Can you clear a baby's nasal passages without resorting to drugs? Family GP, Dr Sue Morrison, has some words of advice.

Raisingkids member's problem
What can I do about my baby's cold, and runny nose? Sometimes his nose is so blocked he can't suck properly.

Dr Morrison's advice
Babies get coughs and colds just like adults do. There's no problem if he can take his feed adequately and settle to sleep, and no more chance of the infection progressing to anything more serious than there is for an adult.

If the baby's nose is so blocked he can't suck properly, try squirting some breast milk up his nostrils - enzymes naturally present in the milk are good at breaking down the stickiness of mucous. For the less adventurous (and acrobatic!), saline nose drops 15 minutes before a feed can help a little. If things are really bad your GP can prescribe some decongestant nose drops (ephedrine) to use in a similar way.

Your baby's breathing passages can also be cleared by using a vaporiser in the room, especially at night; strong smelling oil is turned into vapour by burning over a night-light. Steam in the room (wet towel over the radiator, humidifier or boiling off the kettle in the room without the lid) will also help to clear airways.

Alternatively, your breast milk gives babies some of the mother's antibodies and so passes on some protection against infections.

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