When Should You Visit The Paediatrician
If home remedies arent working for your baby, she may need a medical check-up.
Consider visiting a paediatrician if:
- The cold doesnt clear up within three weeks.
- Your baby takes quick breaths.
- She is running a high temperature.
- She coughs up blood.
- Your babys condition seems to be getting worse.
- Your little one has a persistent sore throat.
- You see her wheezing and her skin turning pale or blue.
Nose Drops And Suction
Squeeze one to two drops of saline nose drops in each nostril to help loosen any dried mucus and then use a rubber suction bulb.
To use it, first squeeze the bulb. Next, gently stick the tip of the bulb into a nostril. Finally, slowly release the bulb and it will pull out clogged mucus. Repeat on the other nostril.
You may want to use saline nose drops before each feeding to help your baby breathe more easily while eating, Dr. Danan says.
Home Remedies For Baby Stuffy Nose
Looking for natural remedies for an baby’s blocked nose? These three options might help clear the congestion.
Steam up the bathroom. If your baby has a stuffy nose, run a hot shower for a few minutes. Then, when the bathroom is steamy, sit in the room with them for a bit. This will help loosen the mucus in their nostrils. But don’t go in the hot shower with your little onethe water can scald them!
Run a cool air humidifier. Most of us have the heat on in our homes during the winter months, and that dry air can stuff up a baby’s nose. Keeping a cool air humidifier going in their room can offer some relief and prevent stuffiness. Keep the humidifier clean to prevent fungus from growing. This is an especially useful remedy for a baby stuffy nose at night!
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Encourage hydration and rest. Babies may need more sleep when they’re sick, so don’t neglect your soothing bedtime routine. Also, make sure your little one drinks enough breast milk or formula to prevent dehydration. Your baby can stay in an upright position during feedings to decrease congestion.
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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 Is A Stuffy Nose Or Congestion Cause For Concern In Babies Or Toddlers And When Should You Call The Doctor
If your baby takes a break from nursing because she cant breathe and suck at the same time, that can be distressing to both of you. Try a few saline drops in her nostrils to loosen the mucus and then very gently suction her nose with an infant nasal aspirator to clear out her nasal passages.
A cool-mist humidifier in her bedroom and exposure to steam from the shower can also help just make sure to gradually remove layers of clothing when the bathroom gets warm and put them back on when you leave the room.
If your childs stuffiness is accompanied by a fever, ear pain, a sore throat and/or swollen glands, or you suspect there is a foreign object stuck in her nose, call your pediatrician right away. If your little one’s breathing becomes labored, even through the mouth, that also warrants an immediate call to your pediatrician’s emergency line or 911 .
You’ll also want to consult your doctor if you suspect an allergic reaction to any environmental pollutants, which is rare in babies, or if the nasal discharge is green, bloody or smells bad.
Sometimes those secondary symptoms are hard to discern in a baby, so if youre worried about your little ones plugged-up nose and her general comfort, a call to your practitioner is a good idea anyway, if only to ease your mind.
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How To Identify Baby Nasal Congestion
Before using any remedies for decongestion, its important to know that congestion is the problem youre dealing with. Another issue might be a nostril that has been blocked by a foreign object. Of course, sometimes a blocked nose is unmistakable, but its worth checking to see if there might be something up there! If there is, you should take your baby to A& E or a minor injuries unit to have it safely removed.
When your baby has a blocked nose, you might also notice mucus around their nostrils. They might have a low fever or other symptoms, or just be generally fussy or unhappy. Fortunately, there are some great remedies you can try when your baby has a stuffy nose.
Know When To Wait It Out
Not every stuffy, runny nose needs treatment. If it’s not bothering your baby, you don’t have to do anything. As long as your little one is active and eats and drinks normally, it’s fine to wait and watch.
Don’t give cough and cold medicines to kids under age 4. If your child is between 4 and 6, talk to your doctor about which drugs are OK to use.
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Give Your Baby A Bath
Who doesnt love a nice warm bath? Your congested baby will definitely love a nice warm bath. As the age-old parenting advice says, If your baby is fussy, either put them in water or go outside.
In this case, a warm bath can often soothe your baby if theyre bothered by their congestion. You can even transform bath time into a bonding experience with your little one with our bath time products.
Our Bath Time Essentials Set includes four essential plant-based skin care products to keep your baby clean and moisturized during and in-between bath time! On top of caring for your babys skin during their bath, stimulate your babys senses!
Your baby will get excited when they see, feel, and play with our Multi-Sensory Bubble Bath! It makes bath time fun and therapeutic for both you and your baby while also protecting and hydrating your babys skin! Then wrap up bath time with our Hydra Bebe Body Lotion.
Gently massage the lotion onto your babys skin. Our non-greasy formula leaves your babys skin silky-smooth. Your baby will be relaxed after getting out of the bath and massaged with our lotion, which will help ease their congestion symptoms.
