Over the past couple of years I have learned that as I get excited for the change of seasons from fall to winter and all the good things that come with that (mainly Christmas!), I also have to embrace the fact that it means we are entering cold and flu season yet again with our young kiddos. This year baby brother joined a preschool program for one and two years olds, which has meant that we have had a hard time avoiding germs. My daughter’s immunity has definitely been building over the years, but with baby brother still being so young (and germ filled haha), she seems to have no chance against not getting his colds and flus! No matter how many times I tell her to give him space when he’s sick, she’s still right on top of him. I eventually give up reminding her, because it’s honestly pretty adorable how much they want to be near each other! All I find I can do, is make them the most comfortable when they are sick, by using all my mom tools!If you followed me for a bit, you’ll know that I am a big user of Braun brand thermometers. I absolutely LOVE them! I’ve used them since day one with my daughter and they have never let me down. I’ve been lucky enough to have been able to try out a few different models of them over the years and can confidently say I have been truly happy with all of them. Lately I have been using the Braun ThermoScan®7 Thermometer (with Braun ThermoScan® disposable lens filters) which has Braun Age Precision® Technology. If you don’t remember what that is, it means you can set your child’s age on the thermometer, so that when you take their temp, the thermometer will light up in either green (if it’s a normal temperature), yellow (if it’s elevated) or red (if it’s high), taking all the guesswork and uncertainty out of it! The Braun ThermoScan®7 thermometer also pre-warms the tip to 34 degrees Celsius to help get an accurate reading and provide extra comfort for your kiddos. It’s still super fast and easy to use; having a built-in light that helps you to see it in the dark. Another feature I like about this model, is it has a 9x memory for tracking your babe’s temperature over time. There’s been so many times I have had trouble remembering what my child’s previous temp was, even finding myself having to write it down so I don’t forget. This feature makes it super easy to compare temps, which I like to do, especially after giving them a dose of medicine. If you want to read more about this model or you want to grab your own, you can click here!Last year we received a smaller Vicks® FilterFree Cool Mist Humidifier which we would transfer back and forth between our kid’s bedrooms, depending on who was sick. What I loved about the size of it, is it fit nicely on the kid’s tables without being too large. However, having only one Vicks® FilterFree Cool Mist Humidifier, doesn’t really work for us anymore because it never seems to be just one of our kids that is sick at one time. Because as I said earlier, ‘give space’, really means smother brother! This year we have had two running all the time; one in each of their bedrooms, whether they are sick or not!

We still use the Vicks® VapoPads to offer soothing scents for the kids such as menthol and rosemary, but they don’t have to be used, as the humidifier can be used on its own. The scents are definitely an added bonus, especially when they are congested; the menthol one is still our fave!

One thing I’ve paid more attention to this year, is the humidity levels in our bedrooms. We’ve found the relative humidity in the kid’s bedrooms to be only 15% without a humidifier in it. But since adding in the Vicks® FilterFree Cool Mist Humidifier into each of their rooms, it has drastically changed the percentage in both. It has bought the levels up to the recommended relative humidity level of 40-60%. Studies have shown that within these levels, it can help reduce the survival of flu viruses both on surfaces and in the air. The kids have even noticed a huge difference since having the Vicks® FilterFree Cool Mist Humidifier in each of their rooms. They’ve been coughing less during the night, leading to a more restful sleep. And the humidifiers are so quiet, they don’t interrupt them. The kids like having them so much, that they remind us to turn them on each night! 

*This post was sponsored by Braun Thermometers and Vicks Humidifiers, however, all opinions, pictures and content are my own