Can I make my own saline to squirt up dd's nose?

[HeadFairy]

She's only 3 weeks old and got her first cold, she's really bunged up and obviously I can't really give her much and all chemists are closed now so I can't go and buy some saline drops. Can I make my own to try and loosen up the dried up snot in her nose which is really making it hard for her to breathe? Anyone have a "recipe"?

0.9% solution, normally.

so how would that translate if I were making it myself ie 100ml water plus one teaspoon salt?

So, about 8 grams of cooking salt per litre of distilled/de-ionised water.

If it's only going up the nose, you could probably get away with cooled boiled water and table salt.

About a teaspoon of salt per litre.

Could you use contact lens solution? What concentration is that?

I've just found this...www.thriftyfun.com/tf938160.tip.html

Lower, in the comments, they are saying about non iodized/kosher salt etc

That link is recommending a very salty solution.

0.9% is what you'd get prescribed, that's more like 4%.

oh dear, I don't want to burn the lining of her nose. i might try a bit of steam first, seems less risky.

One teaspoon salt to one litre cooled boiled water.

Is 0.9% solution.

Boiling water + neonate = less risky?

Dear god.

I'd just try the steam first.

Top tip is to put a wet towel on the radiator to keep the air moist in the bedroom

thanks bruxeur...I think I might make up some to use if tonight gets terrible but I'll try the steaming first... she's sleeping now but her breathing is rotten because she hasn't quite learnt yet to breathe through her mouth if her nose is blocked and she gets all panicky and wakes up.

You're welcome.

I did the teaspoon salt in a litre of cooled boiled water and put it in a cleaned out empty infacol bottle so i could use the squirter. Worked a treat.

you can buy them at the chemist or tescos pharmacy or get on prescription. They are only £1 to buy.

If you need to make tonight...it is 4.5g salt to 0.5 litre cool boiled water.

Use 2 drops up each nostril about 10-20minutes before feeds.

Thanks for the top tip sausage.... last night was a nightmare, poor dd got in a real state because she couldn't feed properly at all as she was so bunged up, so in desperation I used the home made saline and it worked a treat. Using an old infacol dropper I put a quick squirt up one nostril and a massive lump of goo came out and instantly her breathing was much better and she was able to take a good long feed.

you could run a hot bath and just stand in the bathroom with the baby. (or is she too young for that?)
thats what i did with my 4 or 5 months old baby.