Use A Nasal Spray Or Drops
Nasal sprays and drops are one option for baby nasal congestion. When your baby has a stuffy nose at night or during the day, these products can help. They can be a little tricky to use, especially if you have a wriggly baby, but there are also some things that you can do to make it easier.
Nasal sprays or drops use a saline solution to thin out mucus and help unblock your babys nose. You can usually use these products from birth, so theyre suitable for a newborn blocked nose. For the best chance of success, use these products when your baby is relaxed and less likely to wriggle around. With a spray, you simply need to insert the nozzle into your babys nostril and spray once, then repeat on the other side.
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What To Do When Your Baby Has A Stuffy Nose At Night
Another way to help your congested baby is by keeping his head above the rest of his body.
This allows the mucus to flow and reduces congestion.
During the day this is easy, you can simply let baby sleep on you or let him sleep in a baby carrier if you are running around.
At night you can put a few towels under one side of your babys mattress to elevate their head.
Unfortunately, if you co-sleep this is a bit more difficult.
For safe co-sleeping, its not recommended to sleep with your baby on your chest.
You can, however, find a way to elevate the head of your bed if possible. This requires some creativity though.
Some people have had success with large bricks under the feet of their headboard.
Or using bed risers just under the headboard feet.
If you have a floor bed you can use extra blankets and such to create an incline under your mattress.
What Causes Our Babys Stuffy Nose
As stated above, when we have a cold or something similar, our noses get inflamed. The tissues, blood vessels, and nasal polyps inside your nose become swollen with extra fluid and it creates that very âfullâ or âstuffyâ feeling. With our little babes, their noses are so tiny! So a little inflammation for us is very different compared to their tiny baby congested nose. And does it seem like your baby is more congested at night? This isnât just to spite you poor, hard working parents! Our bodies react differently to allergens at night and as much as we need gravity, it is not helpful when it comes to a babyâs stuffy nose at night. Mucus builds up and has nowhere to go, increasing nasal congestion.
âYou know whatâs really common beginning at 6 months of age? The common cold. You know what else? Teething. Great, I know. Another mystery of wondering what ailment your little one is dealing with. So, do babies get stuffy noses while theyâre teething? Usually not. Teething can sometimes be related to a runny nose due to inflammation of the mouth and gums, but if what youâre seeing in your infant is nasal congestion, itâs likely the common cold. The good news is that neither of these are cause for alarm or a reason to see the pediatrician, unless other symptoms arise that weâll discuss shortly.
Our babies can have a stuffy nose with no other symptoms but oftentimes, our babyâs stuffy nose can come with other symptoms.
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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.
What Causes A Stuffy Nose In Babies And Toddlers
It’s amazing that little noses can produce so much gunk but it’s also totally normal. Stuffed-up noses are caused by inflammation of the sensitive membranes that line the nasal cavity, and theyre usually nothing to worry about.
Congestion in newborn babies is common, even when there’s nothing wrong the mucus in her system means her immune system is developing.
Other causes of congestion in babies and toddlers are upper respiratory viruses like the common cold, the flu, allergies, cold weather and accidental exposure to environmental irritants like tobacco smoke. Your child’s nasal congestion and runny nose may come with other symptoms, including sneezing, a cough and itchy skin around the nose or face.
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When To Call A Doctor
Be sure to see your doctor right away if your baby is younger than 3 months old and their stuffy nose is making it difficult for them to nurse. If the congestion is related to a cold, you also should call your doctor. Colds in babies this young can quickly become dangerous problems like croup, brochiolitis, and even pneumonia.
You also should call your doctor if your baby’s congestion is accompanied by other symptoms like crankiness, a fever of 100.4 or higher, or lethargy.
For children older than 3 months, call your doctor for an appointment if their nasal congestion lasts longer than 10 to 14 days. You also should contact your doctor if your baby has a fever over 102, is lethargic or cranky, appears to have ear pain, or has a cough that won’t go away.
And, regardless of your baby’s age, get help right away either by going to the emergency room or calling 9-1-1 if your baby’s congestion is making it difficult for them to breathe. Some signs that your baby is struggling include nostrils that get larger with each breath, skin around the ribs sucking in with each breath, fast breathing, or lips or nails that are turning blue.
What Causes Baby Congestion
Several issues can lead to a congested baby. Some newborns get congested simply because their nasal passages are so tiny that a little bit of mucus, irritation from things in the air, or even a little bit of breast milk they spit up and goes into the nose can cause it, says Tanya Altmann, MD, an American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson and founder of Calabasas Pediatrics in California. While allergies arent typically a culprit behind baby congestion, cold or flu is. In fact, says Gina Posner, MD, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, the majority of congestion in infants is caused by viruses.
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What Can A Parent Do At Home To Help A Child With A Cold
Humidified air is one of the best things you can do. It will help lubricate the nasal sinuses and prevent cough. If your childs uncomfortable, use of Tylenol and Ibuprofen would be appropriate. Use upright positioning for small infants and children, but only while theyre awake, and flat positioning while they sleep. Nasal saline can also help congestion.