Experts Say These 5 Homeopathic Remedies Will Clear Your Baby's Stuffy Nose

While it's not the most glamorous job in the world, suctioning the snot out of your baby's nose with a bulb syringe (also known as a nasal aspirator) or a NoseFrida really works, especially when paired with a saline solution that helps to thin out mucus. "[Saline] is the best thing by far," Thornton tells Romper. "Keep in mind, babies do not know how to breathe out of their mouths. For the first four months, they are 100% dependent on their nose." He adds that it's not dangerous because if they get stuffy, they'll cry, which forces them to breathe out of their mouth. "But if they're crying, they're not going to eat or sleep as well. So in that first year of life, saline is the best thing for stuffy noses," he says. You can buy premade saline drops for babies at most drugstores, or you could learn how to make your own using distilled water and salt (just remember if you make your own, it won't have a preservative in it, so should be made fresh every day).

I always thought eating chicken soup to help rid a cold was an old wives' tale, but it turns out there's some real truth to it, and if your baby is old enough to eat solids, you'll definitely want to give this remedy a shot. "Grandparents have known it for generations, but there's science behind chicken soup," Thornton tells Romper. "There is an amino acid, cystine, in the chicken broth. It's the perfect expectorant. It works better than Mucinex for getting that mucus out." So if your toddler is super stuffy, you could try whipping up some homemade soup with chicken broth and some soothing spices; it will be both comforting and yummy, and could speed up their recovery.

"I recommend my patients stick to the basics of good hydration, humidification, and rest," Burgert tells Romper. You may already have a humidifier in your baby's room, but if not, it's definitely worth the investment (and there are some really cute and affordable ones out there). Adding moisture to the air will help your child breathe easier when their nose is stuffy — just remember to clean the humidifier regularly to avoid circulating unclean mist.

They can also help prevent colds, too. "A humidifier is great, especially in the dry winter months. The little membranes in the nose get fragile and they can crack and bleed, and germs can more easily get in there," Thornton says. One thing to note is that if you're using a diffuser as a humidifier, skip the essential oils and diffuse just water. "Using essential oils can be especially triggering for kids with asthma or other breathing issues, so they are not typically recommended," Burgert says.

Staying hydrated is key when you're sick, plus the extra fluids can help loosen mucus and snot. If your baby is under 6 months old and isn't yet drinking water, it's a good idea to continue to regularly offer them a bottle or breastmilk as frequently as you normally would, even if they don't seem to have much of an appetite. You could also make a lukewarm herbal tea for your toddler; chamomile, fennel, ginger, and mint are all safe for kids, per Healthline. Thornton warns that you cannot feed raw honey to children under a year old (it's linked to botulism), but he adds that for babies over 12 months old, honey is great for easing a cough.

Both Burget and Thornton stressed that while colds are pretty much inevitable, trying to prevent them is best. This means lots of handwashing (something your child likely mastered in 2020). "Toddlers’ hands go right to their face," Thornton says, and this can spread germs. If your child is coughing or severely stuffed up, Thornton says you can try Vicks Vaporub for kids over 2. You could also run a hot shower, then sit in the steamy bathroom with your child (which basically works as a room-sized humidifier).