When To See Your Babys Healthcare Provider
Contact your babyâs provider right away if you see any of the following symptoms. which may indicate a more serious illness:
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A cough thatâs painful, persistent, and/or accompanied by a whooping sound, vomiting, or turning blue, which means your child is having difficulty breathing
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Loss of appetite
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Fever âif your baby has a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
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Irritability
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Being sleepier than usual, or if your baby is hard to wake up.
How Can I Help My Baby With A Stuffy Nose
It is distressing to all mothers to see their little ones with a stuffy nose and a cold. When your baby is irritable and does not eat, it makes you and your whole family anxious.
Fortunately, there are various ways to help your baby with a stuffy nose
The above measures help relieve nasal congestion in most babies. However, if you see that your child is not getting better and their breathing difficulty is worsening, seek urgent medical help.
When To Call The Doctor
If you have any concerns about your babys congestion or if he or she has any other signs of illness, such as a fever or cough, contact your pediatrician.
Sometimes it can be difficult to tell when a newborn is sick, Dr. Danan says. A simple cold can become something more serious such as croup or pneumonia. If your baby is struggling to breathe or seems to be breathing rapidly, contact your pediatrician right away.
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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.
When To Call Your Child’s Healthcare Provider
An occasional sneeze or stuffy nose usually isnt a sign of a problem. But if these happen often, they could mean the baby has a cold or other health problem. Call your baby’s healthcare provider if your baby:
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Coughs
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Doesnt eat as much as normal
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Is more sleepy than usual or less energetic than normal
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Has a fever of 100.4°F or higher
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How To Help Baby Stuffy Nose At Night
To help a baby with stuffy nose at night try to elevate their head a bit by placing a rolled up towel or blanket beneath the mattress in their crib. Also ensure that they sleep on their head as opposed to sleeping on the side. These will help ease breathing. Caution should be taken not to elevate it too much or put the rolled up blanket on their mattress.
It is important to seek a pediatricians intervention whenever the stuffiness becomes serious. This will help avoid delayed speech development and hearing problems which could result from long term stuffy or blocked nose.
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.
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Using Saline Drops To Clear Up Babys Nose
Saline drop solutions are basically water with salt added to them, making them closer to the bodies natural fluids.
They work by loosening up the mucus in your babys nose to make it easier to suck the mucus out.
The salt in the saline solution also helps to clear nasal congestion by shrinking the blood vessels inside the nose so that your baby doesnt produce so much mucus.
Its a temporary solution, but its quick and easy and can be repeated as necessary.
To use the saline drops effectively lay your baby flat on a soft surface. Drop a few of the saline drops into babys nose.
Wait a minute to let it work, and gently use an aspirator to suck the mucus and saline solution back out.
Just make sure when you spray it into their nose, you pull it out completely before letting go.
Otherwise, you may suck mucous back into your saline bottle and risk growing harmful bacteria in it.
Your Baby Or Toddler Has A Stuffy Nose Heres How You Start To Relieve Your Little One
Stuffy little noses and uncomfortable congestion tend to happen when excess fluids,such as thick or thin mucus, build up in your little oneâs airways.
Moderate to slight nasal congestion is rather common in infants, babies and toddlers.Thereâs no need to be worried when congestion is mild, but knowing how to treat a stuffy nose in babies and toddlers is important to know.Young ones need mommyâs and daddyâs help to feel better.
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Sucking Snot With A Nasal Aspirator
Newborn With Stuffy Nose Or Newborn Baby Stuffy Nose
It is possible to have newborns with a stuffy nose as early as two weeks. This may be caused mostly by the fact that their immune system is still developing.
Structural deformities could occur during birth too. As shown by research, seven percent of newborns suffer nasal injury during the birth process.
The nasal cavity is yet to develop fully and is quite small. This may make them get stuffy easily since only a little dried up nasal discharge will congest it.
Another thing that may cause stuffiness is environmental changes. Since the baby is yet to get accustomed to the surrounding, any drastic change may lead to stuffiness.
Being born with enlarged adenoids may also be the reason for a stuffy or blocked nose.
