Oh…squeeze THEN insert into nose…
The bulb syringe was a foreign object to Sarah when Tony was born. I know there was one at the birth, but she was to busy to notice. It’s not something that we use in everyday adult life. So I saw this article and thought I’d pass it along.
When should I use a bulb syringe?
When your baby has a cold or a stuffed-up nose, you can use a rubber bulb syringe to remove some of the mucus. Clearing her nose when it’s stuffy will probably make it easier for her to breathe, eat, and sleep.
In addition to the syringe, you’ll need saline drops to moisten and loosen up the mucus in your baby’s nose before you try to suction it out. You can buy saline drops at pharmacies or make them easily at home by dissolving 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water. Make a fresh batch each day and store it in a clean, covered glass jar. (If you get your water from a well, it’s a good idea to boil the water first to sterilize it.)
Your baby probably won’t enjoy it, but it’s not painful or hard to do. It’s best to try the procedure before rather than after a feeding, so that if your baby gags from the saline or suctioning she’ll be less likely to spit up her food.
Begin by laying your baby in your lap with her head between your knees and her feet against your tummy; let her head drop backward slightly. Place one or two saline drops in each nostril with an eyedropper (or squirt once or twice if you’re using a saline spray) and try to keep your baby’s head still for about ten seconds. Wipe the dropper clean after each use.
Squeeze the bulb of the syringe to create a vacuum, and then gently insert the rubber tip into one nostril. Slowly release the bulb to collect mucus. Remove the syringe and squeeze the bulb forcefully to expel the mucus into a tissue. Wipe the syringe and repeat the process for the other nostril.
If your baby is still congested after five to ten minutes, apply drops again and resuction. Don’t suction your baby’s nose more than two or three times a day, though, or you’ll irritate its lining. And don’t use the saline drops for more than four days in a row because over time, they can dry out her nose and make matters worse.
Bear in mind that this should be a gentle process. If your baby is struggling a lot and you end up suctioning too aggressively, the nasal tissues can become inflamed, which can make the congestion worse. If your baby resists vigorously, let it go for a while and try again later.
Clean it well with warm, soapy water after each use. Squeeze the bulb with the tip in the soapy water to clean the inside, too. (Shake the soapy water inside the bulb before squeezing it out.)
Rinse well by repeating the process several times with clear warm water. Suspend the syringe, tip side down, in a glass to dry.
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