It is not a big thing when your nose gets congested. I ignore the sniffles and snuffles until I almost cannot breathe. But when my baby had a little sniffle and snuffle situation, it kept me wide awake through the nights, did not matter how tired I was.
A congested nose can scare us to the worst as it looks like the baby is going to be smothered. To make the situation worse, the babies will sound congested even when their nose is fully dry and has no mucus. As these tiny congested noses can take away the peace of mind of many new parents, I will talk about nasal congestions in this article. Keep reading to know what makes a baby sound congested and how to get rid of it.
CONTENT
1. What makes a baby sound congested?
2. What happens when the baby’s nose is congested?
3. What to do when the baby’s nose is congested but has no mucus?
4. Remedies for nasal congestion in babies
1. What makes a baby sound congested?
The reason for the nasal congestion in babies is very understandable. That tiny cute nose of your baby has a miniature nasal passage that can get blocked easily. Their body systems are still developing so the nasal passage is also small like the ears and the toes. It will not take much mucus to block this narrow space making nasal congestions a common problem in a baby’s life.
But some factors can increase the chances of nasal congestions. Below are few such factors.
- Dry air can irritate a baby’s nose. Low humidity can be a result of the heating system in your house or the dry, arid climate of the surrounding. The drop in the temperature that happens with the seasonal changes is another reason for nasal congestions caused by the low humidity.
- The preemies are born smaller than the average size of a normal baby. So they will be prone to nasal congestions than the others and might even sniffle while breathing without a clear reason.
- Strong smells such as tobacco, cooking smoke, heavy perfumes, room aromatherapy diffusers, or household cleaning products and paint can make your baby congested in the nose. These air irritants will irritate the baby’s nose causing them to breathe uncomfortably.
But not all the congestion is caused by the miniature size of the nasal passage. Some illnesses like a cold, flu and the respiratory syncytial virus can also congest a baby’s nose. Health conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma can lead to serious nasal congestions that will make it difficult for your baby to breathe.

2. What happens when the baby’s nose is congested?
There are many symptoms of nasal congestion in your baby and below are a few of them. Normal nasal congestion will not have your baby breathing difficultly.
- Sniffling
- Runny nose or slightly blocked nose
- Snoring in sleep
- Slight cough
- Uneasy while feeding
If the congestion is accompanied by other illnesses such as cold and fever, consult your pediatrician. Following symptoms indicates a serious health condition and will require immediate medical attention.
- Forced breathing.
- The baby is wheezing which makes it sound like he is struggling to breathe.
- The baby’s nostrils flare in and out every time they breathe.
- The baby’s chest retracts with each breath.
3. What to do when the baby’s nose is congested but has no mucus?
This is the most worrisome situation as you cannot think of a way to fix the baby’s congested nose without knowing what really caused it. If your baby is congested and has no mucus, consider the following factors and provide a solution accordingly.
- Does the baby refuse to eat?
- Have you changed enough wet diapers of the baby within the day?
- Does the baby have a fever?
- Is the baby inactive/lifeless than usual?
- Has the congestion affected their sleep?
If your baby is having an ordinary day, eating, sleeping, and playing like usual even when he is congested, there is no need to be concerned. You can just wait for the congestion to fade away by itself. Remember that frequent use of nasal aspirators can further irritate the baby’s nose.
4. Remedies for nasal congestion in babies
Whether you see it or not, there can be mucus blocking the nasal passage of your baby. It is easy for the mucus to collect in the back of the nose and the throat as the baby spends most of his time laying on his back. Here are some remedies you can try out to stop the sniffling congestions of your baby that can panic you.
- Warm bath
A good bath in warm water can help to clear the congested nose of your baby. The water should be hot enough to warm up the baby’s body. If the water is not hot enough, there is a risk of the cold getting worse.
- Saline drops
A few saline drops in each nostril can help with loosening the mucus. If the baby sneezes out the mucus after the saline drops, the congestion problem will be solved in seconds.
- Nasal bulb syringes or nasal aspirators
Bulb syringes or nasal aspirators are useful when the baby does not sneeze out the mucus by himself. Do not use the nasal aspirators or the nasal bulb syringes too frequently as it will worsen the situation by further irritating the baby’s nose.
- Cool mist humidifier.
If you suspect that the dry air/low humidity is the culprit for the baby’s congestion problem, a humidifier can help to fix the problem by increasing the humidity in the room’s air.
- Positioning.
Try to cut off the time that the baby spends flat on his back. You can hold the baby upright, wear him or put him in a baby swing. Do not use baby positioners or any other equipment to support the baby’s position as anything left in the crib can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
- Massage.
Massaging the baby’s nose and face may help to drain the congested nasal passages. You can use your thumb to softly massage the nasal bridge, forehead, temples, and cheekbones.
- Clean the surrounding
Air irritants can cause frequent nasal congestions in the baby and also in adults. So clean the house well to remove dust, allergens, and pollutants. When the air and surfaces are clean, the baby will be exposed to fewer irritants.
Do not expose the baby to strong smells like tobacco smoke, kitchen smoke, paints, and other household chemicals as they can also irritate the baby’s nose.