How to Use a Nasal Aspirator on a Newborn

With such tiny nostrils, clearing a newborn's stuffy nose can be a difficult and stressful experience for both parent and baby. Using a nasal aspirator can make the job easier, since the tip is made thin enough to reach into a baby's nostril to clear it out. Many hospitals give you an aspirator to take home and use for your newborn baby. They are also sold at most general merchandise stores.

Things You'll Need

  • Nasal aspirator
  • Saline spray or drops
  • Facial tissue

Instructions

    • 1

      Lay your baby on her back in your lap, with her feet toward your body.

    • 2

      Squeeze the bulb of the aspirator between your thumb and first two fingers to spray a saline solution in each nostril. You may need up to two sprays per nostril. Hold her head in place for a few seconds so that the saline has time to reach the back of her nose.

    • 3

      Insert the tip of the aspirator into one of the baby's nostrils and let the bulb go. This clears the baby's nostril. Remove the tip of the aspirator from the baby's nostril.

    • 4

      Use a facial tissue to clean the aspirator by wiping the tip and squeezing and releasing the bulb while holding the tissue lightly over the tip. This clears the aspirator of anything that it sucked out of baby's nose.

    • 5

      Press the bulb of the aspirator between your thumb and first two fingers again.

    • 6

      Put the tip of the aspirator into the baby's other nostril and let the bulb go. Remove the tip of the aspirator from the baby's nostril.

    • 7

      Clean the aspirator by wiping the tip with a facial tissue, and squeezing and releasing the bulb while holding the tissue lightly over the tip.

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