Due to the special physiological characteristics, newborns have short nasal cavity, narrow nasal passage and almost no inferior nasal passage. The mucous membrane of the nasal cavity is rich in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, therefore, after being stimulated by the outside world, the nasal mucous membrane will easily become congested and swollen, and the secretions will increase. For adults and older babies, boogers can be easily picked off, but newborns need parents to learn the right way to clean up boogers if they affect the baby’s breathing and breastfeeding.
If you can see the secretions directly in the nose, hold the child’s head down with your hand to prevent it from moving around, dip a cotton swab in water and remove the secretions deep inside the nostril (about 1 cm). If the nasal discharge is too deep, use a warm towel to apply heat to the nose. When the nasal mucosa is contracted by heat, the nasal cavity will be smoother and the sticky snot will flow out easily. The most convenient and effective method is to use a baby nasal aspirator. Flatten the nasal aspirator, put it into the nostril and slowly release it, then the snot will be sucked out. Then take the nasal aspirator out and forcefully spray the snot and solution from the aspirator onto toilet paper. Repeat the above action until all the snot is sucked out of the nose. If the secretion is dry, you can put a few drops of saline into the nostrils to soften the secretion before cleaning it out.
It is normal for babies to have some nasal discharge in their nasal cavity, which is a line of defense against infection. Excessive cleaning can also lead to mild damage to the nasal mucosa, which is instead vulnerable to incoming and outgoing nasal pathogens. Parents should only clean the boogers properly when their baby has increased nasal discharge and nasal congestion, which affects breathing.