One of the first things you learn to do as a mother is use a bulb syringe to clear out your baby’s nose. Everyone knows about the battle of the bulb syringe! It’s a rite of passage! Fortunately, one of my friends eventually turned me on to the Nosefrida, a Swedish invention that has been used in Europe by pediatricians, nurses, midwives and parents for over 10 years.
The Nosefrida is a simple tapered plastic tube connected to a hose with a mouthpiece. You bite the mouthpiece, insert the tube into a nostril (it is designed so it doesn’t actually enter the nose, but plugs baby’s nostril to get a good suction) and slowly suck in, providing sustained and gentle suction. To keep the suction tube clean and your mind settled, the Nosefrida incorporates a disposable foam filter that keeps the snot and bacteria in the tube and out of your mouth.
I love and trust all things Swedish, so of course I ordered one! Right on cue, my 1-year-old daughter got another cold, so I was able to give the Nosefrida a good workout right away.
And it was excellent! I was able to begin sucking into the tube before approaching my daughter’s nostrils, so I got a good 3-4 seconds of strong, sustained suck before she swatted it away. The clear tube allowed me to see my prize….a gallon of mucus, at least! I had to get the other nostril, so, I started sucking, aimed, and…she let me stick it in her nose without complaint! She welcomed it, in fact, grinning the whole time. Of course it’s funny! Look at what you are doing! Another gallon of mucus retrieved. It was a very pleasant interaction, and I could tell that my daughter felt much better. She has gotten two or three colds since then, and snotsucking has now become a funny game for us.
With a bulb syringe, you have to squeeze, aim, insert deep into the nose, and then get a ½ second of measly suck action if you managed to get it in the right place…and then you have to somehow clean it!
Cleaning the Nosefrida is simple. You just take the hose and filter off and then flush the tube with soap and water. Good as new, with visual confirmation that there are no boogies left. I’m cheap, so I just rinse the filter and use again, but you are supposed to use a fresh filter for each snotsucking session. I do change mine at the end of each illness.
This, along with the Ergo Baby Carrier, BabyLegs and Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets, is one of my top items for new moms and old moms alike.
NIKKI!
