HELP - baby's nose so congested he can't breathe while nursing - hw to clear?

[Jacksmama]

My 9-month-old has a cold, and his poor little nose is so full of snot that he can't breathe while nursing. He takes a gulp, comes off to breathe through his mouth, and pops on again - so he's getting milk, but it's a huge effort. He sounds like a piglet (snort, snort, snort), so it's a liquidy snot (sorry, TMI). I've tried to twist a bit of tissue and stick it up his nose to pull out snot but it doesn't work very well. Advice urgently needed! Thank you!

Saline nose drops you can get them from boots or your local chemist .

I ahve also soon a nose suction thing in boots too.

HTH and your LO gets better soon.

I HAVE ALSO SEEN .

Lacking a nose suction thingey, which do work btw, I once sucked the snot out of a very small dd2's nose.
Very gross, but it worked. >

I did that too Darksomenight [barf].

I did that too Darksomenight [barf].

suck it out is the easiest to do before and during a feed without fiddling with contraptions etc...although can be gross for most people

Eeeeewww!! LOL! OKay, if that's the only thing I can do until I get to the pharmacy, here goes...

I also tried the saline drops and suction things when DD was little, but they were universally detested - though have to say when screaming in protest her nose would often run so much it cleared itself!

Anyway I did find it helped to feed her in an upright position - straddling my knee. This mean't the snot ran down her throat rather than pooling at the back of the nose.

I guess it's not too different from swallowing your own snot...

Buy a snot sucker - they hate it but it really really works a treat - the saline stings - I have it put up mine regulalry and it isn't nice.

eeeeeeeuuuuuuwwwwwwwww, don't swallow it, I spat it out. then drank copious amounts of something strong to get rid of taste.

I find giving ds some tummy time helps - he snorts, snuffles and dribbles a goodly lot of snot out and then lies in it.

a few drops of breastmilk up the nostrils works as a decongestant here it says to Squirt into nose and suction or squeeze out as you would with saline.

Gaaahh, I wasn't planning on swallowing it!! And I don't seem to be doing it right, anyway... will probably have to buy one of the sucker thingies...

I second feeding upright. My HV commented once it didn't look very easy but it was the only way she wouldn't be spluttering through a feed. Our GP and the hospital kept us supplied with saline drops which were good for before a feed. We only ever topped her up with a syringe so that helped too.

Hi JM
just on here for support. i did the snot sucking once and once only.... but it did work

you can do salt water, very dilute, shouldn't sting and you can get a special angled squirter - i could give it you but post probably means cheaper to buy new

felt put off the cost of commercial suckers but I am skin flint

if very bad a sort of dehumidifier with salt water works - can't you just go for a walk by the sea? all that salty breeze would help?

Just suck it out!!!It doesnt taste horrible! i used to do the bm thing and then if still congested half hour later i would just suck it out. I couldnt suck anybody elses nose tho! sleep outweighs ewww factor for me!!

I had the same problem with DD last week so feel for you. The only thing which cleared her nose was Vicks on her chest. After 2 hours of faffing it cleared her nose within 5 mins. It's suitable from 6 months.

I used to put some Olbas oil or Karvol on a tissue and tuck it down by my leg on the side she was feeding, that and holding her more upright seemed to help.

Also a warm bath before bed helps clear them out a little for the bedtime feed.

A friend of mine from Thailand swears by a sliced onion by the cot as a decongesant as well, never tried it myself but might be worth a go?

Our sucker things have really got their money's worth here. It is very satisfying getting litres of the stuff out . I have the NUK ones, they work a treat.

I bought a 'Baby nose clear' from Waitrose a couple of weeks ago it cost £7 which I thought was outrageous but it is FAB. Really sucks the stuff out and no more total nightmares with feeding and sleeping.

Okay, I tried to bogey-sucker thingie this morning, and DS SCREAMED and SCREAMED and SCREAMED... it did pull out a big string of snot (sorry, TMI again), but he was beside himself. WTF????? HELP!!! Did I do it wrong? Can you do it wrong??? Then I took him in the shower with me, and tried sucking snot out of his little nose myself. It wasn't actually too bed, but again, he really didn't like it. And he's soooooo snotty today... poor little man!

Hi there, I used the snot sucker with my little one in the first year, he didn't mind at first, but started to get irritated by it. He'd try and avoid it so I'd have to be really quick and just do one strong one - he screamed his head off too.

The best thing I can say is do it to yourself and you'll know why! But it's still a neccessary evil I think.

Only use it for a snotty nose, the other suggestions for saline etc are better for dry crusted noses

Mine hate the snot sucker with a vengeance. They cry when they see it . They cry if I even try to wipe their noses now. But I still sometimes use it, esp first thing in the morning if they wake up full of snot, as otherwise they just puke it up with all their milk anyway. There is a knack to it, and it's quite satisying! I tried it on myself and it is horrible!

Snot suckers look the business but have you tried it on yourselves???

I did - it is AGONY, I will never inflict that on a small child again...