What to do if your newborn has phlegm

  Newborn babies produce phlegm in their throats, which is difficult to discharge on their own, and the accumulation of too much will affect the smooth flow of breathing, so it is necessary to deal with phlegm in a timely manner. Parents can first use the baby’s own phlegm removal function, such as keeping the room ventilated and moist, or increasing the humidity in the air, so that the mucous membrane in the respiratory tract is in a more moist state, which facilitates the movement of cilia on the surface of the baby’s throat and helps to remove phlegm.  Drinking water can also achieve a better effect of sputum discharge. Sufficient water can dilute the sticky sputum and weaken its adhesion ability, so that the baby can cough out the sputum more easily when coughing, and water can also reduce the stimulation of the airborne dust on the throat and avoid more vigorous sputum secretion.  In addition, parents can gently cover the baby’s nose with a warm towel or fumigate it with hot air to help thin the phlegm in the baby’s throat and facilitate its smooth coughing out, as well as to relieve the redness and itchiness of the throat. However, when using hot towels and fumigation, the temperature should not be too high to avoid burning the baby’s mouth and nose. It is important to clear the phlegm in the newborn baby’s throat in a timely manner, and when it is difficult to expel the phlegm, you may also need to go to the hospital for professional aspiration treatment so that the phlegm does not have a big impact on the baby’s health.