It is normal for a baby’s nose to get congested (stuffed up) from time to time. When this happens, you can use nasal saline to thin their mucus and then suction it out with a bulb syringe. Suctioning mucus out of the nose makes it easier for them to breathe, suck, and eat. Do this before feeding them, but only if they seem congested.
To use the bulb syringe, squeeze the air out of the bulb. Keep the bulb squeezed.Gently place the tip of the squeezed bulb into a nostril.Let go of the bulb to let the air back into it. This will pull the mucus out of the nose and into the bulb.Squeeze the mucus out of the bulb and onto a tissue.Suction the other nostril the same way.If mucus is too thick to suction, you can thin it with saline or prescribed respiratory drops (see instructions leaflet)Gently wipe off the mucus around the baby’s nose with tissues to prevent irritation.Limit suctioning to no more than 4 times each day to avoid irritating the nose.
After Suctioning
Wash the bulb syringe in warm, soapy water after each use. Squeeze soapy water into the bulb and shake to clean out the mucus. Then, squeeze the water out. Repeat this step many times. Rinse the bulb many times by filling it with clear water, then squeezing the water out.