How Long Does Newborn Congestion Last
Newborns often have congested noses soon after birth because of the excess amniotic fluid in their noses. As a result, you may notice them sneezing more frequently as they work to clear the congestion.
Fortunately, this congestion should clear on its own within a few days to a week. If you’re concerned about your baby’s congestion or it seems to linger, talk with your baby’s doctor.
How To Tell If Your Babys Nose Is Clogged
Other than obvious signs of a cold or infection, if your baby snorts, has noisy breathing, finds it difficult to feed or is very irritable, it could be because of a stuffy nose. Another sign your baby is congested is when your baby is breathing through his/her mouth.
If your baby is really stuffed up and is having trouble breathing, it can be a bit concerning, especially when it comes to sleeping and eating. Here are some natural ways you can help clear your babys nose, so you both get some relief.
How To Tell If Your Baby Is Congested
Your baby can’t tell you that she’s congested, of course, but you may notice her making more noise when she breathes, or having more trouble taking liquids. Sometimes you can see that she has a stuffy nose, and may even have mucus dripping from her nose as well, which is another sign of congestion. When your baby is experiencing congestion, it’s likely that she has developed an upper or lower respiratory tract infection. Here are additional symptoms of respiratory infections to look out for:
-
Nasal discharge that may be clear at first but then thickens and turns yellow or green
-
Difficulty nursing or taking a bottle
-
Wet or productive cough
-
Sneezing
-
Difficulty sleeping
-
Slightly elevated temperature .
Newborns and babies younger than 3 or 4 months have a tough time with congestion as it can cause discomfort in many ways. A baby isn’t able to blow his nose, so the mucus in the nasal passage has no way of coming out without help from an adult. Not only that: a young infant isn’t able to breathe well through his mouth, so any congestion can interrupt sleep, causing him to wake up. It can also make feeding more difficult, as the baby must stop sucking in order to take a breath now and then.
Don’t Miss: How To Start A Routine With A Newborn
Use The Right Skin Care Products
All babies have sensitive, delicate skin. This means that you need to use gentle, safe skin care products like Mustelas, to avoid irritating their nose or throat and causing congestion.
Whether your baby has normal skin, dry skin, very sensitive skin, or eczema-prone skin, we have the product to meet their changing skin care needs! After you discover your babys skin type, you can safely and correctly treat their skin with our gentle products.
Normal skin
Your babys skin continues to develop until their second birthday. This means its still delicate and requires extra hydration and protection even if it appears to be perfectly smooth.
From bath time to hydration to quick clean-ups, we have something for your babys normal skin! Start bath time with our Gentle Cleansing Gel. Our tear-free, biodegradable formula cleans your babys scalp without stripping it of its natural oils!
For an extra burst of freshness after bath time, try our Skin Freshener that gently refreshes and moisturizes your baby’s skin in one soothing step. Its the perfect addition to your baby skin care routine!
An added bonus of this product: It can also be used to style your baby’s hair in-between baths and keeps your baby cool and comfortable during warmer months!
Dry Skin
If your baby has dry skin, youll notice rough and flaky patches. To meet your babys dry skin care needs, youll need products that will boost hydration in their skin. And our Nourishing Lotion With Cold Cream does just that!
Remedies You Shouldnt Try
There are many treatments for stuffy noses that are okay to use on adults. However, they may not be appropriate for use on your baby.
Neti pots are something that people use successfully to clear their nasal passages or deal with a sinus infection. But these should not be used on a baby. It will be too difficult to control the amount of saline solution you put in each nostril. The saline drops and bulb syringe work in a similar manner but can be used much more easily and safely with your baby.
Vapor rubs may be okay for older children or adults, but theyre often not good for infants. The rubs usually contain ingredients like menthol or camphor, which are too harsh for a newborns delicate skin. Also, a baby may accidentally get some of the ointment on their hands and into their eyes.
