“How do I clear my baby's nose without a aspirator?”

Why not use an aspirator to clear nasal mucus? It can be done gently, with love and can be very effective. You can wipe a child's nose with a kleenex to remove visible mucus, but it will not "clear" mucus upstream. If your child is old enough, you can encourage your child to blow his/her nose into a tissue, but until a child masters this technique, it usually is only partially effective and there is no way an infant can do this. There is no medication that will "clear up" nasal congestion despite what pharmaceutical advertising claims. Instilling nasal saline drops can loosen nasal mucus so it flows more easily, but that does not "clear up" nasal mucus by itself. Humidifying the air around an infant also improves the flow of nasal mucus. Most parents will find that a nasal aspirator can be their best friend for "clearing up" nasal mucus, but that's only temporary as mucus production is ongoing until its cause winds down. So, my suggestion to you is not to give up on a nasal aspirator. You may need to try a variety of aspirators until you find one that is comfortable to use for both you and your baby.

Marc Tanenbaum, MD

Hello.
You can use some Saline spray, like Little Remedies and do 1-2 sprays in each nostril and use small suction bulb. This should clear out your baby's nose pretty well.