Published on October 31st, 2021 and Updated on January 19th, 2024
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As a parent, your baby’s well-being and comfort are always top priorities. When your little one is dealing with a stuffy nose and congestion, it can be a challenging time for both you and your baby. Nasal congestion not only hinders your baby’s ability to breathe comfortably but can also disrupt their sleep and overall happiness. In this article, we’ll explore the best sleep position for a baby with congestion and offer guidance on how to ensure a restful night’s sleep for your little bundle of joy.
What Is the Best Sleep Position for a Baby with Congestion and Stuffy Nose?
For babies, the best and safest sleep position is on their backs, even when they’re congested. In fact, it’s recommended that babies younger than 1 year always be placed on their backs to sleep. This position is also ideal for gassy babies. However, rest assured that there are additional methods to help alleviate your baby’s congestion and ensure a peaceful night’s sleep.
Why Baby Congestion is Worse at Night
Baby congestion can often worsen during the nighttime hours, leaving both babies and parents in search of relief. Several factors contribute to this aggravation of congestion after dark, and understanding these elements can be crucial for parents seeking ways to ease their baby’s discomfort.
- Gravity: During the day, when your baby is in an upright position, gravity can help nasal mucus flow more freely. However, when your baby lies down to sleep at night, the mucus may pool in the nasal passages, leading to increased congestion and discomfort.
- Dry Air: Nighttime air tends to be drier than during the day, especially in heated or air-conditioned rooms. Dry air can irritate the delicate nasal passages of babies, leading to an increase in mucus production and congestion.
- Allergies: Babies can be sensitive to various allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander, or pollen. These allergens may become more concentrated in indoor environments at night, triggering or worsening congestion in susceptible infants.
- Sleep Positions: While it’s essential for babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), this position can sometimes lead to the pooling of mucus in the back of the throat, making congestion more noticeable at night.
How to Help Your Congested Baby Sleep: Elevation for Better Breathing and Mucus Drainage
When your baby is congested, it can be challenging for them to sleep comfortably. Much like adults, congested babies may end up sleeping with their mouths open and wake up with a dry mouth, sore throat, and crusty nose. While adults may understand that congestion will eventually pass, babies can become quite upset, especially when they need a peaceful night’s sleep.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that the safest sleep position for babies younger than 1 year old is lying flat on their backs. However, this position can sometimes make it difficult for their bodies to clear mucus, leading to discomfort from a build-up in their sinuses. The only exception to this rule is a colicky baby. The best sleep position for a colic baby is on his side, that way he can calm down.
Elevating Your Baby’s Head:
One effective way to help your congested baby sleep more comfortably is to elevate their head during sleep. This elevation can promote improved mucus drainage and easier breathing, offering much-needed relief.
Here are some safe methods to elevate your baby’s head:
- Use a Baby Carrier or Wrap: Consider using a baby carrier or wrap to keep your baby upright while you go about your day. This position helps ease your baby’s congestion and allows mucus to drain more effectively.
- Opt for Safe Sleep Settings: While you should not place your baby on their side or stomach to sleep, you can choose a sleep setting that allows your baby to safely fall asleep at a slight incline.
Options like a baby bouncer, swing, or wrap that positions your baby against your body can provide the necessary elevation for better mucus drainage and improved breathing.
It’s important to note that while an inclined or upright position can offer relief, you should never leave a sleeping baby unsupervised in a bouncer or swing. Once your baby has fallen asleep, and if you can no longer monitor them, gently place them on their back in their crib to continue their peaceful slumber.
Avoid Risky Practices:
While it may be tempting to place pillows or other items in your baby’s crib to create an incline, doing so can significantly increase the risk of suffocation, entanglement, or becoming trapped between the item and the crib rails. For the safety of your baby, choose a bouncer, swing, or wrap instead, and be sure to transfer them to their crib once they are peacefully snoozing away.
By elevating your congested baby’s head using safe methods, you can help them experience improved mucus drainage, better breathing, and a more restful night’s sleep, providing both you and your baby with much-needed relief.
