What is a blocked nose?
For babies aged under 6 months, a blocked nose is common. It is commonly called snuffles that are caused due to mucus that collects in the nose. This normal mucus causes difficulty for the baby to clear.
Causes Of Snuffles
Colds or infections are not the cause of snuffles in babies. However, any infection caused can make things worse. Snuffles in babies are caused due to mucus that collects in the nose.
It is common for newborns to have snuffles. To clear snuffles, babies cannot sneeze or blow their noses. Baby with only snuffles and no other symptoms will snort when breathing. Baby will otherwise be well. Other symptoms like cough or difficulty sleeping are noticed, then snuffles are part of the illness.
If the baby finds difficulty breathing with the nose, then feeding could become difficult. In that case, during the day, they may need to have more feeds but shorter each time.
What Could Be Done For The Babies With Snuffles?
If Feeding Becomes Difficult:
- As mentioned before, shorter feeds but frequent feeds could help.
- Try to keep the baby’s room steamy for a while and sit in a steamy atmosphere before feeding if possible.
- Try putting a bowl of warm water in the baby’s room to loosen thick mucus, as this raises humidity.
If the above-mentioned measures do not work, try using saline drops or sprays. Use this only if the nose is blocked, and use it just before a feed. Mucus may become thin if saline drops are used and help to clear mucus from the nose.
Visit a Pediatrician if you find feeding is a problem, as sometimes babies feed slowly with some difficulty.
