Help with Babies Nose Problems

Updated on December 18, 2007
J.W. asks from Parrish, FL
15 answers

Hi,
I am the mother of a two and a half month old who has a lot of trouble breathing at night. He has reached the stage where he wants to sleep all night. However, his poor breathing keeps him up or wakes him up. My husband and I constantly suck out his nose. I have also tried a cool air humidifier. Does anyone else have any suggestions based on their similar experience? I'd really like to help my son get a good nights sleep.
Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Hi,
Thanks for all of the good advice. I am going to try everything and see how it goes... :) I really think it might be a milk allergy too. I drink a lot of milk since it seems to help me produce breast milk more easily. I guess I'll have to try going off of the milk and hope I can still produce enough breastmilk.
Thanks Again!!

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J.M.

answers from Pensacola on

This may sound a little funny but those nose suction things sometimes don't get a whole lot. I have my husband help me by holding the baby's head still and then I use a whole lot of qtips. Saline drops also help.
Best of luck, Jen

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A.S.

answers from Jacksonville on

Talk to the Doc but sounds like a milk allergy to me too. My son was put on a nebulizer at about four or five months old. I was told by my chiropracter that switching him to soy would help him breath, milk creates mucus.
If its just the nose mucus you might want to have him tested for allergies. If he wheezes, still have him tested for allergies but ask the Doc about wheezing too. If it's caught early he just might grow out of it all. My son is now 2 years old and his asthma and allergies are better.
Good luck little nose!

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K.O.

answers from Orlando on

During the winter months, I used Vicks baby rub every night on their chest & back. I have 2 boys and it seemed to work well. You can also buy these wall plug in's for his room. It's just for children/babies. It's also a Vicks brand. That could help alot :)

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A.

answers from Tampa on

Hi! I see you have already received some great advice. I just thought I would add that there are baby bath washes with eucalyptus in them - maybe trying that right before bed might help? Also, you can get eucalyptus essential oils at the health food stores. I know it can seem potent but if you have a good diffuser that might help too. Good luck!

K.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

Benedryl does very well at drying up the nose...Try 1/2 a tsp for someone so young...

But the best thing you can do is saline solution, then bulb syringe it all out....sadly, its all going around...Its to the point that my 15 month old and 3 year old are on nebulizer treatments now....

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K.L.

answers from Jacksonville on

I am also a HUGE fan of the Vicks Baby Rub... although they say to wait until 3 months before using but it's magic, I swear. You can use it on his back, his chest and I've also heard to put it on the bottoms of his feet and then put socks on over it. Not sure why, but they swear by it!

It works like a charm for my girl! And she's 23 months!

Good luck!
K.

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M.H.

answers from Sarasota on

my son always slept in his car seat, in the crib, when he was sick. How long has this been going on, what does the doctor say? A friend of mine had to put her baby on the nasonex nasal spray for allergies and that really helped him. It is a Rx, so you would have to work with your doctor to figure out if he is sick or has allergies. it is horrible when they can't breath well! I spent many nights alseep on the floor next to my son's crib when he went through this. You should also ask your doctor about the various vapor plug ins and waterless vaporizers. They work great, but I'm not sure if they are safe for such a young one!

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L.L.

answers from Melbourne on

just a suggestion, but you might want to take him to an ENT. My son had breathing problems that I didnt even know about, he has sleep apnea. once we got adnoids removed, it helped alot.

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K.

answers from Tampa on

My daughter also slept in her car seat (in the crib) when she was so young and sick...you can also buy a pillow wedge to put under the crib mattress (the car seat was just easier). There is also a Johnson's Vapor CREAM that's been out for awhile now...I'd try a little of that on his chest right before he goes to sleep. The vapor cream & sitting up to sleep should help a lot. If it doesn't I'd be headed to the Peds. office.

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A.C.

answers from Pensacola on

My son is also 2 1/2 months and at about 2 weeks we started putting saline drops in his nose before his bed time feeding (if you do it after they he eats he will throw up). Lean him back to let them drain down his throat. It helps!!! Mine is sleeping 7-8 hours at a time now.

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K.W.

answers from Orlando on

My son was pretty mucusy (is that a word?) when he was an infant too and we used the suction bulb a lot along with the baby saline drops (which are only really needed if the mucus is too think to suction out). In retrospect, we probably overused both--not that it hurt him in anyway, bu I have since learned that it's very normal for babies that young to snore and sound congested since they breathe through their noses and not their mouths.
And at 2 1/2 months you are getting close to the point where he is able to sleep through the night which he can do even with a little congestion. So he may just need a little more time to do so.
So my advice is to nothing unless the mucus is thick--then try the baby saline drops to loosen it and then use the suction.
OR if the mucous is yellow or green and/or there he has a fever, then he may have an infection which you would need to take him to the Dr. for.
Other than that--he'll learn to sleep even with a little stuffiness...

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S.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

Hi-

My son suffered from this as well. Its is something that some infants get and if he does not have health issues ....my doctor told me my son would just have to grow out it. The saline drops did help some. It was hard because his sleeping patterns did get all messed up and I was always checking on the poor little guy! He grew out of it around 4-5 months old.

If you have pets he might have an allergy

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S.A.

answers from Tallahassee on

do not put vicks vapor rub directly on an infant. if you want, put in on your chest and lay next to your baby or rub some around the rim of the humidifier spout nozzle. Vicks has also may those plug ins that fill the air as they breath.
Suctioning his nose before bed is best. My daughter was the same way and only now have I noticed she's all cleared up. She started this from 2 weeks until 10 months.

Make sure you are dust free, the a/c is not blowing on him at night. Keep his bundled during the cold weather. Make sure your son does not have any allergies. Do you have animals? Wash his blankets once a week.

My doctor ended up prescribing a nasal decongestant because I didn't want to use a nasal spray on her (I'm terrified to try that on her or me)

If its a chronic problem, see the pediatrician and emphasize that this has been going on for a long time and you are highly concerned.

I'm sure your sweet boy already hates that suction bulb. My daughter doesn't let me go near her with it anymore-she absolutely thoathes it!

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S.S.

answers from Tampa on

J.,
Could there possibly be a problem with his annoids? My daughter had similar trouble which progressed difficulty eating, SEVERE snoring and irregular breathing pattern in her sleep. We worried about whether or not she'd stop breathing or something during the night. We eventually connected with an ears/nose/throat (ENT)doctor who told us it all traced back to her adnoids. We went ahead and had them removed, and she's been good to go ever since. I would recommend making an appointment with an ENT doctor. - S.

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A.G.

answers from Orlando on

He might be allergic to milk. Excessive mucus is a sign of a milk allergy. If you breastfeed, avoid cow's milk and products for a few weeks and see if that helps. If you use formula, try a new kind or the soy based kinds.

May you and your family be blessed,
A.

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