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A Hack Guide to Clean Your Baby’s Nose

Cold season is in full swing and unfortunately, adults aren’t the only ones that have to deal with stuffy noses.

Since babies can’t blow their own noses, it can be particularity difficult to help their congestion. When there’s too much mucus and a traditional bulb syringe doesn’t work, your baby may even find it difficult to breathe.

Luckily, there’s another way to remove baby snot that’s easy, clean and effective.

Interested to know what it is? Read on.

 

Why You Need to Clean Your Baby’s Nose

There are a few reasons why keeping your baby’s nose clear is important:

• Won’t latch properly. When a baby’s nose is stuffed, it makes it difficult for her to latch for breastfeeding. This can prevent her from getting the nutrients she needs and could make her more ill. You can clean her nose before feeding, but cleaning it too soon after could irritate her, causing her to spit up the breastmilk.
• Difficulty drinking from a bottle. Even if your baby is bottle-fed, she may still have a hard time latching to the nipple of her bottle if her nose is clogged with mucus.
• Colds last for fewer days. Getting rid of mucus can help clear congestion completely and will have her back to her normal self sooner. When her nose is clear, it’s easier for her to sleep, allowing her to heal quicker.
• Helps baby breathe. If your baby gets too congested, it can become hard for her to breathe, which is a safety hazard. If you notice your baby taking quick breaths or her skin changing color, seek immediate medical attention.

 

The Best Way to Clean Your Baby’s Nose

If you’ve ever tried to clean a baby’s nose, you know how difficult, time-consuming and frustrating it can be. Your doctor or hospital may send you home with a bulb syringe that’s supposed to suck the snot out, but often times it doesn’t work as well as you wish. Many parents complain that it doesn’t fully remove blockages and it irritates their baby. Luckily, there’s an affordable product that can easily unclog the nose.

 

What is the Snotty Buddy?

The Snotty Buddy is a nasal aspirator/baby snot remover that sucks snot out of your baby’s nose when she’s stuffed up. It’s designed and endorsed by pediatricians. The way it works is that one end of the tube goes into the parent’s mouth and the other end goes into the baby’s nose. When the parent inhales through their mouth, it sucks up the mucus and captures it.

Don’t worry, the mucus can’t pass through the mouthpiece because the hygiene filters prevent backflow and bacterial transfer. Some people are hesitant about the idea of sucking up snot from a nose, but once they try it, they can’t go back to using other products because the Snotty Buddy is much easier. Although it may sound gross, there’s not a lot you won’t try when your baby is having trouble breathing.

 

How to Get Snot Out of Baby’s Nose Using the Snotty Buddy/Snot Sucker

1. Wash your hands to prevent spreading germs.
2. Insert the pointed end of the product into your baby’s nose. It should lay far enough in the nose so that it can suck out anything that’s stuck.
3. Ensure the hygiene filter is in the product and put the mouthpiece into your mouth.
4. Inhale with force to suck out any mucus (it will make a suctioning noise). You’ll be able to see how much it’s working by looking at the tube.
5. Adjust the product in your baby’s nose as necessary.
6. Repeat in other nostril.
7. When you’re finished, wash the Snotty Buddy. This can be done using warm, soapy water. You can also sterilize the tube with rubbing alcohol if you want.

 

Benefits of the Snotty Buddy

When you compare the Snotty Buddy to the traditional bulb syringe and other products on the market, it wins for these reasons:

• Safe— The Snotty Buddy is FDA approved and made from material that’s non-allergenic and free from the bad stuff: BPA, phthalate and latex.

 

• Effective— Unlike similar devices, it sucks up all of the snot. Sometimes a regular bulb syringe can’t reach the mucus toward the back of the nostril. You can also physically see the mucus it’s removing, so you can tell it’s working. Since it sucks up more of the snot than other products, you’ll have to use it less frequently.

 

• Easy to use— Since the product is smaller than others designed to remove mucus, it’s easier to handle and control. It does the job on the first try, so you’ll save time.

 

• Less fuss— Babies often make a fuss, moving around and screaming or crying when you try to clean their nose. Unlike other products that require multiple attempts to fully clear the nose, the Snotty Buddy works quickly so your baby doesn’t fight it.

 

• Less invasive— The Snotty Buddy is gentle and doesn’t cause irritation. However, other products, such as a bulb syringe, may hurt the nose lining if the suctioning is too aggressive. Since the syringe often takes multiple attempts, it can be easier to irritate your baby.

 

• No mess— Other products can lead to an accidental mess, which is not something you want when you’re dealing with snot. The Snotty Buddy is designed to capture all of the mucus it sucks up so that you don’t need to worry about it flowing through the straw and into your mouth. The hygiene filters prevent backflow, so transferring bacteria won’t be an issue. You can also buy more hygiene filters when you run out.

 

Want to try the Snotty Buddy? Get it today for $14.99.

 

Other Tips for Cleaning Your Baby’s Nose

Before you use a Snotty Buddy, you can try these tips to decrease congestion and make the mucus easier to suck out.

#1 Saline Drops

Saline drops are safe to use for most babies and they can make the Snotty Buddy even easier to use by making the mucus thinner and loosening it. Here’s how to use them:

1. Lay your baby down with her head tilted upwards.
2. Put one or two drops into each of her nostrils.
3. Try to keep your baby laying down for about a minute so that the saline drops get absorbed.
4. Turn her onto her stomach and use a tissue to clean the mucus as it drains.
5. Saline alone may help unstuff your baby, but if she still has congestion, use the Snotty Buddy afterward.

Note: It’s okay to use saline drops for a few days in a row, but overusing them could lead to a dry nose.

 

#2 Make Your Own Saline Drops

If you don’t have any saline drops and are in a pinch, you can make your own. All you need to do is combine a cup of boiled water with ¼ tsp. of salt. The water should be boiled to ensure it doesn’t contain any bacteria that could make your baby sicker. Let it cool before using. Store it in a clean bottle and use a dropper to administer it. These DIY baby saline drops will stay good for about 3 days.

 

#3 Use Steam

If your baby is really stuffed up, steaming won’t get rid of the issue but it will loosen congestion, making it easier to use a nasal aspirator. Run a hot shower or bath for a few minutes and sit with your baby inside the washroom as it becomes steamy. You may notice her start to sniffle as her nose becomes runny.

 

#4 Warm Liquid

If your baby is 6 months or older, feeding her some warm liquid could also soften the mucus and allow it to release. You may choose to warm up some water, juice or another beverage she’s had before.

 

#5 Use a Cool Mist Humidifier

If there’s dry air in your home, it can make congestion worse. You can fix this by using a cool mist humidifier and filling it with water. Place it in the same room as your baby’s crib so that it can help her while she sleeps.

 

When to Call the Doctor

Baby congestion and colds are common, but you should watch out for signs that it’s getting more serious. Call your doctor if:

• Congestion isn’t going away or improving
• Your baby isn’t eating a normal amount
• Your baby develops a fever
• Your baby is coughing

These signs mean you should seek help ASAP:

• Quick and short breaths
• Skin turns pale or blue
• Wheezing that’s high-pitched

 

Have you struggled with cleaning your baby’s nose before? If so, comment below the best way to clean it that you’ve found so far. If you know anyone with a sick baby, be sure to share this post to help them, too!

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