Blocked nose in babies

What causes a blocked nose in babies?

A blocked nose in babies is usually due to the normal mucus that may collect in a baby's nose. A blocked nose is not caused by colds or infections - although an infection can make things worse. Colds can be frequent (up to 8 times a year) in a young baby until their immune system has developed.

A blocked nose can be common in newborns up to 6 months old.

Babies have to breathe through their nose and they cannot make themselves sneeze, or blow their nose to clear it.

A baby who just has a blocked nose will be otherwise well, but may snort when breathing. If the blocked nose is part of an illness, you will notice other symptoms. For example, they might cough, or have difficulty sleeping.

However, feeding can sometimes become difficult if the baby cannot breathe very well through their nose. They may need to have more feeds during the day but each feed will be shorter.

General measures

Nothing needs to be done if the baby is happy and able to feed. However, the following may help if feeding becomes difficult:

• You can try to make the baby sneeze by stroking the inside of their nostril with cotton wool.

• Try placing a bowl of warm water in the room where the baby sleeps. Alternatively there are vaporisers and humidifiers available commercially. These raise the humidity which may help to loosen thick mucus.

• Make the baby's room steamy for a while. Try sitting in a steamy atmosphere with the baby before a feed. For example, run the hot shower in the bathroom and shut the door. Sit in the room, but not in the shower, with the baby for five minutes before feeding.

• Try giving smaller but more frequent feeds.

Salt water nose drops

Salt water (saline) drops or sprays may be useful if the above measures do not help. Saline drops thin the mucus and so make it easier for the baby to clear the mucus from the nose. (Saline seems to work better than just plain water.) You can buy saline drops from a pharmacist who can also advise on how to use them.

Only use the drops just before feeds, and only if the nose is blocked. If saline is used too often, the skin around the nose may become a little sore.

Nasal aspirators

Nasal aspirators are devices which allow you to suck the mucus from the baby's nose. They come in various shapes and sizes. Some are bulb syringes (where you squeeze the bulb to suck out the mucus), some come with a tube so you can suck at the other end and some are electrically powered.

It is not possible to give any advice on whether to use a nasal aspirator or not, or which one to use. There are few research trials on nasal aspirators but those that there are suggest they are safe and effective.

Some parents buy one to suck mucus from the baby's nostrils before feeds. They are advertised on some websites or can be bought in some pharmacies.

This depends on the cause of the stuffy nose. Until babies are older than 6 months, they may struggle to clear normal mucus. If they normally produce a lot of mucus the nasal congestion might last until they have grown enough to clear it themselves.

If they are usually well but their runny nose is because of a cold or other virus, it may take up to 2 weeks to clear.

Most babies with a blocked nose come to no harm and feed well. In some cases babies with snuffles feed more slowly and with some difficulty. If you are concerned that feeding is a problem, see your health visitor or doctor.