how to make a baby sneeze

Snotty or runny nose is a common problem of babies, especially in their first period of life. Since babies are too small, they don’t know how to clear out their nose. This makes them feel uncomfortable and cranky. Some might suffer from sleepless or even have breathing difficulties.

As parents, we always try our best to handle all the problems that come to our baby. However, if we apply improper methods, we could make everything worse. This stuffy nose issue is not an exception. One of the best ways to clean baby’s nose and get rid of mucus is to trigger sneezes. But, how to make a baby sneeze safely and effective? Here is the guide for you!

​How to Make a Baby Sneeze – 5 Common Ways

Saline Liquid

Saline liquid with an appropriate concentration of salt is safe for baby’s use. Thanks to the ability to soften the baby’s mucus, it’s widely used to promote babies to sneeze, remove congestion as well as protect them from irritation.

Depending on the adaptability and sensitiveness of your baby to each type of saline liquid, you should pick the proper one. My favorite choice is saline drops or sprays for infants. They’re pre-made and extremely easy to use without the need of preparations.

If you decide to go with them, just note that you shouldn’t use medical nasal sprays because they might cause some side effects, such as headaches, coughs or nosebleeds.

If you don’t like pre-made saline liquid, you can make up a solution yourself. For example, the isotonic solution, which has the same level of salt and osmotic pressure as blood plasma, is able to cure illness and allergies. But it requires an exact preparation, including 0.9g of NaCl and 100ml of distilled water.

​Moreover, if your baby suffers from chronic congestion, you can prepare the hypertonic solution by mixing 1.5g of NaCl with 100ml of distilled water.

​The guide on using saline drops or sprays to make a baby sneeze is as follow:

  • Let your baby lay down on a flat, stable surface or hold her in your arms.
  • After adding 2-3 drops to each nostril of her nose, keep this position at least 5 minutes.

Important tips:

  • Wash your hand clearly with soap or alcohol sanitizer to get rid of germs and bacteria before touching either the saline solution or your baby’s nose.
  • There is no surprise if your baby sneezes a few of mucus, so prepare a clean cloth in advance to wipe her nose.
  • In the case of using a spray, try to use it one or two times. If you do repeat more than 3 times, your baby will be uncomfortable.

Nasal Aspirator

Nasal aspirators are preferred by many moms since they’re easy to use and truly effective in reducing congestion. Doctors all around the world also recommend them as one of the best ways to clear babies’ stuffy noses.

There is a variety of nasal aspirators on the market today. They’re designed for both adults and infants, so make sure you buy the one specialized for infants. In addition to the ease of use and high potency, make sure that you buy the one made of BPA-free and Phthalate-free plastic.

Among best nasal aspirators, I would suggest the NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator – one of the best-seller products for infants on Amazon. There is no hassle in using it. You simply insert its tip into your baby’s nose and suck the mucus. It’s advisable to use it in conjunction with saline drops to make sure your baby’s nose completely clear.

For a detailed guide on how to use it, take a look at the video below:​

After using the aspirator, don’t forget to clean it with soap and warm water. How to do that?

  • Firstly, prepare a mixture of these ingredients.
  • Secondly, soak the aspirator’s tip into the mixture.
  • Finally, shake the aspirator strongly to eliminate all the mucus.

Important tip: Some items can require disassembling, but whichever they are, their instruction manual will reveal you everything. Just read them thoroughly before taking any further step.

Spices

Using spices to make your baby sneeze is a completely natural way, and thus, it’s strongly recommended by most doctors. Strong spices, like pepper or coriander, are good choices. However, since they’re relatively strong, they might trigger irritations in the baby’s skin, especially around the nasal area if you apply them directly.

Here is a good method to use spices to make a baby sneeze:

  • Firstly, crush the pepper into fine powders and put them in a jar.
  • Secondly, place the jar in front of the baby’s nose so that she/he could smell it.
  • Finally, take a close look at her/him, as she starts the sign of sneeze, immediately pull the jar back to make sure no powders have the chance to contact with her/his eyes.
  • This jar then is stored in the cabinet for later uses.

Vaporizer, Humidifier or Steam

A vaporizer or a humidifier is effective in moisturizing the air in the baby’s room, which not only helps your baby breathe easily but also lose her mucus.

In case you don’t have one of these devices at home, creating hot steam in the bathroom could be an excellent alternative to wash away mucus and open clogged breathing passages so that your little one can breathe easier. It can cause the baby to sneeze as well.

​Here is what you need to know in order to apply this method:

  • Take your baby into the bathroom and close the door.
  • Turn the hot water in the shower or bathtub.
  • Let the steam do its job.

Important tip: Hold your baby tightly to make sure that hot water has no chance to contact with your baby’s skin.

Carbonated Beverages

It’s easy to trigger the fizzy feeling as we’re drinking carbonated beverages. For adults, we simply drink them in order to sneeze, but for babies, it’s not recommended to let them suck such drinks. So, the only solution is to let them smell it.

Simply pour the drink into a glass, bring it close to your baby’s nose so that she can inhale it. This will trigger her to sneeze instantly. Also, take a note in choosing what type of carbonated beverages. My suggestion is to pick the one from famous brands, such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

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