Baby Congestion: Decoding Baby's Snot

Have a snotty situation on your hands with your little one’s stuffy nose? Whether it's a cold, allergies or something else, baby congestion can be a real drag. Let's explore some tips to help your baby feel more comfortable.

Newborn Congestion

Any parent with a baby under three months of age should be wary of newborn congestion. A stuffy nose or cold in a newborn can take a turn for the worse due to their weak immune systems. If your baby has a stuffy or runny nose, make an appointment with your pediatrician.

Infant Congestion

A stuffy and runny nose isn’t a major concern in infants older than three months. It’s easy for little noses to become congested, because there isn’t much space. There are more than 200 different cold viruses, and your baby doesn’t have any immunity until they get sick with one. The average adult has two to four colds a year. Imagine how many your sensitive baby can develop. A runny nose doesn’t always mean a cold, however. In the winter, your baby’s nose tries to protect itself from the cold air. It creates more mucus to keep the nose moist and clear of particles.

Seeing different colored mucus coming from your baby's nose can be alarming. Before you get too concerned, let's decode the colors and understand what they might mean.

Baby Mucus Colors

Clear Baby Snot 

Clear is the most common type of snot and isn’t cause for alarm. This typical snot color is your baby’s natural way of removing particles from their nose and keeping them out of their lungs. Clear snot is also sign of allergies, a reaction to cold or dry air or the first signs of a cold.

White Baby Snot 

Snot that has a white color is more common in babies older than a year old. The white color is caused by dairy consumption and nothing to worry about. Milk makes mucus thicker, and babies and toddlers tend to consume a lot of dairy. As babies get older, white mucus is also a sign of dehydration.

Light Yellow Baby Snot 

Snot turns yellow when it’s been sitting in your baby’s nose or sinuses for a while but doesn’t mean your baby has a sinus infection. Snot also turns yellow as a cold progresses into creating thick snot. If your baby has yellow-colored snot for more than two weeks, talk to your pediatrician to ensure it’s not a sinus infection.

Bright Yellow Baby Snot

If your baby’s light-yellow snot turns to a neon or bright yellow color, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician. This color is a sign your infant already developed a sinus infection.

Green Baby Snot

Your baby’s snot may also turn green as their cold gets worse or at the end of a sinus infection. If you see green snot when your baby wakes up in the morning, there’s no need to worry. As you baby sleeps, bacteria collects in their mucus and turns snot a green color. However, if your baby has green snot all day for several days, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician to have your infant examined for an upper respiratory infection.

Orange, Red, or Brown Baby Snot

Colors ranging from bright red, orange and brown all indicate there’s blood in your baby’s snot. Brown means older, dry blood is coming out of your baby’s nose. Brighter red is a sign of new blood. Everyone’s nose, including an infant’s, can bleed without any major reason. In the winter or during dry weather, it’s easy for nasal passages to crack and bleed. If your baby has red snot for several days in a row, schedule an appointment with your pediatrician. 

Black or Gray Baby Snot

Snot tinged with black or gray is a sign your baby has been around air pollution, like particles from campfires, smoke, dust or dirt that got caught in your baby’s snot. Even though your baby shouldn’t be around health hazards, this colored snot is a good thing. Your baby’s body is preventing unhealthy particles from getting into their little lungs.

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How to Get Snot Out of Baby's Nose

Sometimes, your little guy or gal gets so plugged up they need a little help. Say hello to a baby snot sucker. Or, more specifically, a baby nasal aspirator. You may have seen these little, pointed plastic bulbs at the hospital when your baby was born. Baby nose suckers are a safe and natural way to remove excess snot from your baby’s nose.

Steps to Suctioning Your Baby’s Nose

• Squeeze the bulb before inserting it into your baby’s nose to get rid of the air.
• Insert the tip of the bulb one-fourth to one-half inch into your baby’s nostril.
• Point the bulb tip toward the back of your baby’s nose.
• Let go of the compressed bulb slowly to suck up the snot.
• Remove the bulb from your baby’s nose and turn it so it’s pointing towards the floor.
• Squeeze the bulb with some force into a Kleenex to get rid of the mucus.
• Make sure to clean your baby’s nose sucker after each use with soap and water to prevent mold buildup.

When to Worry About Baby Congestion

If your baby is congested and shows any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

• Your baby is younger than three months old.
• Your baby has fewer wet diapers than normal.
• Your baby has a temperature of 100 degrees for more than three days.
• Your baby is shows signs of ear or sinus pain.
• There’s yellow eye discharge.
• Your baby’s cough lasts more than one week.
• Your baby has green snot for more than two weeks.

Go to the emergency room if your baby:

• Won’t drink fluids
• Has a cough that causes vomiting or skin changes
• Coughs up blood
• Has problems breathing or turns blue around the lips or mouth

It’s always better to be safe when it comes to your baby’s health. If your baby has symptoms that worry you, talk to your pediatrician. You can call or schedule an appointment through our patient app, MyUniytPoint.