Newborns can also experience congestion without being sick. Many babies just sound congested until they get a little older and a little bigger. Babies with reflux or who spit up often can also experience a lot of nasal congestion.
This is so common there is actually a medical term for it, "nasal congestion of the newborn." Babies have tiny little nasal passages and can sound very congested in the first few weeks of life. They are also "obligate nose breathers," which means they only know how to breathe out of their mouths when they are crying.
It is common for babies aged under 6 months to have a blocked nose (commonly called 'snuffles'). It is usually due to normal mucus that collects in the nose, which is difficult for the baby to clear. No treatment is required if the baby is otherwise well and feeding well.
Baby nasal congestion or baby “stuffy nose” is typically caused by anything that inflames the nasal tissues - usually a cold, influenza, sinusitis, or allergies. Overall, baby congestion is just extremely annoying and nothing to worry about, but it can really affect sleep and eating habits.
Concerning Baby Congestion Symptoms
If your baby is congested and exhibits any of the below symptoms, call your doctor immediately: Your baby is younger than three months old. Your baby isn't having as many wet diapers as usual. Your baby has a temperature of 100 degrees for more than three days.
If your baby has a cold with no complications, it should resolve within 10 to 14 days. Most colds are simply a nuisance. But it's important to take your baby's signs and symptoms seriously. If symptoms don't improve or if they worsen, it's time to talk to your doctor.
An occasional sneeze or stuffy nose usually isn't a sign of a problem. But if these happen often, they could mean the baby has a cold or other health problem. Call your baby's healthcare provider if your baby: Coughs.
Call Your Doctor If:
Any fever if under 12 weeks old. Nasal discharge lasts more than 14 days. Cough lasts more than 3 weeks. You think your child needs to be seen.
You can use a humidifier in your baby's room while they sleep to loosen mucus. Ask the pediatrician if you can use saline. You can put one or two drops of saline in the nose to loosen mucus. Massage your baby's nose, eyebrows, cheekbones, and bottom of the head.
While many experts agree that teething does not cause congestion or a runny nose, the stress involved with teething may make infants more susceptible to childhood illnesses.
Breast milk.
It doesn't get more natural—or easier—than this. “A drop or two in the nose can help loosen congestion,” Altmann says.
Safety Tip: Parents often ask if they should allow their congested babies to sleep in an elevated position to help them breathe better. This is NOT recommended. Research tells us that a firm, flat surface (in a crib, bassinet, or play yard) is the only safe option for unsupervised sleep, even during an illness.
Mucus. When your child's nose is stuffy or blocked with mucus, they may breathe through their mouth out of necessity. Anatomical problems. One of the most common anatomical problems that lead to mouth breathing is a significantly deviated septum.
Your baby's doctor may recommend saline nasal drops to moisten nasal passages and loosen thick nasal mucus. Look for these OTC drops in your local pharmacy. Apply saline nasal drops, wait for a short period, and then use a suction bulb to draw mucus out of each nostril.
A ruttle is a coarse, crackling sound which some babies make even when they are well. It is caused by secretions ( snot, saliva, gunk etc) being allowed to pool in the back of the throat. Babies can allow this fluid to collect there but adults would have to cough it out or swallow it down.
Babies breathe through their noses more than their mouths, and their breathing passageways are very small. As a result, you may hear a lot of noisy breathing or even pauses in breathing. Most of the time, it's no cause for concern, although certain red flags warrant a call to the doctor.
"The sound that a congested child makes is stertor," Walsh says. "It's almost like a snoring sound that indicates congestion in the mouth and nose." Stertor can happen with a common cold. It can also indicate adenoid enlargement from allergies or flu.
Children and infants have narrower nasal passageways than adults, making them more susceptible to nighttime congestion caused by inflammation or excess mucus. Very young children and especially infants, who mostly breathe through their nose, cannot blow their noses as adults can for temporary relief.
The classic symptoms of aspiration are a cough, wet or congested breathing, and watery eyes after swallowing during drinking or eating, or when introducing solid foods (such as with baby-led weaning). In babies, aspiration might also produce a wet or gurgling noise during or after breastfeeding.
Symptoms of a cold in an infant generally start with a low grade fever and nasal congestion. Infants get all plugged up inside and then two to three days later generally start having a lot of post-nasal drip, increasing a cough and causing a runny nose.
The following are the most common signs and symptoms of teething: Drooling more than usual (drooling may start as early as age 3 months or 4 months, but is not always a sign of teething) Constantly putting fingers or fists in the mouth (babies like to chew on things whether or not they are teething)