on the audio tower next to the couch, and slept there underneath it with my 3-month-old, as with his sniffles and cough, he had to sleep inclined. I was camping out with my little man, under the yummy mist of the humidifier.

According to the Vicks.com website, the 2-gallon capacity humidifier is good for 24 hours (love that it comes in 2 separate chambers). Indeed it is, as I didn’t have to fill it back up until the next night. It uses one tank at a time, which is nice, no having to haul a heavy container back and forth, just one gallon while it uses the other. It has an auto-shut-off feature, too, so when it runs out of water, it will let you know by giving you an orange light and shutting the unit off. Sweet!

I love how quiet it is, too. It pumped our living room so full of warm mist, easing the congestion in my sniffly and coughing kiddos nicely. I appreciated not being awoken more so than I already was by a loud machine. I barely noticed it was there if it wasn’t for the blue light coming from it (which corresponds nicely with my Christmas lights I left on for ambiance. Not very green of me, but sure is a nice nightlight when camping out!)

More about the V790 Vicks GermFree Humidifier:

• Pure, sanitized warm mist—kills up to 99.999% of germs, mold, and bacteria in the water
• Worry-free, healthful moisture for you and your family
• Better breathing everyday
• No filters to buy or replace—ever!
• Use with Vicks VapoSteam or Kaz Inhalant
• Patented ultraviolet light process eradicates water bred germs
• Adjustable humidity control
• Three-year warranty
• 2 tanks for easy filling and longer run times
• 2-gallon capacity; operates up to 24 hours

Another huge bonus – came with some awesome coupons! Score! Want some Vicks coupons of your own? Click here! With as much as we use Vicks products, coupons are awesome!

Along with the humidifier, and of course the Vicks Vapo Rub, I had to break out the big guns. We were lucky to have just received a Braun ThermoScan ExacTemp ear thermometer as well, the very latest in ear temperature technology. We’ve had ear thermometers in the past that weren’t accurate, but I took this and compared to rectal temps, and this was nearly spot on (ear temps are close to rectal temps to begin with, see chart below).

It was lightning fast, too. And has the awesome added bonus of saving temperatures taken, too, so you can compare between the last temperature taken and the most recent. How ingenious is that? Making it easier on over-tired parents when their kids are sick, yeah!

As you can see, little man wasn’t phased by it. He was mid-sentence in babyspeak when I took that picture.

Tip for you: Since babies under 2 can’t use VapoRub, if you breastfeed, try spreading some high on your chest so they can inhale it while feeding. Using the Vicks Soothing Vapors Plug-In helps, too.

Lastly, for your viewing pleasure, we have the Vicks ComfortFlex Digital Thermometer, with a cool feature called “Fever InSight” that not only has big numbers in the window (see how big they are in the picture!?), but it’s also changes colors as well. Green means good (for temps 97-98.9), yellow means elevated (99-100.9), red means call the doctor (101 and above). Super fast, too. My four-year-old does not like holding things under his tongue for too long, so fast is good.

More on the V966F Vicks ComfortFlex Digital Thermometer with Fever InSight Feature

• Faster readings; in as fast as eight seconds
• ComfortFlex tip makes temperature taking more comfortable.
• Professional accuracy
• Fever InSight large backlit display changes color to indicate temperature level.
• Oral, rectal, or underarm use
• Memory feature recalls and displays last temperature taken.
• Waterproof for easy, more thorough cleaning
• Automatic shutoff to help extend battery life
• Probe covers and storage case included
• Lifetime warranty under normal use and battery replacement

I feel so much more confident with these products in my illness-thwarting arsenal. Check them out and see for yourself, I bet you will too! Definitely worthy of our Crazy 8 Stamp of Approval!

Tidbit: When taking temperatures, these are considered the ‘normal’ temperature ranges of different sites on the body:

Axillary: 94.46 – 99.14ºF (34.7 – 37.3ºC)
Oral: 95.9 – 99.5ºF (35.5 – 37.5ºC)
Rectal: 97.88 – 100.4 ºF (36.6 – 38.0ºC)
Ear: 96.44 – 100.4ºF (35.8 – 38.0ºC)

FYI – if you’re looking for some answers for this cold and flu season, check out the board-certified MommyDocs, an online duo who have dedicated their careers to tried-and-true healthcare. More of their tips can be found at http://www.coldandflucentral.com/