Babies breathe through their noses and nothing should be done to make it easier for them to breathe unless their nose is blocked and this prevents them from breathing.
In this case, it is advisable to clean the baby’s nose so that it can breathe through it and can eat without fatigue (remember how hard it is to chew when you are congested).
Let’s see what is the best way to do it (or at least the one I like the most, since there are many ways to do it):
They are not always snot
Before explaining anything, I want to make a point. Not always that we think they have snot they do. There are times when they choke on the breast or bottle and have a little milk in their airways.
This causes that when breathing is heard a “grow, grow” that makes us suspect a cold. If they knew how to clear their throats they would solve it without problems, but since they do not know, the milk stays in an “elevator” plan until it is absorbed or until it returns to their mouths.
Anyway, if it is milk, we will not see it through the nose, so when we do not see snot we will not clean it.
When to do it
There is no predefined time, since if the baby has a clogged nose and it is difficult for him to breathe and therefore eat, it is best to try to clean it a little, however it is true that there are times when the mucus comes out a little more easy, like after bathing , when the steam from the water thinns the mucus a bit.
Physiological serum
It is the main tool when cleaning the baby’s nose and the most used. It is water to which salt has been added so that it is in a “physiological” ratio, that is, so that it resembles the fluids in our body. That is why it is suitable for washing any area of the body, including wounds, eyes, nose and that is why it can be administered parenterally (through the vein).
The saline solution helps break up the mucus and drag it out for the baby to take out or swallow . Yes, I know that you are wondering if nothing is wrong because I swallow them, so I answer you: no, there is no problem, if there were, I would be sure that babies would be born knowing how to blow their noses.
Different presentations
The physiological saline can be bought in small ampoules, which makes it more comfortable and hygienic, in large bottles (100 ml, 500 ml, 1000 ml, …) and even in aerosol, which apparently dissolves mucus better. .
Which is better is something each mother must decide. The important thing is that when administering it, nothing is put into the baby’s hole (not even the spray applicator) to avoid harm.
Heat it up first
This is a “trick” that a pediatrician once told me that it works wonderfully. If we apply the serum to babies at a temperature similar to that of their body, it bothers them much less than if we administer it cold.
I did the test myself (sometimes I like to know what they feel) and being hot I did not even realize that the serum was entering until the moment I felt it in my throat, however, being cold, I immediately noticed it in my nose and the feeling was more annoying.
To warm it, it is enough to have it in your hands for a while, in a pocket that contacts our body … (the mother who explained it to the pediatrician put it in her cleavage).
How to do it
In the event that we use physiological saline in spray, the most that must be done is to rest the applicator on the nostril as little as possible to make the saline enter it.
The pressure is limited and appropriate for each age, so it is difficult to do harm with it, however it is dangerous if we try to perfectly fit the aerosol applicator to the child’s orifice because all the force of the aerosol will go directly to the nose (if we do not adjust it, part of that pressure will come out through the same hole).
I comment on the subject of pressure because too much pressure can cause mucus to go into the ears (and with it germs).
Ideally, given that an aerosol has a certain strength, it is to do it with the baby lying down, with the head turned to one side and administer the serum in the hole that is above, doing the same with the other hole but looking the other side. .
Syringes are not recommended if you do not know how to use them well, because it is difficult to control the pressure of the administration and it is important to know well where to point. In case of using them, it is better that the baby is face down, practically, to avoid that the serum goes where it does not have to go. This video shows the position that we should use, and even uses a knob to introduce serum, instead of to remove snot:
In case of using individual serum bottles, the ideal is to put the serum into the nose as if it were tears (drop by drop with good aim). If we have warmed it a little previously, they do not realize it until the mucus and / or serum reaches their throat.
In this case, it can be done with the baby on his back (if we put him on his side it will be difficult to instill drop by drop), although it is easy for him to have the reflex to swallow, to make expressions of “what a strange taste” or even that have a cough if the serum has reached a little beyond the throat. Ideally, after a few drops we put it on its side or incorporated (although if we incorporate it very quickly it may be that the serum comes out as it entered, almost without touching the snot).
Is it then sucked with a rubber bulb?
Rubber pears were used a lot in the old days, however they don’t work very well and can cause problems.
It is not recommended to adjust to the nostril because the aspiration can be too strong and affect the baby’s ears and because there are people who press the pear into the hole, and then breathe in, when the pressure to make the vacuum should be done outside ( I often plan to push air in and then blow it out).
The problem with this is that if it does not adapt to the nostril, not many results are achieved, so whatever we do, either it is useless, or we run the risk of hurting the baby.
And with nasal aspirators?
For some time now, nasal aspirators have become very fashionable, which consist of a mouthpiece for the father or mother, a tube and a head that adapts to the baby’s nose. In the head there is a filter to limit the suction pressure and to retain the snot that arrives (and the heads are interchangeable, of course).
They work quite well, although from my own experience the aspiration, despite the filter, can be excessive. Ideally, be a little careful and vacuum gently and, if not too much mucus comes out, add some saline again and try again after a while (make the mucus wet).
However, due to the risk of mucus ending up in the ear canal due to being used incorrectly, or too frequently, it is recommended that they be used as little as possible.
But they don’t like me to wipe his nose …
Well no, they usually hate it and get pretty mad when we do it. That is why I have tried to find out which methods bother the most and which ones the least.
The least annoying is the saline warmed drop by drop and without aspiration. The baby has to be a few seconds with the serum in the nose (on the side) and then we will incorporate it. This will bring out the serum with the mucus that has dissolved (and maybe even swallow some of it).
Then the aerosol would come, having more pressure causes a very different sensation in the nose and finally we would talk about the serum-aspirator dyad, which is the most effective, but the most annoying. This method would be left for those occasions when only the serum is not enough and in which despite carrying out washes the baby is still congested.
How many times can it be done?
It can be done as many times as necessary, although we must bear in mind that it bothers them. Therefore, if you only have a little mucus left that does not prevent you from breathing or eating, it is best not to insist and to wash again when necessary.
Photo | Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels
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