Newborn babies have a very narrow nasal passage that leads to stuffy noses and breathing issues at times. This can make your little baby cranky and uncomfortable as newborn babies breathe through their nostrils at first. So it is imperative that your little darling’s nasal passage is clear as it helps your baby breathe better, feed properly, and sleep more comfortably.
Cleaning your baby’s nose is also found to be quite helpful in reducing various infections that the little mite can catch. Anyhow, cleaning your baby’s nose is a challenging job for moms so we bring to you some simple and effective methods that will help to get this job done without any hassle.
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5 Effective Ways To Clean Your Baby’s Nose
You will be surprised to know that making your little one sneeze is beyond doubt one of the most natural and effective ways of getting the little one’s nose cleaned. It helps to clear the blockage and gets rid of the extra mucus that accumulates in the nasal passage. However, babies may be quite uncomfortable doing this so given below are some other simple means to effectively clean your baby’s nose. Remember not to use medicines like decongestants for babies as these can cause sedation and thicken the nasal discharge.
1. Saline Nasal Spray
The saline nasal spray is one of the best and safest options available to clean your baby’s nasal passage. And using this is also quite easy. Just lay down your little one and squeeze a couple of drops of saline nasal spray into both nostrils. Ensure that your baby’s head is tilted back as this will help the spray reach right up to the end of the nasal passage. This saline spray is found to be an excellent remedy for clearing nasal passages and relieving congestion.
How To Make Nasal Saline Spray For Babies?
Generally, the mucus in the nasal passage is quite thick. Saltwater solution helps to thin out the mucus and make it easier to remove it from your baby’s nose. Here is a method to prepare this saline solution at home. But remember that this solution can be used only three to four times a day.
- Take a cup of boiled water and mix one-fourth teaspoon of table salt in it.
- Let this solution cool and come to room temperature.
- Store in a clean and covered bottle. You can even use a spray bottle to store this solution.
- Since this solution has no preservatives, it has a short shelf life. So it is advisable to label the bottle with the date the solution was prepared and discard it within three days.
2. Baby Nasal Cleaners
A baby nasal cleaner like a rubber bulb syringe or nasal aspirator helps to provide relief to babies by effectively removing mucus from the baby’s nose. Here is how to use them:
a. Rubber Bulb Syringe
Making use of a rubber bulb syringe is another good option as far as cleaning your mite’s nasal passage is concerned. First, squeeze a few drops of saline nasal spray into the little one’s nose.
- You need to create a vacuum in the syringe by squeezing out air completely from the bulb. For this, the bulb needs to be in contact with your palm while the tip should be held between the middle finger and forefinger.
- You now require inserting the rubber tip slowly into the little one’s nostril and then releasing the bulb gently in order to suck out the mucus. The syringe then needs to be cleaned of the mucus by squeezing the bulb forcefully.
- Wipe the syringe and then repeat the process till the entire mucus comes out. Do the same process with the other nostril too. If you feel that the little one’s nose is still stuffy, you could repeat the entire procedure once more till the nasal passage becomes clean.
b. Nasal Aspirator
This is yet another simple and effective means of cleaning your baby’s nose. The nasal aspirator contains a mouthpiece, nozzle, and a soft lengthy piece tube. This aspirator is used pretty much the same way as the bulb syringe. The only difference is that here the suction is done by the mouthpiece. A lot of moms prefer this to the bulb syringe.
The steps involved include:
- First, squeeze a couple of saline drops into the little one’s nostrils and wait to check whether the block gets cleared. If this does not happen, position the tip of the nozzle in the nostril and place the mouthpiece near your mouth
- Gently apply suction and pull out the mucus from the baby’s nostril into your mouth through the mouthpiece. Since a filter is placed in the tube, you do not have to worry about inhaling germs while this procedure is done
3. Nasopharyngeal Suction
This procedure is usually done either by a doctor or nurse or trained respiratory therapist.
This is performed when:
- The mucus does not come out with the help of a nasal aspirator or bulb syringe.
- If you find that the little one has breathing issues.
- If the little one finds it difficult to breathe and eat together.
Here, saline water is first squeezed into the nostrils to soften the mucus. A tiny suction tube that is attached to the machine is positioned into the little one’s nostrils till it reaches the rear of the throat. This makes the little one cough up the mucus which is then sucked out through the tube. The tube is then dislodged from the baby’s nose. The procedure is normally repeated till the little one’s nasal passage becomes completely clear.
4. Steam Cleaning
Turn a hot shower in your bathroom till the room turns completely steamy and then bring your little one into the bathroom and sit there for a few minutes. This is found to be quite effective in clearing your baby’s blocked nose. Using a vaporizer is also another good option.
5. Elevating The Mattress Head Or Using A Humidifier With Cool Air
Elevating the baby’s head with a towel so that the head is slightly raised while the little one sleeps helps to make breathing easier when the nasal passages are blocked. The sensitive nasal lining can become dry due to very dry air. So running a cold air humidifier in your baby’s room will also provide some relief from a stuffy nose.
We hope these tips will help you in effectively clean your baby’s blocked nose. If you have some other ways of doing the same, please share them with us in the comments section below.
FAQ’s
1. How Often Should You Clean Out A Baby’s Nose?
Medical experts agree that you should not use it more than three to four times per day to avoid irritation-induced inflammation or nosebleeds.
2. Should I Suction My Baby’s Nose Every Day?
When sickness prompts an abnormally high production of mucus in your baby, suctioning becomes essential. However, never do it more than three or four times a day, as doing so increases the risk of inflammation and nosebleeds.
