Nasal Congestion

[1 Month old]

My one month old has a bad case of nasal congestion.  I've been using some nose drops prescribed by the doctor for over a week now but doesn't seem to be helping at all.  And listening to him breath, especially during the nights, worries me.  Any suggestions on what I can do/try to completely clear it up?

 

[Toddler mom]

Hi,

there may be several factors causing nasal congestion. Mucus is usually a sign that the body is trying to rid itself of something that irritates it.

-Aircon-does baby sleep underneath or close? Mould in the aircon?
-Nutrition-are you breastfeeding or giving formula? Bf usually doesn't cause this problem, except if you consume something your baby doesn't tolerate. Dairy is notorious for causing mucus, not only for Asian kids.

Don't try to stop up the mucus production, as its existence shows that something needs to get out. Simple mild saline solution or drops of expressed breastmilk are very helpful to alleviate the discomfort.
For small babies with colds, very mild essential oils can be used (3 drops in a diffusor): Lavender, Eucalyptus, Thyme and Hyssop are appropriate.
Good luck!

[Homoeopathy]

My classical homoeopath did a wonderful job of clearing up my baby's cold. We had constitutional therapy, which works on the whole person, and my little one is hardly ever sick any more now, knock on wood!
I can't post the details here, but if you leave your contact, I can email you.

[happywheezer]

My little boy had a permanent runny/blocked nose and noisy breathing from the day he was born.  My husband has asthma so he was obviously checked out but in the end he was described (in the UK) as a 'happy wheezer'.  His breathing was also very noisy, especially at night.  He was even checked for reflux as well.  Hopefully your baby will get rid of the mucus soon, but if it persists for a lengthy period of time it is wise to ask the doctor to keep on investigating.

When he was about two I eventually took him to see a cranial osteopath who really helped to unblock him.  At about the same time he had his adenoids removed and since then we have had no problems.

I hope your little one improves soon, but hope my experience helps if it continues to be a problem.

[WAHM]

It's pretty normal for young babies to sound snuffly and make a lot of noise when they breathe - sorting and sniffling is their way of clearing their nasal passages of normal mucus, since they can't blow their noses like we can. . Are you sure that he has actually got a blocked nose and it's not just regular baby snuffling? Is there any discharge (snot!) and if so, what colour is it ?  Greenish colour might be a sign of infection. The above suggestions re. the aircon etc. are good ones. There is some evidence that decongestants actually make the problem worse since they cause a "rebound" effect so maybe try giving them a rest for a while and see what happens. You could try something like Euky Bear Rub or there is a similar product called Snufflebabe, these are natural eucalyptus oil and safe for bub, you can try putting a bit on his chest or even just under his nostrils and see if that helps.

[tunes]

I always used a couple of drops of Olbas Oil on their jammies or babygro, worked a treat.

[mom2]

Get a check up at the walk-in at KK if possible. My son when he was 3-6 months constantly had blocked nose and he was always slept noisily. The paeditrician at KK diagnose him with sensitive nose and put him on saline drops as well as a medication to desensitize his nose.
Just have a good check for peace of mind.

[car seat]

I remember my daughter had a terrible cold when she was only just a month old.  We would lie her in a cot and she could hardly breathe.  We found the best way was to keep her more upright so the mucus did not go back into her tummy and make her sick.  She slept in her car seat for a few nights and that really helped.