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Newborn Stuffy Nose Treatment Or How To Treat Newborn With A Nose That Is Stuffy
The safest way to treat a newborn with a stuffy nose is by using a nasal spray. One should lay the baby on his back and slightly tilt his head but without forcing them to. Pour two or three drops of the saline solution into each nostril. The baby may experience sneezing as a result. This helps to thin any dry mucus that may have stuck in the nasal passage.
A bulb syringe which is also known as a nasal aspirator is another way to trea
t stuffy or clogged nose in newborns. It helps to suck out mucus. One should go for one that is suitable for the tiny nostrils of a newborn. The way to use it is by squeezing out all air from the bulb and inserting the tip into the babys nostril. Take care not to go too far up. After this,release the pressure applied and take the syringe out. Get rid of the mucus by squeezing it on a piece of tissue. Do the same for the other nostril.This leaves the nose clear and helps to ease breathing in a newborn.
Do Not Use Medication Or Vapor Rub
Most cold medications are not safe or effective for babies. And vapor rubs are proven to be dangerous for children younger than 2 years old. Remember that increased mucus production is the bodys way of clearing out the virus, and its not a problem unless its severely affecting your babys ability to eat or breathe.
Babies with congestion at night may wake up more often, have increased coughing, and become very irritable.
Being horizontal and being tired make it harder for babies to handle congestion.
Treat night congestion the same as you would in the daytime. Its important that you stay calm in order to keep your baby calm.
Do not prop your baby on a pillow or put their mattress on an incline. Doing so increases the risk of SIDS and suffocation. If you want to hold your baby upright while they sleep, you need to stay awake and take turns with your partner.
Congestion is more likely among newborns living in dry or high-altitude climates, and those who were:
- exposed to irritants, like cigarette smoke, dust, or perfume
- born prematurely
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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.
Sit In A Steamy Bathroom With Your Baby
Run a hot shower and simply sit in the bathroom with your little one for a few minutes. The steam will help your congested baby breathe a bit easier.
Important note: only stay in a steamy bathroom for three to five minutes at a time. If it gets too hot or if your baby seems uncomfortable, its time to call the sauna session off.
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Symptoms Of Baby Congestion
Your typical runny nose or yucky snot are two of the main signs that your baby is congested. But in addition to those unmistakable symptoms, there are a few other ways your babys congestion might show itself.If your babys nose is stuffy, they may breathe more noisily than usual while they snooze, or even snore. You might also notice that your little one has a hard time breastfeeding since they cant breathe through their nose! Coughing can be another symptom. Lastly, your little one might just be a bit grumpy while theyre fighting off a cold and a stuffy nose. We cant blame them. A cold sometimes makes us grumpy, too!
Baby Stuffy Nose At Night
A stuffy nose at night is most common because there is heavier breathing. As such, if the humidity levels are low, the problem of nasal cavity dryness gets amplified.
Gravity has a role to play when it comes to sinus drainage. When one lies down flat or on the sides, drainage is affected. This is as opposed to when one is sitting or standing. This may lead to clogging of the nasal cavity at night.
A nose that is congested or stuffy caused by allergic reaction may be amplified at night if a child is allergic to detergent used to do the laundry. They may also react to the stuffing used in the pillow or the fabric used to make the beddings
Some babies develop a deviated septum during birth. This could cause a stuffy nose in a baby at night as it may bend and block the nasal passage.
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What Not To Do
When it comes to addressing nasal congestion, there are some things you should steer clear of regardless of how congested your baby’s nose might seem. Here’s what to avoid when addressing your baby’s stuffy nose.
- Refrain from using menthol rubs. Rubs, like Vicks, are not recommended for newborns or children under 2 years of age.
- Avoid cough and cold medicines. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend cough and cold medicines for children under 4 years of age. Meanwhile, children 4 to 6 years of age should only be given cough and cold medications if advised to do so by their pediatrician.
- Resist the urge to use a wedge to elevate the crib mattress. The AAP’s safe sleep recommendations include placing your baby on their back to sleep on a firm, flat surface like a crib or a bassinet. The use of wedges or other devices is not recommended.
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.
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