The first days after birth is a magical, miraculous and profound time for new moms and babies alike. The little one has to adapt from living in an aqueous womb environment to air breathing, and from a 24/7 food supply, to all of a sudden getting sustenance from a nipple or teat. One would think that in most cases this would happen without challenges, and lactation consultants (SACLC and IBCLC) assist many new moms and babies on their journey. Never be afraid to get help to alleviate possible stress and anxiety. If you worry about whether your baby is getting enough milk, their weight gain is the best indication, as is the number of wet nappies a day. Try to avoid listening to old wives’ tales and unsolicited advice and rather trust the lactation experts with their expertise and evidence based research backing their advice. Do what works for you and trust your instinct. You’ve got this.
A question many lactation consultants get deals with unblocking a newborn or baby’s blocked nose. Now, a blocked nose is not life threatening. For the mom, her blocked nose will be an irritation, for the baby though, it might end up being more than just an irritation, because, as you may know, babies until they are 3-4 months old, only breathe through their noses. When that little nose with little nasal passages is blocked (e.g. due to allergens, viruses or poor air quality), they have to breathe through their mouths. Easier said than done, especially when you have to get the hang of latching onto mommy’s nipple without hurting her, getting out the first precious drops of colostrum, and getting mom’s milk production going full steam. The same applies to bottle-fed babies with blocked noses, and this is why.
Many studies show a link between a good latch and good feeding, and everybody watches a newborn’s weight loss and subsequent gain the first few weeks after birth, willing the baby to thrive. Something as simple as an unblocked nose will assist a baby not to mouth-breathe. With a good latch, good breast-emptying and feed, baby and mom will be more content, and the baby more likely to thrive. Many lactation consultants may advise that you put breastmilk in the baby’s nose to get rid of excess mucus. If that alone does not solve the problem, Flo Baby Saline Spray is the perfect tool to keep ready in your hospital bag, to ensure that the first feeds are as perfect as they can possibly be. If the baby’s nose is congested, spray Flo Baby Spray at any angle, even upside down, 10 min before a feed eg while you change the nappy, even when your baby is lying down. Nose breathing instead of mouth breathing will make your baby swallowing air due to a bad latch less likely. This in turn results in a smaller likelihood of worsening colic and reflux due to swallowed air, and gives the baby the best possible chance to have a good, deep latch on the nipple or teat. A better latch leads to a better feed, and better feeds lead to good sleep, a content baby and a more relaxed mom.
Part of the confusion is the fact that when you look at the saline spray section at the pharmacy, there are so many products available. Some advice to help you choose as a new mom includes ensuring that the nose spray you choose for your baby is physiological, gentle, preservative free, does not sting or burn and is sterile and remains sterile. Flo Baby Spray does all this and more. It is highly effective at unblocking noses, the gentle mist unblocking noses great and small. Flo Saline Plus Spray for the mom is a physiological, natural option that can be used as often as needed while pregnant or breastfeeding, and Flo Baby is ideal to keep those tiny nasal passages unblocked. Spray Flo Baby but do not suction the nose afterwards, let the solution do its trick, Flo even promotes the activity of the little hair in the nose that moves mucus out, so Flo not only washes mucus away, it helps the nose work for itself between sprays. Therefore, Flo Baby and Flo Saline Plus Sprays offer the best, gentlest opportunity for better breathing to any mom or baby when their noses are blocked. If you need further symptom resolution please do not hesitate to contact your healthcare professional. Often untreated blocked noses lead to secondary ear/throat and lung infections. Treating the nose remains a crucial first step in airway health and having your Flo spray on hand is super easy. For older siblings, Flo Kids Saline Spray is the solution to choose to wash away mucus, including creche or school germs, allergens and irritants. Nasal hygiene is key and with Flo it is convenient because there is a solution for every age.
Enjoy better breathing with Flo. And enjoy your bundle of joy, the biggest miracle of life. Written by Dr Sarette Arnold (PhD)
