Your newborn has a runny nose? Clean it in 2 steps!
There are so many things that you need to learn when a newborn comes on board. Maybe nobody has told you yet, but nasal cleaning is one of them. Learn how to deal with it now, so you won’t regret it later when your newborn has a cold. Rest assured, we know you already have enough work to do with your little one, so we’ve simplified nasal cleaning to just two easy steps. Let’s get to it!
But before we continue, there is something you need to know. Why is it important to act when your baby has a stuffy nose? Is it necessary and safe for them?
The answer is yes! Newborns breathe mainly through their nose until they reach a couple of months of age. Therefore, when your baby has nasal congestion, they experience problems with getting enough air, not to mention breastfeeding or sleeping. They get fussy and unhappy, and you do too. No worries, we won’t let it happen.
To remedy your baby’s runny nose, equip yourself with a saline solution and a nasal aspirator, then follow our instructions.
Step 1.
- Get yourself a saline solution that is available in every pharmacy or prepare it at home. Don’t use any other pharmaceutical spray unless your doctor tells you so!
- Put your baby on their back.
- Gently squeeze 3-4 drops of saline solution into your baby’s nose and let the liquid stay inside for 1 minute. This way, you thin the secretion and make it easier to remove it.
- Wipe away the excess liquid with a tissue.
Step 2.
- Grab your nasal aspirator. Make sure that it is a safe medical device intended for newborns, for example any Nosiboo nasal aspirator, and that you have read the user manual carefully before use. Read more about how to choose a safe nasal aspirator here.
- Hold your child steady in your arms, and try to position their head a little bit higher.
- Place the nose tip of your device in the child’s nostril and start suctioning. This can be done by clicking the button in an electric nasal aspirator or by using the power of your lungs in a manual nasal aspirator. Learn more about how to choose the right nasal aspirator model here.
- Move the nose tip around gently to make sure that you cover all areas of the nostril.
- It should typically take about 10-15 seconds per nostril to effectively remove excess mucus. If nothing goes out, it might mean that it is time to question the performance of your device (read more about how important technology is in a nasal aspirator here) or it’s possible that the saline solution alone was enough to clean the nose, especially if your baby’s runny nose was not severe.
- Check the amount of mucus that came out, you might be surprised! Don’t forget to clean the container after you finished the nasal cleaning process.
- We won’t sugarcoat it – your newborn probably won’t like the procedure, so once you are done, reassure them that they were very brave, give them a warm hug, and then get yourself some treat 😉.
You did it, congratulations! You’ve successfully learned what to do when your baby has a runny or stuffy nose.
Here is our advice
There are many models of nasal aspirators available on the market, but not all of them come with thin nose tips designed especially for newborns. Given that the tiniest noses require special care, it’s good to pay attention if the nose tip will fit your child’s nose. If you want to be sure of it, simply choose any nasal aspirator from the Nosiboo family.
All of them come with a standard nose tip and a newborn’s nose tip as well, so you can start with the thinner one and exchange it when your child grows older. Simple as it is!
