How to clean a baby's nose
Newborn babies' parents are worried because babies often sneeze and have a little mucus in their noses. Although it is normal at that age, there are situations when the nose must be rinsed
Body
Baby's nose
The baby's nose cleans itself, as mucus binds the dirt and removes it. Additional nose care is needed only if the nose secretes too much mucus, which happens when the baby catches a cold. Saline solution is used for rinsing the nose:
- lay the baby on his/her side,
- put a few drops of saline solution in the upper nostril or spray the same solution in,
- elevate the baby slightly, with his/her head facing down, supporting him/her with your arm, and pat him/her lightly on the back so that the mucus flows out or becomes visible,
- if the mucus can be heard but not seen, put the saline solution in his/her nose again,
- turn the baby face down and, when the mucus becomes visible, pull it out with a twisted corner of a cloth diaper or a dry cotton bud,
- after a few minutes, repeat the procedure in the other nostril, with the baby lying on the other side,
- if necessary, nose cleaning can be performed before each breastfeeding session.
Cotton buds should never be inserted in the nostril. Do not use pumps and aspirators to clean a heathy child's nose - only use them when the baby is sick and has a lot of mucus. If your baby is struggling to breastfeed or refuses to breastfeed due to a stuffy nose, consult a pediatrician.