What causes a congested baby?
Like adults, babies can experience nasal congestion for many reasons. If your baby is suffering from a cold or virus, his body will produce extra mucous to prevent more bacteria and germs from entering the body and doing further damage. If your baby is battling seasonal allergies or pollutants (such as smoke), the body will produce extra mucous to trap these invaders.
Another cause of nasal congestion is dry air. When the air is dry, the body produces more mucous to help lubricate nasal passages. Because your baby has tiny, baby-sized airways and nasal passages, even a small increase in mucous can make nasal congestion more likely to occur.
If your baby is suffering from nasal congestion, you may notice:
- Runny nose with thick mucous
- Noisy breathing
- Sneezing
- Sniffling
- Coughing
- Refusal to eat or sleep
- Increased fussiness
Risk Factors for Baby Congestion
There are several risk factors that can increase your child’s likelihood of having nasal congestion. Baby congestion is more likely to occur if you and your child live in a dry or high altitude climate. This is a very common cause of a stuffy nose; dry air can irritate the nasal passage and cause congestion, and in some cases cause a sinus infection or sinusitis. If your baby was born premature they may be more prone to congestion and stuffy nose. Babies born by Caesarean section are also at a higher risk for congestion. The risk for baby congestion is increased in babies born to mothers with diabetes.
How do you get rid of baby chest congestion?
If you suspect your baby’s nasal congestion is due to environmental allergens, such as pollen or pet dander, consider vacuuming carpeted and fabric surfaces in your home and thoroughly washing your baby’s crib sheets and blankets. It can also be helpful to avoid lighting scented candles or incense in case the culprit behind your baby’s nasal congestion is smoke.
If these steps don’t eliminate the issue, your baby may have a mild cold. In this case, you can help alleviate his symptoms at home with a few of the following techniques:
Use saline spray and a nasal aspirator to clear passageways
Don’t worry, it’s safe to use a saline solution for your baby. Simply spray a spritz into your baby’s nostril to loosen any mucous and clear up baby’s blocked nose. You can also use 1 to 2 saline nasal drops. Then, you can use a nasal aspirator to remove mucous from he nasal passageways.
To use a nasal aspirator, put the nozzle in your baby’s nostril and suck on the connecting tube to pull the mucous out
You can also use a nasal suction bulb as an alternative to the nasal aspirator to remove mucus from your baby’s nostrils. To use a nasal bulb syringe, first pinch the bulb to remove the air from the bulb. While keeping the bulb compressed, carefully insert the end of the syringe into the nostril and then release the bulb. As the bulb expands it will create suction that draws the mucus out of your baby’s nostril.
Wipe away excess mucus
Since your baby cannot blow her nose to alleviate mucous build-up, you’ll need to. This means wiping away any mucous that seeps from her nose with tissues or cotton swabs. Keeping the nostrils clear will prevent mucous from drying and blocking her breathing. If, after a day of wiping, your little one’s nose becomes red and irritated, you can soothe the area with a small amount of petroleum jelly.
Run a warm bath
A warm bath can help relax your baby and ease him into sleepytime mode. Even better? Keeping the door closed during bathtime will allow the bathroom to become a little baby sauna. The steam in the air will help loosen mucous and moisturize his dry mouth, throat, and nasal passages. Just be sure to limit the baby’s sauna time to about 10 to 15 minutes to avoid overheating.
Use a humidifier
Similar to the bathroom steam, placing a humidifier in your baby’s bedroom will help the air stay moist, loosen congestion, and prevent a dry mouth, throat, and nasal passages. To eliminate the risk of scalding, choose a cool-mist humidifier, and place it near your baby’s crib. Be sure to also clean the humidifier and fill it with fresh water after each use to prevent bacteria from building up and becoming airborne.
Ideal temperature
Set the thermostat to between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Research has found that this is the ideal temperature to lull your baby into sleep.
