Your infant breathes primarily through her nose, so when nasal congestion results from a cold, flu or sinus infection, the stuffiness makes suckling a breast, bottle or pacifier difficult. Unlike adults who have an entire shelf full of nasal decongestant options at the store, infants are limited to natural treatment options. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to minimize your infant's discomfort from a stuffy nose.
Step 1
Turn your shower on the hottest setting and close the bathroom door so the room fills with steam. Sit with your baby in the steam for 15 minutes in the morning, in the afternoon and before going to bed. The steam can relieve discomfort from congestion by soothing the inflamed blood vessels of your baby's nose and breaking up mucus.
Step 2
Place your baby on his back and squeeze two to three drops of saline drops in each nostril; keep him on his back for one minute. Then place your baby on his tummy and use a nasal bulb syringe to remove excess mucus and saline. Wipe your child's nose and try to pull out mucus with a tissue. Never insert a cotton swab into your baby's nose.
Step 3
Use a hot-steam vaporizer in your baby's bedroom instead of a cool-mist vaporizer. To prevent mold, air the room out daily and disinfect the vaporizer with bleach.
Step 4
Breast-feed or formula-feed your infant as often as possible. Aim to double the amount of fluids your baby normally receives; this will help thin mucus, in turn, relieving congestion.
Step 5
Raise the head of your baby's crib about an inch off the ground with a book or board. This minimizes post-nasal drip and reduces congestion from mucus settling in the nasal cavity. Do not lift the crib too high, since this could cause your baby to roll or slide to the side or bottom of the crib. Ensure that your baby will remain stationary and on her back while sleeping.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep a bulb syringe handy while breastfeeding, since nasal congestion interferes with your infant's ability to attach to the breast. If your baby is struggling to breathe through his nose while nursing, suction out his nose. Breastfeed or bottle-feed while sitting in the steamy bathroom. If your hot-steam vaporizer allows you to add oils, add one drop of eucalyptus oil and one drop of lavender oil to relieve congestion.
- Always seek emergency medical assistance if your baby is having difficulties breathing, is turning a bluish gray or pale in color, or is unresponsive. If the head of the crib gets raised too high and your infant rolls to her stomach or to a different area of the crib, there is an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome or suffocation. Never give decongestant nasal sprays or cold medications to infants. The side effects may include a rapid heart rate and convulsions.
Things You'll Need
- Bulb syringe
- Saltwater (saline) drops
- Shower
- Hot-mist vaporizer
- Bleach
- Eucalyptus oil (optional)
- Lavender oil (optional)
