In babies, the nose, throat, ears are so close together and the passages are small. Congestion can lead to earaches, sinus infections or coughing. When my kids get congested, cough and complain about earaches, I “hose the nose” to move the congestion and avoid infection.
We use Simply Saline for the kids as I’ve not yet figured out how to get such small ones to use a neti pot. I hose their noses before they shower, after they shower and several times throughout the day (when they are too congested to clear it themselves).
Does sticking nasal spray up your little one’s nose (especially when it’s so small) sound intimidating? I thought so too but we’re old pros at it now. It’s so worth it to see my kids get better more quickly.
Here’s how I “hose a baby’s nose”.
1. Make eye contact and communicate.
This is so important. Before I do anything new with my baby – especially if it might scare him, I always hold him close, look into his eyes and talk to him. With the nose spray, I explain that he might not like it but that it will help him feel better. When I exude calm, he feels it and is more calm too.
2. Hold Baby Securely and Comfortably Next, I cradle him in my arms in a way that allows me to hold his body and head firmly so I don’t poke him with the nasal spray can. Before I became a pro at this, I’d lay him on the bed and cradle him with my body and arm. Much more secure!
3. Gently SprayI gently place the tip of the sprayer in his nostril and give it a good spray. I keep eye contact with my little guy while doing this, smile and encourage him.
4. Tip-Top After the good spray, I gently lift my little guy and tip his body slightly back so the saline stays in his nose for a few minutes and has the chance to loosen all that gunk.
5. Wipe & – Done! Finally, I gently wipe his nostrils with a soft cloth (not tissue) so his skin doesn’t get raw.
I always make eye contact with my baby and talk him through the entire process to reassure him I love him and that he will be ok. I didn’t know to do this with my first baby and she was just as freaked out as I felt when we had these experiences. With experience, I have learned! My youngest was scared the first few times we had to spray his nose but within a day, he handled it calmly.
And there you have it. How to “hose a baby’s nose”!
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That’s brilliant !! As a soon to be mum, this is VERY handy information, thanks so much for sharing !!!
[…] 2. Hose the nose. In babies, the nose, throat, ears are so close together and the passages are small. Congestion affects them all. During coughs, congestion or earaches, I “hose my kids’ noses” to loosen congestion so it will clear more easily. Don’t be intimidated by this. Learn how to Hose the Nose. […]
About 24 med sized scones.