To be considering detonating (mild) explosives in my 3yo’s nose?

[lookingforthecorkscrew]

3yo is a snotty beast, and kept me (10 weeks pregnant and sick as a dog) awake all night with a horrid chesty cough. As we head ever nearer to his bedtime I find myself dreading another night of hell and feeling almost justified in conducting a minor controlled explosion in his nose.

Failing that, any tips for de-snotting a 3yo that will not blow his fecking nose?!

Sterimar salt water spray or saline nose drops to break down the yuk would not advise explosives- the splatter would be awful

Grim, but could he blow his nose underwater? Yay, bubbles!
And then drain away the grot.

If not, Yy to saline spray/drops.
And maybe some child's Olbas oil or similar at bedtime.

Your mouth over his nose and suck.

Urgh only joking even though that’s how I’ve heard of other people doing it to babies. I’ve actually made myself feel sick writing that

We bought DS2 one of those diffuser things and put eucalyptus oil into it at night time (I switch it off when we go up to bed). I think his was around £40 but it's been a godsend for those nights when coughing kept us all up.

You can get a manual sucker, for those poor babas whose mummies are too mean to snotsuck

The coughing is the worst! It seems to be almost croupy in nature these days - every time he gets a cold. He gets himself worked up into a frenzy and I have to open all the windows and let him watch YouTube on my phone until he calms down.

The plan tonight is: Olbas bath, menthol patch thingy on pjs, plug in next to bed, let him stay up with me while I watch Masterchef then come in bed with me (where I can prop him up with pillows).

DH is working until late tonight, so I’m letting DS get away with murder - he just had ice cream for tea.

Has anyone here actually tried snot-sucking a large 3yo against their will?! It’s impossible!

Will he blow his nose if you tell him it’ll make his cough better? It would make a difference not to have all the snot running down the back of his throat.

Olbas oil sprinkled on a tissue and put on the radiator works well. Put another one under his bed sheet by his head.

Definitely prop him up a bit to sleep, don't go overboard on the inhalants, remember he's only little, Olbas is strong (will it adversely affect his skin if you put it in the bath?) as is menthol and do check whatever you're plugging in as well, one thing is probably fine at child-strength, but not all three.

Plain old steam is good, then it's patience and TLC

Allegedly vapour rub on the feet is meant to work wonders...

It’s a Calpol plug in thingy

Try pepper under his nose

Other than that yes I feel your pain .... was going to suggest all you’ve said - plus calpol

Calpol plug in, steam bathroom, saline drops/spray and prop the head of his bed up. Also heard of the vapour rub on feet thing but don't know if it works

Vicks on the soles of the feet can work wonders for coughs (no idea how though)

Has anyone actually ever snot sucked? Full stop! I just can’t bring myself to do it.

I run the shower hot for a couple of minutes with a couple of olbas oil drops. Then stay with child in bathroom for as long as possible just before bed.
OP. Bedtimes are the worst!

I feel I should point at the right this minute he’s bouncing on the sofa shouting ‘HOPPITY VOOSH’ - so this definitely isn’t a serious illness

I have an identical toddler who kept me awake from 3am until he got up at 6am with his bloody coughing. DH slept through it all oblivious. Dreading the same again tonight. I have been to Boots on my way home from work and am now armed with cough syrup, snufflebabe for his chest/feet and ear plugs for myself!

Are you at home/with him during the day? We have a very snotty 2yo, both his previous winters have been doused in human snot and this one looks set to be the same. It might not help tonight, but I find consistent snot removal during the day helps with night time, IYSWIM. So- nice walk or run about in the cold air, come in to a nice steamy room such as fill the bath and let the steam fill the room, use the plug in in the lounge/playroom all day not just at night, Vicks on his clothes, and regular de-snotting. We had a tube type snot sucker which we creep in once he's asleep and use. Saline drops can loosen it a bit but won't cure it. Lots and lots to drink as well

I have never known snot like my son can produce. Gallons of it. How he hasn't drowned I don't know.

Actually I saw a video on Facebook today of a mother using a syringe of salty water and putting it up her child’s nose repeatedly until it ran clear ... looked awful but the child seemed to be laughing about it. Child looked 18 months - 2 years.

Your mouth over his nose and suck.

Urgh only joking even though that’s how I’ve heard of other people doing it to babies. I’ve actually made myself feel sick writing that

In my old nursery, we sent a girl home with a temp, leaky ears and runny nose. Mom and Nan picked her up. Girl was 16 months.

Nan did the whole sucking the snot out of her nose, spat it in a tissue and handed it to me to bin. While I was trying not to heave, Mom then stuck her finger into the gunk in the ear, licked her finger and informed me it wasn't an infection, it tasted like regular wax.