A sneezing baby is one of the many bodily reactions that newborns have. It is just so cute how such a tiny human can do such a grown up thing as a sneeze. Sometimes your baby even scares himself or herself because it is a natural unconscious reaction of the body and the sneeze comes at the most unexpected times like with us.
Why do newborns sneeze?
It is a good sign when your baby sneezes. What it means is that their nervous system works well. When you know that your newborn entered into a world they have never been in, you will understand that there are a lot of new things that your newborn has to get used to. For example dust or lint from fabrics (clothes, blankets) or if you have pets, it's their hair that your newborn will need to get used to.
How does the nose protect the lungs?
Not only will your newborn need time to get used to all the bacteria, newborns also have tiny noses which means they have very tiny nasal passages. The nasal passage's purpose is to protect anything foreign from entering the lungs. Since everything is new to the body, there is a lot to protect with that tiny nose. Since babies don't know how to blow their nose yet, their body will help them get all the new bacteria out by sneezing. Sneezing is actually breathing out with great force and that is what your body will do to eject all foreign dust, bacteria or anything to protect the lungs.
Is it normal that newborns sneeze more than adults?
Yes, babies do sneeze more than adults and that is completely normal due to the fact that everything floating in the air is new to your newborn. The other reason newborns sneeze more is because their nasal passages are so tiny, they seem to clog up much faster. The only way your newborn's body can clear their nasal passage is to sneeze. When you feel like you need to help newborn to clear their nose a nasal aspirator or a Baby-Vac will be a very handy tool to help with clearing their nose.
What if it is more than just a sneeze?
A sneeze every now and then or even several times a day is completely normal but when the sneezing is daily and you have the feeling it is not stopping after a week or two, it is good to mention it to your local medical practitioner. When in doubt, please seek medical advice. It is also normal for your newborn to have a snotty nose but when you notice it is taking too long or you doubt, please seek professional advice. Your instincts are the most important warning radar with your newborn. You can never consult a medical adviser too much. When newborns under six months have a temperature combined with a runny nose, you should definitely seek medical advice.
Can I do anything to make my newborn sneeze less?
Since a sneeze is a natural unconscious reaction there is not much you can do to prevent your baby from sneezing. There are some things you can do to make sure the air in your house is clean - by regularly opening the windows in their bedroom and in your house, the breeze will help with cleaning the air. When you have pets, make sure you vacuum daily to clean up all the pet hair in the parts of the house where your newborn sleeps. Also make sure you vacuum your newborns sleeping area regularly but remember, the vacuum will lift up dust and it will float in the air (the dust will settle down after one hour) so try to not do it when your newborn is in the room. It almost goes without saying but please do not smoke near your newborn since this will also make them sneeze.
If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us, we like sharing our knowledge.
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