Newborn Nasal Congestion (Snotty Stuff)

Around week 3, we realised that a lot of Owen’s woes were being caused by a snotty, congested nose. Newborn babies' airways are still developing, and it really doesn’t take much to cause a blocked nose and a fussy, irritated baby! That being said, if you have any serious concerns about your baby's nasal health, airways or breathing, I strongly recommend seeing your health care provider!

Signs we found with Owen, indicating nasal congestion included:

• Snorting sounds when inhaling/crying

• High Pitched noises upon inhaling, at the breast (indicates excessive air entry, cause by inefficiency to breathe through nose)

• Fussiness and irritability when settling to sleep (on or off the breast)

• Excessive gas requiring a lot of burping

All babes are different of course, so you might find other indicators that your little one's nose might need a bit of TLC. Nevertheless, I've compiled a list here of my top tips for wrangling those boogas, and keeping those airways clear for better feeds, more settled sleep, and happier babes. (BY NO MEANS am I suggesting you need to go out and purchase the items I've linked below - they are merely guides/ ideas).

1. Steam

When bathing or showering your beautiful baby, try closing the door and turning the fan off. Allow the warm steam to fill the room and let your baby breathe it all in. Steam loosens any mucus or snot that has built up. Often those tricky, hard to reach boogas will come down on their own after being in a steamy environment. Furthermore, if your baby is especially congested, pop a bouncer in the bathroom. Make it the bathroom bouncer. When any family member is taking a shower you then have the option to let your baby spend time in the steam more than once a day.

2. Humidifier

Increasing the humidity in the room works largely the same as steam by keeping the airways moist and helping to clear mucus. Part of our night time routine is popping it on the low setting and allowing the room to humidify before we settle Owen down to sleep. We purchased a $49 Kmart Humidifier and placed it beside our bed. Its important to remember to clean the humidifier regularly to avoid mould/mildew build up (don't want to make matters worse by pumping out poor quality steam!).

Humidifier | Kmart

3. Snot Sucker

This is by far the most effective device when everything just isn't cutting it! The device works by creating gentle suction at the base of baby’s nostrils to pull down mucus. It is accompanied by saline drops which can be placed prior to suction to loosen mucous particles. Although I feel like a terrible mum when using the snot sucker (can cause loud cries and tears), it really does have an immediate effect. There was one night when Owen was 6 weeks old - we had spent about 2 hours trying to settle him to sleep - in the early hours of the morning. Desperately we tried the snot sucker and no joke, as soon as that booga came out, Owen was fast asleep. Hilariously frustrating! We use the Fess Less diluted saline drops, and pump, purchased from Chemist Warehouse.

FESS® Little Noses Drops - FESS®

4. Dust and pet hair removal

Sounds simple but can be a game changer. As our babies' respiratory systems are still developing, the smallest of particles can cause the most congestion. Common allergies include dust and pet hair. Try to maintain clean sleep and play spaces. If you have a pet, make sure to stay on top of malting/ hair that is dropped around the house. We invested in a cheap stick vacuum to stay on top of our cat's hair. Unfortunately she malted her winter coat just as owen was born eeek!

Black & Decker 2-in-1 Stick Vacuum | BIG W

5. Essential Oils

Essential Oils which aid in respiratory cleansing can be used for nasal congestion. I place a drop in the bottom of the shower which boosts the effectiveness of the steam, and diffuse a couple drops in diffusers around the house during the day. I prefer the R.C (respiratory care) oil by Young Living (crucial to only use therapeutic quality EO’s in and around your home + body). The blend consists of Eucalyptus leaf oil, Myrtle oil, Marjoram oil, Pine leaf oil, Lavender oil, Cypress oil, Black Spruce oil, and Peppermint oil. It's useful to note that the Peppermint and Eucalyptus oils within the R.C blend increase alertness - so be mindful to reduce use right before nap/sleep times.

R.C. Essential Oil | Uses and Benefits | Young Living Essential Oils

All the best with your little ones and their tiny noses.

J.M. xx