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2/3/12 blog post

my love hate relationship with nasal saline

I am sure that each of you reading this can relate… we have all been there. The sudden waking at 2 am by a fussy child who doesn’t want to eat, doesn’t want or need a diaper change, doesn’t want to be held, doesn’t want laid down, who is intermittently coughing, sneezing and all around just full of snot!

Because of the rattling noises from your child you know you have to use the saline and suction. Arghhh, there are other people in the house sleeping despite the fussy baby and you definitely do not want to wake them up. But if you bring out the big guns, the saline and the suction, you are likely to wake up everyone in the house AND the neighbors.

Oh the dilemma!

But at my house the other night Ethan was so miserable that he would not even nurse, my secret weapon against all things that upset him, so I knew that I had to bring out the big guns.

As I brought out the saline bottle...it was if he knew what was coming. He started protecting his face with his hands, swinging his arms, blocking defensively. I aimed, closed in and squeezed… drops of saline went flying, landing on his cheeks, in his eyes, and on his thrashing arms. Hopefully, just hopefully, at least a couple of drops landed into each nostril. Ethan, outraged by my attack, started screaming, tears flowed down his face mixing with snot and spit, arms flailed around mixing all of the secretions and slinging fluids everywhere! (GROSS!!)

And then I brought out the suction device, the standard blue bulb you receive in the hospital at the time of delivery. I squeezed the blue bulb, went in for the bugger capture, held my position as he flung us to and fro in resistance, released the bulb and heard the satisfying SLURRRRPPPP. Snot was stringing out the tip as I aimed for the sink to rinse.

After a couple of rounds, Ethan’s whimpers softened, from defeat or relief that he can breath I am not sure. But, alas, I cleaned up, cuddled and soothed, and attempted to nurse once again. SUCCESS. Ethan fed and curled up to sleep with just a hint of a snore. I, also weary from battle, returned to my bed for some much needed slumber.

Until next time Nasal Saline… I hate the battle of using you but I love the victory and satisfying results of better sleeping children!!!