Gently wipe off the mucus around the baby's nose with tissues to prevent irritation. Limit suctioning to no more than 4 times each day to avoid irritating the nose.
Too Much Suctioning
While the nasal aspirator is helpful in removing secretions, it can be utilized too frequently. It is possible for repeated suctioning to cause inflammation in the nasal passage and make it more difficult for the child to breathe through the nose.
The best times to suction are before feeding and before bed. This will help your baby breathe easier when they eat and when they sleep.
Minimize Risk to the Newborn
Minimize the length of suctioning to 10 seconds or less. If the first pass does not fully clear the airway, reoxygenate the neonate and try again.
The nose. To clear your baby's nose of mucus and prevent infections, clean it regularly: twice a day in the summer and 4 times a day in the winter (you may need to do it more often if your little one has a cold). To clean your baby's nose, use a saline solution (which you can buy at a pharmacy or make at home).
When should I suction my child's nose or mouth? Any time your child is having difficulty breathing or is having noisy breathing due to excess mucus. Before feeding or nursing if his/her nose is stuffy. Your child will eat better if his/her nose is cleared.
Mild to moderate congestion is common in babies and should only last for a few days. If a caregiver is concerned about a baby's ability to breathe or their baby is under 3 months old and has a fever, they should seek medical help as soon as possible.
Suctioning makes it easier for your baby to breathe and eat. If needed, it is best to suction your baby's nose before a feeding or bedtime. Avoid suctioning after feeding. This may cause your baby to vomit.
Stop suctioning neonates at birth. There is no benefit to this practice, and it can cause bradycardia and apnea. Instead, wipe the baby's mouth and nose with a towel to clear excess secretions and stimulate respiration.
Hold your baby upright
Wondering what's the best position to sleep with a stuffy nose? Use a baby carrier/wrap to help keep your infant upright as you go about your day. This position might help your baby's stuffy nose. Remember that you will have to lie your baby down on a flat mattress while putting them to sleep.
If your baby has a stuffy nose they may breathe through their mouth, which can make it harder for them to feed. In rare cases, a stuffy nose can cause breathing problems. Usually, nasal congestion goes away on its own within a week.
A clear nasal passage is critical to the development of normal teeth in children. Normally, children should breath through their nose, especially at night. If the nose is blocked, children will breathe through their mouth. This is abnormal.
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.
Babies are also more susceptible to air pollutants that cause allergies such as dust, pet dander, pollen, and smoke. The irritation stimulates the production of mucus that causes congestion.
Concerning Baby Congestion Symptoms
If your baby is congested and exhibits any of the below symptoms, call your doctor immediately: Your baby is younger than three months old. Your baby isn't having as many wet diapers as usual. Your baby has a temperature of 100 degrees for more than three days.
Do not suction too long! The maximum suction time should only be 15 seconds. After suctioning, re-oxygenate the patient.
Pacifiers. Artificial nipples such as pacifiers can interfere with breastfeeding, so we no longer use them in the hospital. Latching and sucking on a pacifier is different than sucking on a breast. We don't want to confuse baby in the first few days of learning to breastfeed.
Breast milk.
It doesn't get more natural—or easier—than this. “A drop or two in the nose can help loosen congestion,” Altmann says. “Let baby sniff it up, then give him tummy time; when he lifts his head, it'll drain out.” You can also drain by holding your congested baby upright.
Use saline drops or spray
If you can't run to the store for saline drops or spray, try mixing one cup of warm, filtered water and a ½ teaspoon of salt. Make sure your mixture is completely cooled before using. Try tilting your baby's head back and spraying or squeezing a couple of drops inside the nose.
Severe nasal congestion that makes it hard for your child to sleep is not 'trouble breathing. ' If your child is struggling, especially if the spaces between the ribs are sinking in, nostrils are flaring, or skin is pale or gray, the child needs to be immediately seen.”
When breastfeeding, keep your little one as upright as possible. Try propping him or her up with extra pillows for added support while nursing. Congestion is often relieved when upright, so also try propping your baby up when they sleep by placing a pillow beneath their mattress.
The theory is that the pacifier prevents the upper airway from getting blocked by the tongue. Some experts believe that they push any bedding away from the baby's nose, thereby helping them breathe, or that they can calm agitated babies and prevent them from struggling in the crib and getting under the bedding.
A blocked nose in children or babies will usually clear within two or three weeks if the underlying infection is caused by sinusitis or bronchiolitis, and around a week for flu. If your little one has developed an allergy, they may have congestion for many months at a time.