How to Use Your NoseFrida Properly in 5 Easy Steps

Worried parents questioning, how to use your NoseFrida properly? have often voiced concerns about the risk of their children getting ill from the device. For these concerned parents, professional insight is invaluable. Let’s delve into what the experts recommend.

Many parents swear by products like the NoseFrida when their child is sick. This makes a lot of sense since these nasal aspirators clear congestion in their children’s noses.

However, several worried parents have posted on online forums and closed Facebook groups during the epidemic, claiming that they got sick after using the NoseFrida on their newborns (the adult puts one end of the gadget in their mouth while the other attaches to the baby’s nose). It’s natural for parents to worry about so many dangerous infections circulating.

Is getting sick from using a NoseFrida actually possible? Experts suggest parents shouldn’t worry too much if they utilize the product properly.

The Advantages of NoseFrida

Rashmi Jain, M.D., physician and founder of BabiesMD, claims that the NoseFrida (also known as a snotsucker) has been described as a “lifesaver” by many parents. Babies can’t breathe via their mouths for the first several months of their lives because they are obligate nasal breathers. Dr. Jain warns that a patient’s inability to eat or sleep soundly is directly related to nasal congestion severity.

Now you have a crying infant on your hands. The NoseFrida solves this problem. When compared to a manual bulb aspirator, the NoseFrida is superior at clearing out their nasal passages of mucus.

“Like other products,” explains Dr. Matthew Harris of Northwell Health’s pediatric emergency medicine department, “it is used with some nasal saline to help loosen up the mucus and then removed by sucking on the back end of the Frida.”

In terms of disease transmission, the act of using one may initially appear filthy and hazardous. Dr. Jain notes that clinical trials conducted in the late 1990s, when the NoseFrida was first introduced, revealed that when the sanitary filter is used as intended, no germs develop at the section of the device that enters into the parent’s mouth. And, “unfortunately, the clinical studies did not evaluate for the presence of viral particles at either end of the device,” she says. Viruses are quite tiny in comparison to bacteria.

However, using the NoseFrida may not necessarily raise your chance of becoming infected by the virus, causing your baby’s illness (even COVID-19). While caring for your child, you will continue to be exposed to sneezes, coughs, tears, and saliva. Even if a parent takes extra precautions when cleaning their child’s nose, this is generally enough to cause viral transmission to the parent.

Dr. Harris recommends that when a sick baby is at home, parents do everything they can to protect themselves, including frequent hand washing with soap and water.

NoseFrida’s Guide to Nose Etiquette

If your child suffers from nasal congestion that prevents them from breathing easily or sleeping soundly, and you decide to use the NoseFrida, follow these instructions.

1. Position your infant properly.

Dr. Jain suggests lying your infant flat on their back in a safe position. Have your partner or a helping hand keep your infant still by holding their arms, torso, and forehead. The baby can also be held upright in the lap of the suctioning parent, with one person supporting the baby’s forehead and the other holding the arms and body. If the baby is strapped down in one place, neither the baby nor the parent will be at risk of injury.

2. Put saline solution up your nose.

The child should have some nasal saline placed in his or her nostril. The nasal saline helps to thin the thick, dry mucus and reduces the inflammation in the nasal passages. You should give the saline solution a few seconds to work its way into the infant’s nose.

3. Drop the thing in there.

Position the aspirator’s nasal tip at the nostril opening. The syringe does not have to enter the baby’s nostril; all it has to do is form a seal at the opening of the nostril so that the suction can pull the mucus out.

Simply insert the red suction tip of the aspirator into your mouth and start sucking. To check if you can get more mucus out, try gently rotating the angle of the nasal aspirator tip in a circular motion.

4. Tidy up.

When you’re done clearing your nose, it’s time to clean up. Get rid of the sanitizing filter and disinfect the large nasal tube with hot water. Dr. Jain also recommends sterilizing the thin suctioning tube by pouring a few drops of rubbing alcohol into one end and running it through the tube.

Reassemble the aspirator with a fresh, sanitary filter after you’ve dried all the components by hand, or by letting them air dry. If you hear a series of clicks, you may rest assured that everything is securely fastened.

5. Please don’t overuse it.

Dr. Harris cautions against excessive use of these aids because they may lead to nasal edema. The makers of the NoseFrida, Frida, claim it can be used up to four times daily. The National Children’s Hospital also recommends capping the number of times per day that you suction mucus from your infant’s nose at four.

Also, be alert for any shifts in your infant’s health. If nasal suctioning doesn’t help and you’re worried about the baby’s breathing or feeding, you should contact a medical professional.

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