Please help! Baby mucus choking - can only sleep with heater on!

[Maya1988]

My DD is 9 weeks old and for the past 2-3 weeks has been having issues with what sounds like post-nasal drip/mucus in her throat. It started with snoring during sleep and grunting during wake times but it's now affecting her to the point where she can only sleep in a really hot and dry bedroom with fan heater on. Otherwise she tosses, turns, wimpers and gasps. I know this setup is a risk for many reasons but I don't know how else to help her sleep. GP isn't concerned because she's eating and otherwise bright, so no help there...

Have you tried tge frida mom nasal aspirator and some sterimar solution? It's the best way of getting all the mucous out.
Also asda little angel range has a vapour bubble bath, or there's another you can get from boots. I think it'd called snuffle babe?

I'd give her a bath before bed too with that, just to give her the best chances of a decent night's sleep.

Go to a different GP. Your baby shouldn’t be sleeping in a room with a fan heater on all night.

Thank you for the fast response! We tried saline spray and drops. She hates them and fights actively. I have been unable to use an aspirator but would it even reach anything at back of her throat? Are vapour baths safe for 2 month olds? She hates bathing too...

I completely agree! I want to get an ENT referral but God knows how long that would take

I was worried about the vapour baths too, because I read something about olbas oil but I checked with the pharmacist and mum friends, all the advice was it was ok. RE baby hating baths, do you bath with her? My youngest is not a fan unless hes in my arms.

If you can get a frida mom nasal aspirator it's fab, It brings so much out. The babies do fight, but it's definitely worth it if it makes breathing that bit easier.

I hope she's feeling better, but if you're concerned, you should be able to get her seen by a GP for a check up and further advice.

Have you tried one of the vapour plug ins, like the calpol one? They always seem to help my DC when they have coughs and I think they can be used from birth.

Actually, I checked and it's 3 months for the plug ins. A cool-mist humidifier should be suitable and might help. You can get them in Boots.

The aspirator is for her nose, to get the mucus out before it goes down her throat. Please don't stick it in her mouth...

Babies will fight the drops and aspirators but they can work really well so sometimes you just have to persevere. I’d try those, and the bath pp suggested and see if they help clear her a bit before bed. Have you also tried having her crib on a slight tilt so she’s not completely flat on her back? It’s recommended for reflux but may help for this too?

You swaddle baby and hold like a rugby ball under your arm to use the aspirator.

Don't have baby sleep in a hot room. Buy a dehumidifier if you think the dry air helps use it before she goes to sleep. She's likely sleeping better because of the heat and that isn't a good thing. It is normal for babys to be noisy little sleepers and to be unsettled.

Put a pack of nappies /books under the mattress to raise one end so that she sleep on an incline and any mucus doesn't settle.

If you have concerns at night, call the area out of hours GP number or 111 and get a check whilst it is happening.

Can you speak to your HV team? Mine did referrals for me to hearing / sight team etc and I googled , it says they can make ENT referrals.

Thanks all!
We went to a private ENT appointment last night and had a nasendoscopy. Everything is fine and she is thriving. Just a bit of snot and possible small airways.
I wasn't going to stick an aspirator in her mouth... It's just that the mucus is really far back, I wondered if aspirators work on post-nasal drip, etc.
We have and use saline drops.
I have elevated her cot but we mostly co-sleep.
Useful to know that HV can refer!
We have tried both a humidifier and a dehumidifier before posting.
I guess we'll just have to ride it out. And we will try bathing together but she's a wriggly little sausage, I'll need extra preparation 😄

Just wanted to update: turns out it's silent reflux...

Oh no, has she been gi en the baby gaviscon sachets?
I hope treatment is working and you're both able to sleep a little better.

Hi @Maya1988
Sounds a lot like what my LO is going through.
At 4 weeks the nasal congestion started so I begun with the saline drops and nosefrida. Doc said it was a cold - only it didn't pass.
Unfortunately my eldest passed on bronchiolitis to my LO so that really didn't help the situation. She is now almost 9 weeks. Affecting her sleep, I can see it's bugging her - the mucus is never ending and feels like it's quite high up in her nose.
I've got the humidifier and keep her moses on a slight incline.
My LO has reflux too. Started as silent reflux/regurgitation so I changed her formula to a comfort milk and that got rid of the reflux symptoms straight away! But the congestion still didn't go.
My new issue is since getting bronchiolitis she is refusing the comfort milk (smells vile, can only imagine what it tastes like) so now I've had to put her back on full fat.
Her reflux is a lot better so it could be down to her gut maturing. Do you give your LO probiotics? I give mine Optibac.
Did the Drs say when the congestion is likely to go away?
I even thought it could be CMPA.
How was your baby born also?
Mine was a 38 weeker via c-sec and at the time of birth she was very, very mucusy. The midwives had to wipe her down twice and even then it didn't all go.