Decongestants and cold medicines are used by older children and adults occasionally to alleviate nasal congestion. These medications have demonstrated very little benefit for babies and have not been well-studied in infants and young children. The FDA has recommended caution due to potential overdose and toxic effects . The American Academy of Pediatrics has taken this a few steps further and, because of reports of harm outweighing the little benefit, recommends that they should not be used until after the age of 6 .
Editor’s Note:
Read Also: How Often Should A Newborn Get A Bath
How To Clear A Babys Stuffy Nose #3 Love Taps
Hold your baby on your lap, bent slightly forward. Cup your hand and give a tap on the back.
You can also lay the baby on your knees, face down, and do the same. This will help loosen mucus in the chest.
You can also gently massage the chest and back there is nothing like a parents loving touch to soothe and calm your baby.
Place A Towel Under Your Babys Mattress
Placing a folded towel underneath one end of your babys mattress elevates their head while they sleep. The added height, even if its just an inch or two, will allow mucus to drain from your babys nose and mouth while theyre resting.
Just make sure to put the towel under the mattress, as no pillows or blankets should ever go in the crib with your baby while they sleep. Also, remember that you should always put your baby to sleep on their back.
Tip: For babies with eczema-prone skin, try Mustelas Stelatopia Skin Soothing Pajamas for better sleep! These 100% cotton pajamas deliver soothing moisture to your little ones skin throughout the night so they can rest well.
Also Check: How To Boost A Newborn’s Immune System
A New Great Tool To Clean A Babys Ears & Nose
New parents love oogiebear because they make it easy to safely & effectively remove stubborn sticky mucus and dry boogers from little noses . When combined with the oogie nose balm, the two become the ultimate baby nose and ear care routine for parents-on-the-go!
The patented bear head design on the oogiebear ensures that the ends will not go too far into babys nose or ears and the soft rubber scoop and loop are specially created to be gentle enough babys skin!
oogiebears formula is USDA certified organic and made by a cold-pressed method to ensure that all of the natural compounds stay intact from when the balm is first pressed -right down to the last swipe. This truly is the easiest way to clean your babys nose.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OOGIEBEAR HERE! + GET 15% OFF WHEN YOU USE PROMO CODE: ROOKIEBEAR15
Overall, clean your babys nose just like you clean everything else on your baby: gently. Their little bodies are so sensitive and tiny, so take time and care in cleaning them. If you ever have any questions about what to do, ask the pediatrician. Pediatricians hear all sorts of questions and concerns your questions and concerns will not be the first time theyve heard them or the last. Parenting is hard, but youve got this!
Baby Stuffy Nose Medicine
Babies can’t have decongestant medicine until they’re 4 years old because potentially life-threatening side effects could occur, according to the Food and Drug Administration . However, “you can gently clear your newborn’s nose with saline solution and a bulb syringe,” says Michael Rothschild, M.D., director of pediatric otolaryngology at Mt. Sinai Hospital, in New York City. Saline solution is the only safe nasal spray for babies, infants, and toddlers.
To use saline solution, lay the baby down on their back and, if possible, slightly tilt their head back . Then spray two to three drops of saline spray into each nostril. Don’t worry if your baby sneezes some of it outit still made its way into the nasal passage. If any spray comes out of the nose, wipe it away gently with a tissue.
Once the saline spray is in your baby’s nose, you’ll want to use a bulb syringe . Choose one that’s specially made for their tiny nostrils it should have a rounded, acorn-shaped tip, says Dr. Rothschild. Once again, lay your baby down on their back. Squeeze the bulb to get all of the air out, and, while still squeezing, gently insert the tip into your baby’s nostril . Then release the pressure, take it out, and squeeze the mucus out of the bulb onto a tissue. Repeat in the other nostril for an effective baby stuffy nose remedy.
Don’t Miss: What Is A Good Gift For A Newborn Baby Boy
Keeping Your Baby Safe
When using the bulb syringe or the nasal aspirator, there are a few precautions you should take. The process should always be very gentle and you should be calm.
