We all just want to do what is best for our babies. Knowing what that is might be challenging to new and even experienced parents because advice comes at us from all angles, and everybody has an opinion. It is therefore reassuring to know that for all disease entities, healthcare providers follow guidelines, carefully put together and incorporating the latest evidence. This forms the foundation of evidence-based medicine, and is based on the best practice possible to aid patients on their road to recovery.
Breathing is something that comes naturally to us, and we are scarcely aware that we do so around 22 000 times every single day or over 8 million times each year. We however become intensely aware of the discomfort when our noses are blocked. The way humans are built means that they are supposed to breathe through their noses, because noses offer the first defence against dust, pollen or other allergens, viruses and bacteria. Millions of tiny hair in the nose and sinuses, called cilia, trap these particles, and like a converyor belt, transport them out of the nose, or to the back of the throat, where they are swallowed and destroyed by stomach acid. These pathogens and allergens are not supposed to be breathed through the mouth straight into the lungs. That is why breathing through your nose is very important and a large goal in the treatment of sinusitis. Ironically, but inevitably, newborns until they are about 4 months old, are only able to breathe through their noses. When their noses are blocked, they are really suffering and uncomfortable. This affects feeding and sleep.
Many-a pregnant mom would have told you about their blocked noses. Indeed, one in five women suffer from nasal congestion during pregnancy. Knowing what to use can be challenging. You want to ensure that you protect your unborn child by using something to unblock your nose that is preservative free, gentle so it does not sting or burn, can be used as often as needed, for as long as needed, and really works. These are the questions you need to ask and answer about the product before buying a nasal spray product. The same holds true for newborn babies. Mild congestion is common in newborns and they sometimes need extra help to clear their tiny nostrils. Their lungs are also still immature and their airways tiny, so the desire to prevent any secondary infections from untreated mucus in the nose should be top of mind. Not surprisingly then, international, and local Sinusitis guidelines (references available on request) mention that treating the nose (and in children and adults, the nose and the sinuses) is the first and very essential first step in maintaining nasal hygiene. So the first treatment recommended for blocked noses is a nose spray. Often moms wonder why children get ear infections after only having a blocked nose before. This is because the ear is connected to the mouth and nose (via the eustachian tube), and the mouth is connected to the lungs. All of these make up the airways of the baby (or even adult), and all these surfaces are susceptible to irritation or infection by allergens like mites, pollen, hair, or bacteria and viruses that can cause inflammation, swelling, and even worsening mucus secretion).
We also want our babies to flourish, gain weight, sleep a healthy age-appropriate amount of time, and grow optimally. Babies often suffer from reflux and colic, and even though moms and dads may not be aware, a blocked nose could even worsen colic. The reason for that is that if the baby’s nose is blocked, they tend to swallow more air when bottle or breastfeeding, and this results in worsening colic. Not only that, but the excess stomach pressure from air bubbles can force acidic stomach contents up the oesophagus/throat causing pain, reflux and even aggravating nasal congestion. So the simple first step recommended by healthcare professionals all over the world, is to use a nose spray like an unmedicated saline spray. That said, a new mom wants to ensure that the nose spray she chooses for her newborn, similarly for herself when she is pregnant or breastfeeding, is physiological, gentle, does not sting or burn and is sterile and remains sterile. Flo does all this and more. It is highly effective at unblocking noses, great and small. Flo Saline Plus Spray for mom is a physiological option that can be used as often as needed while pregnant or breastfeeding, and Flo Baby Spray is ideal to keep those tiny nasal passages unblocked. It does not sting or burn, and Flo Baby Spray even sprays with the bottle in an upside-down position, making it easy to apply. An important factor that makes Flo nose sprays special and explains why it works very effectively, is the fact that it contains extra minerals, exactly like those naturally occurring in healthy noses. So when you spray Flo sprays, you not only wash away the mucus and allergens/viruses/bacteria, you also put back the minerals that the nose need for optimal functioning. Isn’t that what we as parents need? Medication that help us return to our normal selves as naturally as possible, yet getting the job done? With Flo sprays, you and your baby will be able to breathe better. Better breathing results in symptom relief and a more settled baby, which means more cuddles and less fuss. More sleep and more warm meals for mom.
Feel free to visit our website and social media (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram) for tips on how to spray Flo Baby, Flo Kids and Flo Saline Plus sprays. Sometimes a spray is not enough, and you will know this because you feel pressure in your face, have sinus headaches, pain when touching your cheeks etc. In these cases the guidelines state that sinus rinses are to be applied; because no nose spray, even aerosolised sprays are able to rinse the sinuses. There are two Flo sinus rinses available (Flo Sinus Care or Flo CRS) to wash out the sinuses (roughly speaking located above the teeth and between the eyes). This would be for mommies only, as babies don’t have sinuses yet. Happy breathing moms and babies.