Unlike us adults, babies do not know what to do when they get a stuffy or runny nose. It is up to you as a parent to take care of this issue for your little one. It can be overwhelming when you see how many options the market offers when it comes to cleaning the baby’s stuffy nose. Below we shared the most common choices, and you can choose which one you want to use.
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1. The bulb syringes
This is a classic option by squeezing the air out of the bulb, while you maintain pressure on the bulb, carefully place the tip in the baby’s nose. By slowly releasing the bulb, you will create suction that will remove the mucus. Usually, the nasal syringes come with removable tips in a variety of sizes. Saline drops will not be necessary if your baby’s runny nose has loose mucus. But if the mucus is harder, you will need the drops to soften it before you proceed to the bulb syringe.
Don’t forget to clean the bulb syringe after using it, or you will introduce bacteria into your baby’s nose. You can clean it with soapy water by squeezing out the waste. This product has been around for so long because it is easy and effective to use. You should use this product no more than four times per day otherwise, you will cause nosebleeds or inflammation. If your baby doesn’t like this product and tends to cry a lot every time you use it on him/her, maybe you should try some of the other options we have gathered here for you.
2. The nasal aspirator
Recently nasal aspirators are starting to get popular among parents because they feel this product is easier to use compared to the bulb syringes. This product requires you to use your mouth to create suction instead of your hand. The aspirator should come with a mouthpiece, tubing and they also have disposable filters so that you won’t accidentally suck mucus in your mouth.
You need to put the mouthpiece in your mouth and place the tip of the tube in the opening of your baby’s nose, but don’t go inside the nose. By sucking air, you will create suction and get the mucus out. Do not suck too hard! If the mucus is hardened, use nasal drops to soften them. You should not use the aspirator more than four times per day. Otherwise, you are risking bacteria development in the baby’s nose. It might take you a little while to figure out how to use this product, but it will become one of your number one baby-related products once you do.
3. The nasal spray
Adults use nasal spray usually when they have a dry nose, but with baby’s, you can use it when the mucus is thick or when the boogies are hardened and don’t want to get out. Some stores will sell you nasal spray that is made especially for babies, but you can also make one by yourself by mixing ¼ teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water. Even though nasal drops and nasal spray work similarly, the nasal drops are gentler for the baby. Remember that saline or medical nasal spray is not supposed to be used on babies.
The nasal spray is used to loosen the mucus in the baby’s nose, and because their noses are smaller than adults, you should not need to use too much nasal spray. You need to lay the baby on its back and drop 3 to 4 drops of the solution into each nostril. They might start sneezing, and that is a usual response. Give the drops some time to start working while you keep the baby’s head back and start the suctioning by using an aspirator or bulb syringe. The drops should do the trick, especially if the baby starts sneezing.
4. Some other remedies you can use
Even though you may think that you will have to clean your baby’s nose almost every day, there are some things you can do to minimize this occurrence by following some of the things below:
4.1 Try using a humidifier or start doing steam treatments
Humidifiers are a kind of product that can help break up the mucus, especially if you use the cool mist option. The humidifier can work all day. Most importantly, it should be working while the baby is sleeping. If you don’t have a humidifier, you can run a hot shower, which will produce steam, and you can take your baby with you in the bathroom to inhale the steam.
4.2 Give your baby a bath
Giving your baby a warm bath might do the trick when your baby has a stuffy nose. The warm water should be able to help reduce nasal congestion.
4.3 Check if you might be having bad air quality in your home
If you are suspicious of your home’s air quality, an air purifier should do the trick. Also, change the filters in your cooling and heating system on a regular basis. If you share your home with a cat or a dog, you should vacuum more often to reduce pet dander, hair, and dust in general.
4.4 Hydration is very important
When your baby is being troubled by a stuffy nose, it is important to make sure that the mucus is thin, and as such, it will be easier to clean it. Having your baby hydrated can help with loosening the mucus. Another important thing when you start feeding your baby is to make sure his/her nose is clean, making it easier for the baby to drink as much as he/she needs.
4.5 Keep the baby upright
Just like with adults, if the baby spends too much time laying down, it might become more congested. Try to keep your baby in an upright position as much as it is possible. This way, the mucus will be able to drain naturally out of the nose. If you choose to keep the baby upright even when it is sleeping, you will need to do that by having them in your arms. If you choose to raise the baby’s mattress, it will increase the risk of SIDS.
4.6 You can try breast milk drops
This might sound weird, but breastmilk can work for baby congestion as well as the other options we mentioned above. You will need a dropper to put few drops of the breastmilk into the baby’s nose. This should break up the mucus, and the antiviral properties of the breastmilk can help treat a cold.
What can cause a stuffy nose?
Reasons for the stuffy and runny nose for babies are usually the same as for the adults. Here are the most common reasons for congestion in babies: bad air quality, common cold, dry air, or small nasal passages.
You will need to see a doctor if there is no improvement even after you have tried almost everything we listed above. If you notice that your baby is struggling to breathe, has flared nostrils, or wheezes when breathes you should go to the doctor as soon as possible.
As a parent, it will hard to see your little one having trouble breathing due to a stuffy or runny nose, but you must remember that it is part of life for adults and babies as well. Once you learn what works best for your baby’s stuffy nose, this whole process will get much easier. You will need to find a balance between some store-bought products and some homemade remedies, and you will be all set.
