# Newborn congestion???



## bellababy (Jul 30, 2005)

Help! I posted this in health/healing and got NO responses... ANY input would be helpful...

DS is almost three weeks old. He has terrible congestion at night... Ped says it is normal for babies-- I tried using the bulb syringe to clear him out, with no luck. I feel as if his sleep is very interrupted because he just can't breathe!

What can I do to help him? Any remedies??


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## beeb (May 29, 2005)

I feel for you - my daughter was like that too until appx 8 weeks. It really did clear up. It sucks when you have to make them cry (at least my DD cried whenever we used the bulb syringe) to let them breathe. We often had to do it before nursing. Sitting in a steamy bathroom is a temporary remedy. It does pass - our dr's explanation was that their nasal passages are so tiny at first that any amt of gunk will clog them.


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## beeb (May 29, 2005)

Sorry- I see that you're trying the bulb syringe without success. Maybe steam/humidity, then the syringe? Also, I would have the ped or a nurse try the bulb syringe with you watching - maybe there's a trick/technique they can show you. If your DS is able to nurse without having to come off the breast to breathe, you can be reassured that he is getting SOME air through his nose.


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## Aka mommy (Feb 25, 2005)

Putting dd on her side to sleep at night or sitting up in a bouncer chair while she took her naps instead of laying flat on my bed seemed to work best. She also breaths easier when she is on my chest.


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## mamimapster (Oct 27, 2004)

This was the awful story of our lives for the first few months of our DD's life. What we did was EVERY TIME anyone was taking a bath/shower we had babe in the bathroom (we also did "family showers") which really helped. Our ped also gave us some saline drops that we used in conjunction with the bulb syringe. Our baby was a winter baby and we have dry heat so we had a warm air humidifier going in her room 24/7. I really feel for you, this was a big part of the complications that doomed our BF situation. We had a congested/choking/turning blue baby who literally couldn't eat without being almost vertical. Also, when it was really bad we would have her sleep on her tummy on one of our chests (I wasn't worried about the sids issue, because you could literally "feel" her breathing), which somehow seemed to help her relax & sleep better.
Oh yeah, our problem, we found out about eight months ago was not only the small nasal passages, but also she has super large tonsils & addenoids which restrict her breathing space even more (and make her snore loudly







), which are genetic. Most of my DD's cousins have this problem. Luckily (I think because of our diet & lifestyle) we haven't have the major ear/nasal passage complcations that some our dd's cousins have had.


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## mommaJ (May 3, 2005)

Tea Tree Oil! When DD was a few weeks old she was very congested, as well. We would mix some TTO with a little vitamin E oil (or even olive oil, whatever you have on hand) and massage her chest and back, and put a little under her nose, too. We have done this everytime she has had any cold or congestion, in addition to steam showers, bulb syringe, and sleeping at a slight angle. TTO is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, completely natural and helps clear congestion. GL!


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## becoming (Apr 11, 2003)

We have babes the same age with the same problem! My 3-week-old has been horribly congested since 1 week of age. I got some over-the-counter saline nose spray/drops called Little Noses and have been using that with a bulb syringe. It worked okay, but I think what really helped was a couple of drops of breastmilk up the nose. Sounds bizarre, but someone here suggested it, I did it, and the next morning, the congestion was sooo much better. Can't hurt to try.


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## ryleeee (Feb 9, 2005)

we use the saline drops and the turkey baster thing too








also the shower and a humidifier.
take the baby in the shower with you, it helps us a LOT.


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## ZanZansMommy (Nov 8, 2003)

Ugh...this is right where I'm at with my DS (4weeks today). I have tried all of the suggestions, with the exception of TTO. He seems to do well during the day, it's nighttime that just SUCKS. Somewhere around 2-6 a.m. he's just miserable & so am I. Anyone know how long this should last & why is nighttime the worst? I'm at my wits end wondering when he'll be able to breathe.


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## ryleeee (Feb 9, 2005)

haye is nearly 2 months and still congested often.
it's not nearly as bad, he rarely starts choking in his sleep anymore.







sorry. i wish you guys were doing better.


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## Lizzo (Jul 26, 2005)

Makena used to be really stuffy from birth to like 4-6 weeksish. It used to kinda freak me out, but I would suck his nose and squirt BM in it too. It did the trick.
It's just tough for new beebs to adjust to this air and breathing in general! He'll be ok!


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## Allie2 (Jun 7, 2005)

Chelsea was very congested her first few months. She had RSV and developed asthma








. Here are the things that worked for us:

-humidifier running all the time
-elevated one end of her bassinet with a rolled recieving blanket under the mattress
- on really bad nights we would sleep her on our chests or in her carseat
- nasal drops (saline), wait 10 minutes and then use the boogie sucker. Waiting for the drops to work makes a huge difference.
-warm baths every night in a steaming bathroom
- we used the TTO in our humidifier too.


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## ryleeee (Feb 9, 2005)

sometimes when he gags my heart still stops.


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## bebetuck (Aug 2, 2005)

My DS has a cold right now and was pretty congested. The nurse at my ped office suggested baby "Ayr" drops (saline) and I just used them and it seemed to work instantly. I haven't tried Breastmilk yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if that works really well because it worked when DS had a blocked tear duct, just a couple squirts in the eye and he was all better!
The nurse also suggested a Cold Mist vaporizer.

Hope this helps!


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## bellababy (Jul 30, 2005)

Thanks for all the responses! I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only new mommy with a babe that's all snotty, but feel badly that other little ones are going through the same nighttime stuffies!

Two questions...

1) How do you put breastmilk up your baby's nose? Just stick your nipple up there?? Use a q-tip??

2) If I use TTO with olive oil for a little rub down, how much? Just a few drops, I would think, right?


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## carrietorgc (Sep 16, 2003)

i prefer the ayr saline gel vs spray - very easy to get it in the nostril with a qtip. that worked for us those first weeks. his congestion cleared when i cut out dairy.


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## zak (Mar 6, 2005)

Stack some pillows and lay babe on your chest while you sleep up-right.
Bulb out whatever 'goo' you can see
Drop 4-5 drops of breastmilk up babe's nostrils (per my ped's advice - better than saline to ward off infection)
Run a hot shower and stand w/ babe in bathroom/shower

((hugs)) sorry you're going through this


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