Having a poorly baby is a parent's worst nightmare.

They often endure sleepless nights trying every trick in the book to make sure their little one is restored to full health .

But sometimes conventional methods don't work, and parents have to think outside the box and get a bit more creative.

Mum Emily knew she had to think up something different when her little girl was suffering from a bad blocked nose.

She had some Olbas Oil, but had nothing put it on.

Given it was three o'clock in the morning, Emily couldn't simply pop out to the shops so came up with a rather odd but genius alternative - a sanitary towel .

She covered the towel in oil and stuck it to a shelf above her daughter's bed was pleased to see that it worked a treat.

She shared the idea in parenting website The MotherLoad 's Facebook group.

She wrote: "Snotty baby needed something to help the congestion."

"Covered this in some Olbas Oil - works a treat."

"My other half thought I had finally lost it."

The post has since gone viral and other mums are joining in her in praising the bizzare method.

One wrote: "Brilliant, I will do this tonight."

Another added: "Brilliant idea, beats a bit of tissue!"

A third grateful mum said: "Genius! I am totally adopting that idea."

Speaking to Mirror UK about the idea, Emily said: "It was 3am and she couldn't breathe. I had the oil but no tissues, it didn't occur to me to use toilet roll."

"My husband was just confused as to why it was stuck onto the shelf. He thought I'd done it by accident without realising."