After birth, the baby has various problems, one of them is nasal congestion. The lack of the ability to fully breathe affects the general condition of the baby. In the infant, the nasal passages are narrow, the accumulation of mucus prevents the passage of air. After establishing the cause of congestion, it is necessary to properly clean the nose of the newborn.
Preparation and Precautions
Starting the cleaning process, read the rules.
- Prepare sterile cotton, 0.9% saline, cotton-flagella, pear, silicone tubes or aspirator.
- Lock the baby's head. Put the baby's head on a soft towel so that it does not turn. Better if someone helps.
What can not be done
Do not use the medicine in the form of a spray, as pressure can harm the mucous membrane. Many parents find breast milk cleansing their nose effective. This is a fallacy, as it serves as a breeding ground for microorganisms.
Do not try to clean your nose with cotton buds when the child is restless. It can damage the mucous membrane and cause nosebleeds.
Causes of snot appearance in newborns and infants
Congestion appears due to swelling and excessive mucus production. During the first days after birth, the infant may snooze due to the fact that it learns to breathe on its own. When a baby sneezes, his nose clears of excess fluid. After birth, breathing should normalize during the first week.
If the baby continues to have shortness of breath, this:
- Dry indoor air.
- Annoying factors (allergens) - tobacco smoke, perfume, dust, animal hair, household chemicals, etc.
- Viral disease.
When the nasal mucosa is dry, crusting occurs and the child becomes defenseless. He stops eating, worries, possibly bleeding. It is urgently necessary to remove mucus from the nasal passages so that it does not interfere with full breathing and does not cause discomfort.
A foreign body entering the nasal passages is not excluded. If you cannot remove it, you can instill vasoconstrictor drops and try again. If this does not help, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Instructions for cleaning boogers with different means
Saline
Soften the crusts with saline. It is necessary to put the child on his back so that his head is slightly thrown back. Then drip 3 drops into each nostril. A warm bath in front of the evening nose toilet may help. In this case, peels and mucus can not be removed.
Cotton Flagella
They can be made independently.
- Take a cotton pad and break into two halves. Leave one, and tear the second into four identical parts.
- Twist the flagellum out of four parts.
- Moisten the flagellum in warm water.
- Introduce by rotating movements alternately into each nasal passage and extract the contents (for each nostril a separate flagellum).
Pear syringe
You can buy a medical pear at a pharmacy. The procedure is as follows:
- Drop saline into your nose.
- Boil and cool the pear before use.
- Squeeze out the air by squeezing the pear.
- Carefully insert into the nostril and gradually unclench your hand.
- Do not make sudden movements, but you should not hesitate.
- After the procedure, process the pear.
Aspirator
Buy a device for sucking unwanted liquids from a pharmacy. The process of cleansing the nose with an aspirator at home has some similarities with the pear procedure. The child will not feel discomfort, but will experience slight tickling.
- Put a saline solution or brush your nose with baby oil.
- Insert the tube into the nostril connected to the container. Take the second in the mouth and with one suction remove the formation.
- Remove the contents from the container.
Cotton swabs
Cleaning with cotton buds is prohibited. The danger is that inexperienced parents can enter the wand too deeply and injure the mucous membrane. The wand is larger than the nasal passages in an infant.
Silicone tube
Put one end of the tube into the nasal passage, take the other into your mouth and draw air into yourself. So the contents of the nose will be extracted.
Other methods
In addition to aspirators, pears, tubes, flagella and other methods, there are special drops. Funds can easily soften the crust and moisturize the nasal mucosa. But it is worth remembering that sprays for newborns are prohibited, it is better to use drops.
Tips by Dr. Komarovsky
Young children do not know how to blow their nose. They need help in this. Dr. Komarovsky advises using an aspirator. Instillation of a saline solution in the nose (a teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of water) or physiological, promotes the movement of mucus from the anterior to distant areas where the child swallows it. This is not worth fearing, it is not dangerous.
Features of the physiological rhinitis in infants
If a baby’s runny nose lasts for several weeks, the baby sneezes, coughs, has an elevated body temperature, these are the first signals for going to the doctor. The main task is to establish the cause.
In newborns, two main forms of the common cold are distinguished:
- Sharp.
- Chronic
The acute form is manifested due to infection by infection. At the beginning of the disease, the nasal mucosa swells. The accumulated mucus gives the baby discomfort, prevents breathing fully, there is a violation of sucking.
Prevention and helpful tips
As a preventive measure to prevent the formation of crusts and mucus in the nose, it is recommended to monitor the microclimate (air temperature 20-22 degrees, humidity 60%) in the room where the newborn is. Wet and ventilate daily. Do not use heaters as they dry the air. Take a walk in any weather.
Loading ...Parents need to know how to properly care for their child. Newborns are defenseless and require constant attention and care. If parents do not want to risk and clean their nose, it is better to consult a doctor. Do not self-medicate. If you have problems with the baby’s health, call an ambulance.
