# Breastmilk running out of baby's nose



## Saundra (Jul 13, 2002)

I just noticed that my 5 1/2 month old had breastmilk running out of his nose while we were nursing in the side-lying position. He sounded congested, but when I looked over I saw milk running out of his nostril, the one closest to the bed. I immediately elevated his head with my arm and it stopped. He's been plagued with colds. He had RSV at 3 weeks and has had nearly a cold a month since. He's often been congested, particularly in the mornings. I always thought the congestion was lingering cold symptoms, but now I have to wonder if it wasn't breastmilk running into/out of his nose. Our room is dark and I could have easily overlooked this and attributed a wet spot on the sheets to leakage from my breasts rather than his nose.
He does not currently have a cold and hasn't had one in over a month, and he has never had an ear infection. He visited the pediatrician just last week and there were no obvious signs of illness or abnormality.
Does anyone have experience with this? It doesn't seem normal to me.

Saundra


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## Cassafrass (May 14, 2003)

Rest assured, most likely your baby is fine! My baby was doing that for a while too. I looked in to it and its just the same as spitting up. Ask your doctor if it makes you feel better, but it is doubtful something is terribly wrong.

Cassie


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## guestmama9924 (Mar 16, 2002)

There is even a funny cartoon about that....I think it is fairly commonCartoon!


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## Saundra (Jul 13, 2002)

Thanks for responding ladies. I thought I knew the ropes after nursing two, but the nose trickle really freaked me out. I had no idea it was so common.
Saundra


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Actaully this, combined with the recurrent problems from the RSV, could be added to by a dairy sensitivity. You might want to try cutting all dairy out of your diet and see if his health improves.

Did he have a tube down his nose when he was sick? This can also cause this.

You'll never learn all there is to know about bfing!


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## Saundra (Jul 13, 2002)

Thanks for the reply. I was dairy free until my ds was 4 months old, but I have been reintroducing dairy into my diet. Hmmm. I just realized that he hasn't had a cold since I added dairy to my diet--not that there is any cause/effect there.
When he was hospitalized, he did indeed have tubes inserted in his nose to remove mucous; they called it deep suctioning. The doctor and respiratory therapists wanted to do this deep suctioning every 4 hours. I wouldn't allow them to use this aggressive form of suctioning more than once every 12 hours because I saw blood on the tip of the tube and knew that they were abrading his delicate nasal tissue. By my logic, that would cause the body to respond by producing more mucous. I don't know if I was right, but I had to use my best judgement.
DaryLLL, can you explain to me how the tube down his nose might cause milk to trickle through the nose?


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Well, I am not a medical person, just to qualify my answer. My understanding is, the tube would enlarge or traumatize the nasal passage. The nose and mouth and throat are all connected. As the baby nurses, the milk I would think might not all go down the throat. Some might pool in the sinus above the throat and eventually trickle out the nose. if it is not causing him any distress, I wouldn't be concerned. I knew one mom whose premie had tubes in her nose in the NICU and would spit up thru her nose and this was painful for her. The area healed eventually. Breastmilk is not irritating to the nasal passages the way ABM would be tho. This baby was getting some ABM.

I have a friend whose dd is highly allergic and spit up thru her nose and it was prevented by cutting out dairy. So there are your options...


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