Best Baby Nasal Aspirator for Your Infant

If you're looking for the best baby nasal aspirator for your infant, you're in the right place. There are a few kinds of nasal aspirators: bulb syringes (you should know them from the hospital), electric nasal aspirators and parent powered (also known as self suctioning) nasal aspirators. If you want to choose one that is the best for your baby then you need to know what features the best nasal aspirator should have. Let's discuss them.

• Efficiency

  Efficiency seems to be the most important factor when it comes to nasal aspirators. If your aspirator can't suck mucus from your baby's nostrils then what's the point of buying it? So, you need to find a nasal aspirator that has good suction power. Of course sometimes you won't be able to remove goop from the nostrils (without the help of other methods) and that's fine, but it's always the best to pick the one that is the most efficient.

• Lifetime of the device

  So, your nasal aspirator is pretty efficient, that's great, but how long it will last? If your device will break after a month or two, or you will have to discard it for some other reasons then there's no sense in buying it in the first place. Make sure that your device will last at least a few months (or that it's extremely cheap so you can buy new models on a regular basis).

• Additional costs

  Some nasal aspirators require you to incur some additional costs once in a while. If you choose an electric nasal aspirator then you need to buy batteries, other nasal aspirators might have disposable filters or something similar. You should think about those additional costs while buying a nasal aspirator. The lower the additional costs are, the better for you.

So, you know what are the features of best nasal aspirators, let's check out the types of nasal aspirators available on the market!

Bulb syringe is probably the simplest nasal aspirator. Its shape is pretty similar to lightbulb's one. The bulb is palm-sized and made of rubber. It's attached to a narrow neck which has an opening at the end. How does it work? First, you need to squeeze the bulb so it will release all the air that was inside. Now you need to gently place the tip into the nostril and release the squeeze. Now the bulb refills itself by sucking air and whatever it finds near its tip (hopefully goop).

Please note that the bulb is pretty small, so it's able to suck only a limited amount of mucus at a time. Because of that, most times you'd need to insert it a few times to clear a stuffed nose. Bear in mind that most bulb syringes are produced in colors which doesn't allow you to see how much goop is being pumped out. Fortunately, some manufacturers produce those devices with clear tips, so it's easy to see how much mucus is being sucked. Bulb syringe nasal aspirators are the most difficult ones when it comes to washing.

A self suctioning nasal aspirator looks like a long tube with a receptacle somewhere between the tube's ends. How does it work? One end of the tube is placed into the stuffed nostril, the other one goes in the mouth of person that will perform the suction. That person needs to take a quick, deep breath through the mouth which will suck the mucus out. Of course the goop doesn't end up in the person's mouth. As I've mentioned, the tube is equipped with a receptacle which will collect the mucus and stop it from going to the second end of the tube.

This is disgusting!

A lot of people think that clearing nostrils by sucking the mucus through a tube is disgusting. At first, it's true, but after some time they get used to it and most of them state that a self suctioning nasal aspirator is better than a bulb syringe. Because of that, this kind of nasal aspirators is getting more and more popular. The most popular self suctioning models are NoseFrida The Snotsucker and BabyComfyNose.

Electric nasal aspirator is a nasal aspirator powered by batteries. It's an electric device that you can operate one-handed so you can hold the baby with the second hand. Here are the features of electric nasal aspirators:

Provide continuous suction, but limited suction efficiency

Unlike other nasal aspirators, battery-powered ones provide continuous suction. Sometimes it becomes very handy, especially if you're dealing with a bigger booger that doesn't want to detach from the nostril. Unfortunately, continuous suction doesn't guarantee that the device will be able to suck every kind of mucus. Sometimes a battery operated nasal aspirator might seem to have less suction efficiency than you need. If that happens, you can try a few things. If the mucus is thick, you should loosen it using saline drops. If it doesn't help much, you can also block the other nostril while performing the suction or try to seal the nostril while the tip of nasal aspirator is inside. That should help you with getting rid of the snot from baby's nose.

Easy to clean

Electric nasal aspirators are pretty easy to clean, most of them are dishwasher safe. It might happen that an electric nasal aspirator has a disposable little receptacle where the mucus is collected. In that case, from time to time you need to buy a pack of replacement receptacles, but you don't need to wash some parts of the device after using.

Additional costs

If you're using a battery-powered nasal aspirator you need to remember to buy replacement batteries on regular basis (depends on how often you use the device). You also need to have some spare batteries just in case the battery that you're actually using dies and you need to clear your baby's stuffy nose. The more often you use the device, the more expensive it gets. Also, if you decide to buy a nasal aspirator with disposable mucus receptacle you also should remember that you're going to buy replacement receptacles, which also cost money.

Reliability and lifetime of the device

Nasal aspirators are pretty complex devices (when it comes to internal structure) so there is some probability (which grows in time) that one day the device will stop working and you won't be able to revive it. You should also remember that those devices aren't made to last tens of years - they're (in most cases) built using cheap materials, so they won't last forever. You need to take that into account either.