Maintain hydration
Because nasal congestion makes it hard for your baby to breathe, she may find eating uncomfortable and refuse food, so it’s crucial to ensure she stays hydrated. If your baby is younger than 1 year old, try giving her sips of breastmilk or formula throughout the day. If your baby is older than 1 year, you can give her small sips of Pedialyte every 15 minutes to combat dehydration. Wondering, can babies have Pedialyte? Find out how this electrolyte solution can help keep your little one hydrated during congestion.
Give a massage
Nasal congestion can cause uncomfortable sinus pressure. To help alleviate some of this pressure, try massaging your baby gently on the bridge of his nose, his temples, and his cheekbones.
Avoid over-the-counter cough and cold medications
Due to the potential for serious side effects, OTC cough and cold medicines, as well as vapor rubs, shouldn’t be given to children under 2 years old unless directed by your pediatrician.
Air out room
Keep your baby’s room well-ventilated by opening windows or using a fan. Vacuum the carpets frequently to eliminate dust, pet dander, or smoke. Wash your baby’s clothes using mild, unscented detergents.
When to Contact Your Pediatrician
While nasal congestion due to allergens, pollutants, or mild colds will generally go away on their own within a few days, you’ll want to monitor your baby to ensure her condition doesn’t become more serious. If you notice any of the following signs, it’s best to contact your pediatrician, rather than continue to treat symptoms at home:
If your baby is wheezing, grunting, or having trouble breathing
These signs could indicate chest congestion, rather than nasal congestion, which could mean your baby is suffering from a more serious health concern, such as bronchiolitis or the flu.
If you notice your child’s nose flaring
This is a sign that means your little one is laboring for each breath and needs medical attention.
If symptoms become worse
Worsening symptoms may also indicate a more serious illness, like a bacterial infection that needs to be treated with antibiotics.
If your baby develops a fever
If your baby’s temperature reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, contact your pediatrician to schedule an appointment.
If you notice signs of dehydration
These include a dry diaper for 6 hours or more, constipation, increased fussiness, rapid breathing, a quickened heartbeat, dry mouth, and cold hands.
To ensure your baby’s comfort and safe sleep when dealing with a stuffy nose or congestion, it’s critical to maintain the back sleeping position while using a slight incline setting such as a bouncer, swing, or wrap to help alleviate the congestion. Remember, it’s always crucial to monitor your baby’s condition and contact your pediatrician if symptoms persist or worsen, to ensure your baby’s health and wellbeing.
If you have more questions like, “When can babies sleep on their stomachs?”, and is it safe if baby is sleeping on his side, or if baby is sleeping on her back, read our linked blogs!
Editorial Policy
At SneakPeek, our commitment is to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable information to empower our readers. Our content is thoroughly researched, reviewed by medical experts, and fact-checked to ensure its credibility. We prioritize the well-being and education of our readers, and our editorial policy adheres to the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in all our articles.
This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:
Dr. Heather Soper, Certified Nurse Midwife
Dr. Heather Soper brings over 15 years of experience in women's health and obstetrics to her role as the owner of The Genesis Resort for Birth. Complementing her clinical practice, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at James Madison University, where she educates nursing students with a focus on compassionate, patient-centered care. Her advanced training and dedication to midwifery are evident in her contribution to both academia and the wellness of expectant mothers
Sources:
- Parents. How can I help my baby sleep when she has a cold? https://www.parents.com/baby/health/how-can-i-help-my-baby-sleep-when-she-has-a-cold/
- Medical News Today. What to know about congestion in babies. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325561#home-remedies
- Healthline. How to Treat Nasal and Chest Congestion in a Newborn. https://www.healthline.com/health/newborn-congestion#night-congestion
- Fairview. Nasal Congestion (Infant/Toddler). https://www.fairview.org/patient-education/116322EN
- Care.com Baby congestion: 5 common causes and remedies that work.
- https://www.care.com/c/common-causes-of-infant-congestion
- Grow by WebMD. What’s the Right Room Temperature for a Baby? https://www.webmd.com/baby/what-is-the-right-room-temperature-for-a-baby#1
- Medical News Today. Baby sleeping on side: Risks and changing positions. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/baby-sleeping-on-side#is-it-safe
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