What to do when your baby has nasal congestion?

Baby nasal congestion or baby “stuffy nose” upsets the baby a lot. They do not know how to communicate to the adults but cry. It can be quite an ordeal to see them suffer and lose their appetite. It can really affect sleep and eating habits.

Nasal congestion is typically caused by anything that inflames the nasal tissues - usually a cold, influenza, sinusitis, or allergies. There are several ways to relieve the baby from their nasal discomfort. You can read them here (webmd) but today I'm just going to introduce this method using the nasal aspirator which you can buy at the pharmacy easily. All parents with babies should equip with this gadget.

Babies don't have the ability to blow their nose, so this gadget really helps a lot. This is a quick relieve to their nasal congestion or blocked nose, the ultimate solution is of course to bring them to their pediatrician. 

How to use the nasal aspirator:
Squeeze the bulb before you place it in the nose. That way, when you release the bulb, it will pull out mucus from inside. Please note that if you squeeze when the bulb is already inside a nostril, it will give off a puff of air that could push the mucus farther into the nasal cavity. So be mindful when using this.

Squeeze out any mucus inside the bulb onto a tissue. You can do this about 15 minutes or so before you feed your child and before bedtime. This will help your baby breathe more easily when they nurse, take a bottle, or go down to sleep.

Hope this helps.

Why do babies cry?

All babies cry. A crying baby, especially if the crying continues for a long period of time, can be stressful on the parents or caregivers. A pacifier can comfort her but don't jump on to use it too quickly, always try to find out the cause first.

Here are a few common things that could be causing your baby to cry:

Hunger - is she crying for milk? She could be hungry. If she turns her head towards you when you hold her, she's probably hungry.

Dirty diaper - she'll be ucomfortable in a dirty diaper. Change her wet nappy and see if she still cries after that.

Illness/Colic - check for symptoms of illness such as fever, shallow breathing, diarrhoea, vomiting, perspiration, lack of interest in feeds, rashes or unusual skin colour. A piercing cry would mean she's unwell. If she thrashes her arms and legs around, she might be in pain. If she draws her legs up and goes red in the face when she's crying, she may be suffering from colic and may have a build-up of wind in her stomach.

Tired/Cranky - sometimes she could be tired and overstimulated.

Here are some effective ways to soothe your baby:

Rocking or swinging
Many babies enjoy the motion involved in rocking or swinging. You can rock your baby in a rocking chair or swing in a porch swing.

Wrapping the baby in a snug blanket (swaddling)
Wrapping the baby snugly in a receiving blanket may help him feel safe and secure. Some parents find swaddling the most effective method of soothing their infants, ages newborn to six weeks.

Singing, talking, or humming
Just hearing your voice could be soothing for a crying baby. You can try singing to her, humming, reading a book to her or just talking. Hold the baby against your chest when you are singing or humming, the vibrations of your voice and the sound of your heartbeat are also soothers.

Taking a walk
Try taking a walk outside. Some babies respond well to the sights and sound of the outdoors. Put your baby in his stroller and take a walk around the block.

Driving around
Some parents find the driving trick does wonders in soothing a crying baby. As soon as you place a child in their car seat and start driving, they fall asleep. Perhaps it's the change of scenery, the motion of the car or the hum of the engine that soothes them, or perhaps a combination of all three.