Nasal congestion in newborn

In this season, when autumn comes and winter approaches, our body resistance decreases with cold and dry weather. The effect of the sun, namely vitamin D, which increases our resistance in summer, is gradually decreasing. Vitamin D deficiency in newborns is very important. In its deficiency, rickets can cause significant and irreversible damage, such as failure of the fontanelles to close, delay in walking and teething, frequent infections, and increased likelihood of convulsions. Therefore, it is necessary to use vitamin D as much as your doctor recommends and for the duration recommended by your doctor every day.
In these days when cold and dry air increases, nasal congestion is increasing in newborn babies. The moist environment of the nasal mucosa decreases and congestion occurs with mucus in the nose and nasal passage over time. If there is an infection on it, this congestion will increase even more. Therefore, especially in these weather conditions, when your baby sleeps at night and wakes up during the day, you should open it before feeding if there is any blockage. So, if there is a blockage, what are the problems that the blockage can cause in your baby?

• First of all, they can't get enough nutrition

• He may swallow air because his nose is clogged while he is feeding, and this causes gas pains in children.

• It causes his sleep to be divided and not to get enough sleep. You know that sleep is very important for babies. A newborn baby sleeps 16 to 18 hours a day, sometimes a little more.
  If the blockage is not removed, infection can occur and this infection can sometimes turn from simple to very serious infections.
  So how do we unblock it?

*0.9% isotonic serum or ocean water
*nasal aspirator
*steam bath
*cold steam

First, draw the salt water into an injector, lay your baby on its side and hold it still. Inject a few drops of saline into the nose on the side you are tilting. Your baby will draw the salt water into his nose with his breathing and the congestion will open. Let's do the same process by laying the baby on the other side. When he starts to cough as if it has been in his throat, hold him slightly parallel to the ground by holding him in your lap and rhythmically tap your baby's back from the bottom up by narrowing your fingers as I have shown in the picture and taking the palm up. In this way, both the congestion will be opened and if there is sputum in the lungs, the baby will be able to expel the phlegm with the pitiful strokes you make with the cough.

The second solution is the nasal aspirator. Put a few drops of saline into the nose as I just described, and then draw it out with a manual nasal aspirator. This will open the blockage. But there is an important point here: Do not use the nasal aspirator without dripping a solution such as salt water or normal baby water (boiled and warmed water) into the nose. Otherwise, you may cause irritation in the nose.
In addition, sitting in a bath with hot water for a while or taking a quick bath in a steamed bath will soften the mucus.
Finally, give your baby cold steam with cold steam machines. It will soften the cough and mucus by moisturizing the respiratory tract. It will help to expel secretions along with coughing.
If your baby has nasal congestion, you can follow these ways. While your baby is sleeping, lay their head up and on their side at a slight 45-degree angle. This position relaxes the lungs and allows them to breathe more easily.
Footnote: The congestion we are talking about is mucus congestion caused by dry air or infection. If your baby has a foreign body in his mouth or nose, or if he has breathing difficulties and congestion due to allergies, take him to the emergency room quickly to a doctor.
I hope I shared some useful information for you. Have a nice day everyone, stay healthy and with love.