Cleaning the nose of the baby is one of the unpleasant for him, but a necessary hygienic procedure. Parents should master the technique well in order to deliver the little discomfort to the baby and not harm the little baby nose. Take responsibility for the cleaning process. Let's look at this issue in stages.
How to clean the nose of a newborn: preparation
It will be more convenient if mom prepares everything necessary for the nose cleaning procedure in advance. These include:
• Sterile cotton wool;
• Vegetable oil, saline or boiled water;
• Spongi;
• Aspirator and pear if necessary.
How to clean the nose of a newborn: mastering the technique
It is rare that a baby remains calm during hygiene procedures. Usually the baby cries, bends and twists its head. Therefore, instead of cotton buds and matches with wound cotton, it is better to use flagella. This will eliminate the risk of injury to the baby’s nose.
It is convenient if while the mother is cleaning the nose of the newborn, someone else will distract the baby, for example, using a toy. If there is no assistant, and you have to cope on your own, find a way to fix the head of the newborn. This can be done with your free hand or by covering the baby with something soft, for example, rolled up towels.
Use vegetable oil to cleanse your nose. An ordinary sunflower, preferably sterilized in advance, is suitable. This will eliminate the risk of microbial infection of the vulnerable nasal mucosa.
And, on the contrary, do not try to use breast milk as a liquid for wetting the flagellum (in our time, such a “useful” popular advice is still common). Breast milk not used for its intended purpose will serve as a favorable breeding ground for pathogens.
The procedure is usually performed during the morning toilet of the baby or after an evening bath. Remember that your hands should be clean. As mentioned above, try to prepare everything you need in advance so as not to be distracted by trifles in contact with a child.
Twist a few flagella of cotton wool. They should not be too thin, elastic and of sufficient length. Do not worry, with experience you will have the skill of twisting perfect turundochki.
Use oil, saline or regular boiled water to soften the crusts. In this case, there are no strict recommendations. All components gently affect the mucosa of the small nose. If desired, you can alternate solutions. Sometimes you have to pre-drip the liquid in the nose. For this, it is convenient to use a pipette. It must be sterilized and dried after each use.
The moistened flagellum should be placed in the nostril and perform several scrolling movements. Do not reuse flagella. Wipe the outside of the nose if it becomes dirty during the procedure.
Do not zeal and brush your nose several times a day. If the baby is healthy and there are no manifestations of a cold, it is enough to carry out the procedure once a day.
How to clean the nose of a newborn: preventive measures
It is very important for the condition of the nasal mucosa that under what conditions its owner lives. Create comfortable conditions for your child:
• The apartment should not be too hot. Optimal for the baby will be a temperature of 24-25 ° C.
• The air should be of sufficient humidity. An air humidifier is ideal for these purposes. But not every family can incur additional costs for such devices. Therefore, there is an alternative way: moisten a clean piece of cloth and hang it near a heat source. Evaporating water will humidify the air in the room. The water tank located near the battery or heater acts similarly.
• Wet daily in the room where the child lives. Particularly wash floors and dust in the children's room.
• Ventilate the room, but be careful not to create drafts that are dangerous for the baby’s fragile body.
• Eliminate irritants such as dust, perfume, pungent odors, and tobacco smoke.
• Communication with pets is certainly useful for the development of the child. But during infancy you will have to limit such contact. Animal hair is a powerful allergen and an additional irritant to the nasal mucosa.
How to clean the nose of a newborn: the baby is sick
Do not try to suck the mucus from the baby’s nose without any devices. It's not even a matter of non-compliance with basic hygiene rules. And in danger of the mother to become infected from the child. After all, after childbirth, the woman’s body weakens greatly and becomes vulnerable even to low-risk infections.
If your child has a runny nose, you should know how to clean the nose of your newborn with an aspirator. This specially designed device can be purchased at the pharmacy. One end of the device is inserted shallow into the baby’s nose. The second nostril must be clamped. The parent clamps the other end of the tube with his lips, trying to draw air as much as possible. In this case, a vacuum is created in the tube, allowing you to remove the contents of the nose. Mucus from the nose is collected in a special container located at the "nasal" end of the aspirator or in the middle of the tube. This method of cleaning your nose is hygienic and safe.
Currently, in addition to mechanical, there are electronic aspirators. Their price is higher, but they are much more convenient to use.
An alternative method is peeling with a pear. Pick up a small pear with a soft tip at the pharmacy. Before each use, be sure to sterilize it by boiling. Release the air from the pear, squeezing it, and enter in this state shallow into the nostril. Spread the pear. If everything is done correctly, then the contents of the spout should be “absorbed” into the cavity of the pear. This method requires some skill. Therefore, do not be discouraged if you achieve results not the first time.
Congratulations, you have accumulated a wealth of knowledge on conducting an important hygiene procedure. Now put aside fears and doubts and get down to practice! Let your baby breathe freely with his little clean nose!
