A.F. asks from Middletown, NY on March 26, 2011
7 Weeks Old with Stuffy Nose and Sneezing
My baby has a stuffy nose and has been sneezing...She's been sneezing since she was born, every time she goes into a new room she sneezes at least twice...her nose is stuffy, and i use the baby saline solution and the bulb to clear it out, but she has a tendency to suck some of the mucus back in. I think she's stuffier than normal, but she doesn't have a fever....any suggestions??
More Answers
S.S. answers from Portland on March 26, 2011
M.O. answers from Chicago on March 26, 2011
I'd look at what products you use in your house for cleaning, on her clothes, etc.
Are you using an unscented detergent for her clothes? No fabric softener?
Do you use "green" cleaning products? Is your house clean - I know mine wasn't the best after being huge and pregnant and then trying to care for a newborn, while healing.
Also, do you use fragrant deoderant, hair products, lotions, perfume, etc?
I bet if you stop and look at it there's a LOT of scents/fragrances in your house that might be overwhelming her system.
If you haven't already put an allergen cover on her crib matress, stick to 100% cotton clothes and blankets.
Start there, make sure her room is esp clean and dust and pet free.
If the carpets haven't been professionally cleaned in awhile you may want to have them cleaned sometime when she'll be out of the house for awhile - like a trip to Grandmas with you for the weekend? There are "green" companies for that too.
Ask your dr at the next appt. Remember a "stuffy" nose can't always be sucked out with a bulb syringe, esp if it's swelling due to irritants rather than mucus. Try to put her in a steamy room and keep a humidifier in her room - the extra humidity should help her breathe better.
Best wishes!
K.H. answers from Richmond on March 26, 2011
put her in a little baby seat, take baby seat and baby into bathroom, close door, put baby seat in the floor a safe distance from the shower, turn on shower to hot. the steam from the hot shower will help her stopped up nose
K. h.
R.D. answers from New York on March 26, 2011
Honestly some babies just seem to be stuffier then others. My son was a stuffy baby and my daughter is not at all, until she got a little cold, at 4 months. The cold consisted of a mild stuffy nose and a few sneezes and no cough or fever. She also sneezed often until about 12 weeks of which my ped said to expect. Do you have forced air heat? That tends to be dry. Change the filters on any heating or ac unit once per month. Allergies have also just started in the ny area but it sounds like normal baby stuff. Do you have a humidifier? That and saline were the peds recommendations.
M.F. answers from Youngstown on March 26, 2011
My son was the same as a newborn. He was stuffy for 3 weeks and I did the saline and bulb I even went out and bought a batter powered nasal aspirator so his nose wouldn't get sore. Finally when I was going to take him in to see his doc he just cleared up over night. Use a humidifier and you can also use a blanket to prop up his bassinet. Just put it under the matress so she is a lttle lifted not too much or she will roll over or you could put him in her infant carseat if you use one. I did bassinet for night and carseat for naps. Its stinks for them to be so stuffy and makes you sad to hear them breath like a little freight train
E.C. answers from New York on March 27, 2011
Cut out dairy - bit producer of mucus.
P.M. answers from Tampa on March 26, 2011
Just make sure you continue breastfeeding so the antibodies your body makes, she's getting daily thru the breastmilk. She may be allergic to something, even formula, if she's not being breastfed.
Stuffiness with sneezing but not a cough - usually allergies.
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