Ask The Doctor

Dear Mark from Boulder
The reasons for the nasal passages to be clogged in a newborn might be that the air in the home is dry due to winter heating. If this is the case, then the baby can be breastfed while the mother is in the bathtub in steamy bathroom. Also, a humidifier certainly helps put moisture in the air.

A slightly more invasive procedure would be to instill a drop or two of saline (home-made saltwater*) in the infant's nostrils, and then gently use a bulb syringe to extract the resulting mucous that is excreted. However, in my experience, babies dislike this procedure.

A less likely cause of nasal stuffiness in a newborn is allergies, however there are very few things to which such a young baby can be allergic, because there have been so few things to which the baby has already been sensitized. The three things that a newborn might be allergic to are dust, animals (particularly cats) and cow's milk in the mother's diet.

*The proportions are to dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 4 ounces of warm water.

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Dr. Susan Markel, MD, is a Board Certified Pediatrician, and Attachment Parenting Advisor. She is also the author of, "Ask The Doctor," in partnership with ERGObaby. If you have additional questions, please feel free to visit her website at http://www.AttachmentParentingDoctor.com and request a private consultation.