Being a parent you are overprotective towards your newborn. To be honest, it is pretty normal and most parents are like you; eager to be the best parent for their child. You get worried even over a single sneeze or cough of your newborn. And if your baby is sneezing frequently it will surely be disturbing for you. For your relief, newborn sneezing a lot is normal most of the time.
Sometimes frequent sneezing in newborns can be associated with allergy or an alarming respiratory disorder. However, you will always find some other symptoms along with sneezing like; fever, shortness of breath, cough, etc.
What causes frequent sneezing in newborns?
So what can cause your newborn to have frequent sneezing? There is no one answer. Multiple causes lead to newborn sneezing a lot and there can be multiple reasons at once.
Whenever there is irritation in the lining of the respiratory tract (starting from nose to the division of trachea) it stimulates the nervous system which causes sneezing to relieve that irritation. These stimulants include; dust particles, mucus, smoke, and breast milk.
It means that your newborn has a mature nervous system and he or she is capable of clearing his or her respiratory tract. In doing so the newborn also gets rid of particles and germs.
This reflux is present in every individual. However, there are multiple other causes in the newborns which add to the frequency of the sneezing. These include:
Nasal congestion
You must have noticed your newborn sneezing a lot after the feeding session. This happens because during feed their tiny nostrils are pressed against your body and get flattened. This causes the nostrils to clog. Don’t worry it is temporary and your newborn can unclog it by sneezing.
Tiny nose
Your newborn has tiny nostrils that easily get clogged with the dust particles in the air. This causes your newborn to sneeze. You can help your newborn stop sneezing by wiping their nostrils.
Dry air
The dryness of the air causes mucus to dry up rapidly and clog the nostrils. Since the nostrils of your newborn are tiny this occurs rapidly and frequently. Once the nostrils are clogged your newborn tries to clear it by sneezing.
Allergy
Allergy rhinitis of hay fever, different names of the same condition i.e. allergy. It can happen even to your newborns causing them to sneeze a lot. It can happen because of anything, however; mostly insects, pollens, dust particles, perfumes, and animal hairs are notorious for it.
So how can you avoid it? It pretty simple, find out what is causing it and avoid it.
Respiratory condition
If nothing of the above is the cause behind your newborn sneezing a lot you might want to consult a pediatrician to look into some medical issues causing it. However, you may find some associated symptoms with it including; fever, cough, shortness of breath, and refusal to feed. It can just be because of a simple cold or can be a disturbing condition like neonatal abstinence syndrome. However, your doctor is the one to tell you what the matter is.
Also Read: Is Breastfeeding With A Cold Safe?
Remedies for frequent newborn sneezing
There is not much there for you to do to stop the sneezing. Most of the sneezing caused by the common cold is viral and there is no medicine for the viral. What you can do is to provide comfort to your baby and wait for the viral cycle to be over. Once the cycle is over, your newborn will recover. Here are a few remedies to help your baby get over this period:
Adequate feeding
Your newborn is irritating and refusing feed during this period but the feed is even more necessary now. It gives enough energy and hydration to fight against the virus. Plus when the baby is full he will feel comfortable and sleep well. So make sure that your baby is well-fed all the time.
Pacifiers and sleep
You are going to need a lot of patience to calm your crying baby. However, you can always use pacifiers to calm your baby. You can hold your baby in your arms and sway until he or she feels comfortable and sleep. The more he sleeps comfortably the more you will have a peaceful time.
Also Read: My Newborn Makes Weird Noises While Asleep – Is It Normal?
Nasal drops
If simple wiping of the nose doesn’t work for your newborn you can use a nasal dropper to pour some isotonic saline inside the nose. It will help the mucus to loosen up quicker. It also removes the dryness of the nose and keeps the baby comfortable.
Massage
A light massage around the nose, above eyebrows, hairline, and cheeks helps to relieve the nasal congestion. Your baby will feel comfortable and stop sneezing.
Steam
As you already know that dry air speeds up the clogging process via mucus thus keeping the water content high in the air you can always use humidifiers in the room. You can also take the help of steam to clear the mucus from the nostrils. However, make that it is not too hot for the baby.
Medicines
There are several medicines available for congestion as well as antibiotics for the germs. However, you should not use any of them without consulting your doctor. Your doctor is the one who is going to look deep into the symptoms and find the cause.
He may advise you some tests for confirmation and advise you only the medicines necessary for your baby as every medicine has a greater risk of side effects in your newborn.
Also Read: Why Is My Baby Sticking Out Tongue All The Time?
Newborn sneezing a lot: When to worry?
So how are you going to know that it’s time to take your baby to the doctor. Normally sneezing occurs for a couple of minutes. As soon as your baby gets rid of what is clogging the nostrils or the allergen is removed from the environment, he is going to be fine. However, if the sneezing lasts longer or you find some associated symptoms, it is time for you to visit your doctor. Here are some of the symptoms you should be aware of:
- Fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Rapid breathing along with difficulty in breathing and cough.
- Irritation or frequent crying.
- Refusal to eat.
- Lethargy and more than 10-hour sleep in the morning.
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