How to use the NoseFrida nasal aspirator, according to pediatricians

• When my daughter has a stuffy or runny nose, I use the NoseFrida nasal aspirator to suck her snot out.
• Using the NoseFrida Snotsucker is very simple, if you can get over the fact that you’re literally using your mouth to suck snot out of your baby’s nose.
• We spoke to two pediatricians and a respiratory therapist about how to best use the NoseFrida with your baby or toddler when they have nasal congestion.

Before I had my daughter, I knew things would get gross at times. What I didn’t realize is that I would suck snot out of someone else’s nose and not even bat an eye. We left the hospital with a newborn baby and no instruction manual, but we did get to take home some extra goodies including a bulb syringe to clear nasal passageways.

The bulb syringe was working just fine to clear the occasional booger, but when our daughter, Ellie, got her first cold at 5 months old (while on vacation, no less), we had to bring in the reinforcements: the FridaBaby NoseFrida.

The device seems self-explanatory, but by making sure you use it correctly, you protect your baby’s nose and nasal passageways, help them breathe better, and prevent the spread of infection.

Don’t just take my word for it though. I combined my experience with advice from experts to bring you these best practices for using the NoseFrida nasal aspirator. I spoke with Dr. Valarie N. Stricklen, MD, a pediatrician at the University of Toledo Medical Center; Dr. Heather E. Finlay-Morreale, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Massachusetts Medical School; and Amber Parsons, BSRT, RRT, a registered respiratory therapist.

How to set up the NoseFrida

1. Place a clean filter into the end of the snot straw. The filters are designed to be single-use.
2. Connect all the pieces: mouthpiece to nose hose, nose hose to snot straw. You’ll hear the snot straw click into place when it’s properly inserted.

How to use the NoseFrida

1. Squirt a nasal saline spray into your baby’s nostrils to help loosen up the mucus. “Just using a few drops of nasal saline is often enough to loosen the mucous and shrink the swollen nasal tissues,” Dr. Stricklen told Insider Picks.
2. Once you’ve given the saline spray a moment to loosen the mucus, position the tip of the snot straw on your baby’s nostril. “Don’t shove the large tube inside the nostril, just place against to create a seal,” Parsons said.
3. Put the mouthpiece in your mouth and gently suck the snot. This is where you’ll hear and see your disgustingly satisfying success! (No, you won’t suck the snot into your mouth. The single-use filter creates a barrier between you and the snot.)
4. Repeat on the second nostril.

How to clean the NoseFrida

When you’re tired and your baby is sick, it’s extremely tempting to skip this step, but that would not be wise. “Clean all parts of the NoseFrida as directed to prevent reoccurring infections,” Parsons said.

1. Separate all pieces of the NoseFrida: the mouthpiece, nose hose, snot straw, and filter.
2. Dispose of the used filter.
3. Wash all pieces in hot, soapy water.
4. Put a few drops of rubbing alcohol in the nose hose.
5. Thoroughly dry all pieces (or allow them to air dry).
6. Put a new filter into the NoseFrida and reassemble the parts. You’ll be ready to go for the next snot sucking session!

The NoseFrida isn’t just for babies

My daughter’s first cold was terrifying because as Dr. Stricklen explained, “Babies are what we call ‘obligate nose breathers.’ This means that they predominately breathe through their nose instead of their mouth. In many cases, the nasal congestion that we hear sounds worse than it actually is. Because babies’ nasal passages are so tiny, any amount of mucous can cause quite a bit of noise.”

I was constantly worried that she couldn’t breathe, but when I used the NoseFrida for the first time, the results were disgustingly satisfying. I could immediately hear a difference in her breathing, and I could see all of the snot in the tube.

When she was 5 months old, it was easy to keep her still. When she got sick again at 16 months, I put off using the NoseFrida for a few days because I thought there was no way a toddler was going to let me suck snot out of her nose. Not only did she let me suck the snot out of her nose, she smiled after I did it.

Another cold at 19 months and she actually asked for me to suck out her snot. Of course, every child is different and I suspect most toddlers won’t be so receptive to the NoseFrida, but this is an invaluable tool to help them breathe during illness. Don’t forget about it once your baby becomes a toddler.

A few words of caution from our experts

• Don’t use it too often. “Sometimes manipulating the nose with frequent suctioning can irritate the delicate lining of the nose and make symptoms worse,” Dr. Stricklen said.
  Dr. Finlay-Morreale advises parents to only use it two to three times per day, and to make the most of those uses by suctioning before bed and before your baby’s best feed.

• Be sure to monitor your child’s condition. If your child isn’t getting better and you’re needing to rely on the NoseFrida for an extended period of time, that could be a sign of a more serious infection, according to Dr. Stricklen. Always be in close contact with your child’s pediatrician any time your child is sick.
• Don’t forget to change the filter. Parsons spoke about the importance of using a clean filter, and Dr. Stricklen warned that even a clean filter might not prevent the transmission of all viruses and bacteria. If your kid is anything like mine, they will manage to get snot in places you didn’t even know snot could go, but at least a clean filter will prevent it from getting in your mouth.

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