Always start the process with freshly washed hands, just like you do with most things when dealing with babies. This will keep you from giving your baby any germs. Also, dont forget to wash your hands after clearing babys secretions to prevent spread to yourself and others.
When you buy a syringe or aspirator, make sure its specifically designed for babies. If the tip is too large, it could damage your little ones nostrils. Also, make sure to carefully follow any directions that come with your device.
Letting Your Baby Breathe In Steam
This is another fascinating natural way of dealing with a babys congested nose. Author of The Holistic Baby Guide: Alternative Care for Common Health Problems, Randall Neustaedter, OMD, LAc, states that you should steam up the bathroom, not the bedroom, to decongest little ones.
To effectively manage this, steam up your bathroom with some hot running bath or shower water, hold your baby carefully and enter the steamed up room for a few minutes to let your baby breathe in the humid air. Some people say that this method is better than using humidifiers which tend to leave rooms wet.
Also Check: When Should You Bathe Newborn
Resist The Urge To Extract Boogers Using Foreign Objects
Check any online parenting forum asking how to clean snot and boogers out of a newborns nose and youll see parents talking about using Q-tips, rolled up tissues, or even tweezers to remove stubborn dried boogers and mucus.
Please, do NOT use any of these methods!
It is never a good idea to insert any foreign object into your childs nose, ears, mouth, etc. The risk of injury is just too great.
Babies wiggle and squirm and while youre trying to get that booger out with a small, pointy object they can rapidly shake their head and that Q-Tip will cause injury to their delicate nasal cavity, and then youll be dealing with a nasty nosebleed and a screaming baby.
Ways To Help Your Congested Baby Breathe
One of the most common ailments that newborns face is congestion. If you have a congested baby on your hands, youre probably concerned and looking for ways to help your little one breathe better. Youre in luck! This post from the baby experts at Mustela will tell you just that.
Well start by explaining symptoms to watch for as well as what might be causing your babys congestion. Then well show you 13 easy ways to help your congested baby breathe easy.
You May Like: How Many Ounces Do Newborns Drink Per Feeding
Use A Humidifier Or Steam Treatment
Humidifiers are a great way to help break up mucus, specifically when you opt for the cool mist. You can leave it running all day, but especially while your baby is sleeping. And even if you dont have a humidifier, you can run a hot shower to produce steam and sit in the bathroom with your child for a few minutes. You can do this several times a day.
Allowing A Baby To Cry
Although this sounds unusual, tears may actually end up in the nasal passageway and help with dissolving a babys mucus. A childs tears can effectively soften and help eliminate dried-up bits of boogers from its nasal passageway.
Parents can also use a soft cloth to dab at the baby’s nostrils regularly when the kids cry so that the nasal passageway can be cleared naturally.
You May Like: What Do Newborns Need The Most
Breast Milk In The Nose
Some people feel that putting breast milk in a babys nose works just as well as saline drops to soften mucus.
Carefully put a little milk right into your babys nose while feeding. When you sit them up after eating, its likely the mucus will slide right out. Do not use this technique if it interferes with your baby feeding.
Keep Upright To Help Unblock Babys Nose
Youll often find a newborns blocked nose is worse when they sleep. Thats because when your baby lies down, the mucus isnt able to escape from their nostrils. So use gravity to your advantage to help the snot flow!
Some parents put a towel under the top end of their babys mattress to slightly raise the head at night. You might also find your baby naps more easily securely propped up in a car seat or sitting up on your lap during the daytime.
Recommended Reading: How To Get My Newborn To Sleep Longer At Night
Sleeping Positions For A Blocked Nose
If youre like any new parent, you often wake several times throughout the night to check on your baby, especially if your baby is sick. If youre afraid your baby isnt breathing well, try and raise the mattress by placing a rolled towel underneath, which will gently raise the babys head. Remember to never place loose items inside the crib to prevent choking hazards.
If you are looking to provide relief during the day, give your little one some extra tummy time which allows mucus to drain.