Here's a quick overview of features of best nasal aspirators and their types:

Efficiency

Efficiency seems to by the most important feature of nasal aspirators. If the device won't clear a stuffed nose, there is no sense in buying it. When it comes to efficiency, people state that self suctioning nasal aspirators are the most efficient. Person-powered suction is more efficient than one provided by a syringe bulb or battery-powered nasal aspirators.

Easy to use

Generally, all nasal aspirators all pretty easy to use. There's, however, a catch. If you want to clear baby's stuffy nose with a bulb syringe nasal aspirator, it might take 10 to even 20 repetitions of the suction.That takes some time.

Easy to clean

Battery powered and self suctioning nasal aspirators are easy to clean. Most models are dishwasher safe, so the cleaning process is quick and painless. Unfortunately, bulb syringe nasal aspirators aren't easy to clean. You can pour some soap water or even vinegar inside, but you can't be sure that it's clean inside. A lot of parents complain that it's impossible to wash those nasal aspirators. Because of that, some people are forced to discard the device after a few uses, because it stinks from the inside (even though it has been washed after every usage).

Additional costs

When it comes to additional costs, bulb syringe nasal aspirators are additional costs free. You buy a device and you are ready to go. You can use it until you decide to discard it. When it comes to self suctioning nasal aspirators, additional costs depend on a certain model you choose. Some models use disposable filters, so when you run out of them you need to buy new ones. Other models don't use filters, or you can use a facial tissue as a filter, so they are free of additional costs. When it comes to electric nasal aspirators, you need to regularly (depends on how often you use the nasal aspirator) replace batteries.

Lifetime of the device

Lifetime of the nasal aspirator is also an important issue. If you can buy a device that works impossibly well, but you need to buy another one after a few days, there no sense in buying it. The more often you need to buy a new one, the higher the costs. Syringe bulb nasal aspirators are definitely the cheapest. Unfortunately, as I've mentioned earlier, it might happen that you'd need to buy another one after a few uses. Self suctioning nasal aspirators are pretty simple devices, so they tend to stay for a long time. When it comes to battery-powered nasal aspirators, it depends on a model. A lot of people complain that those devices break after a few uses. Those devices are pretty complicated inside, so the possibility of malfunction is definitely higher than in case of bulb syringe or self suctioning aspirators.

BabyComfyNose is a self-suctioning nasal aspirator. It's easy to use (check the video below). Clearing stuffed nose is pretty quick - it takes about a minute. After that you can disassemble the aspirator and wash it easily. It's also dishwasher safe. The product features also a mesh pouch which allows you to hygienically dry it after washing (that's an important feature!).

Another advantage of BabyComfyNose nasal aspirator is that it doesn't require any disposable filters. You buy the device, put a facial tissue inside if you want to and you're ready to go. Because of that, it's a great product, especially if you have two or more children.

Because of the mentioned advantages, BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator is probably the most recommended nasal aspirator on the market. If you're not sure whether it's worth its price, check BabyComfyNose Nasal Aspirator reviews on Amazon.

Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator is one of the best-selling parent-powered nasal aspirators. There are a few reasons why this nasal aspirator is well-known and recommended. The first one of them is that it's extremely easy to use Nosefrida The Snotsucker. Another one is that Nosefrida is more efficient than a normal bulb syringe nasal aspirator. It usually takes only about a minute to clear baby's stuffed nose.

Nosefrida The Snotsucker features a disposable filter. It will prevent any transfer of bacteria or mucus, in both ways. The manufacturer also assures, that there is no possibility to suck too hard. Probably the only drawback of using this nasal aspirator is that you need to exchange the filter after every use (it comes with 4 filters). Replacement filters come in a package where you can find 20 of them, which is a convenient solution to the problem. The product is also dishwasher safe.

If you aren't certain about buying Nosefrida The Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator you should definitely read customer reviews, they'll help you to decide.

Most self suctioning nasal aspirators recommend to place one end of the tube into a stuffed nostril. Nosefrida works a little different. The tube is placed against the nostril, not inside of it. This way you are sure that you won't irritate infant's nose and you won't cause a bleeding. That's especially important because babies tend to move while you perform the suction. Of course person performing the suction won't suck the goop into their mouth. The mucus will be stopped by a filter and it will stay in a receptacle intended to store sucked mucus. You can check how to use this nasal aspirator in the following video.

Arianna Baby-Vac is a nasal aspirator that uses suction from a vacuum cleaner!. To use it, you need a vacuum cleaner rated between 800-1800 watts (I'm pretty sure you have one). Now, you just attach the device to the vacuum cleaner and you're ready to go. The most important thing you need to know is that the aspiration is regulated by the device itself , not the vacuum cleaner. The rate of suction is decreased, so it does its job well and is safe for the child!

This aspirator is easy to use, does its job well and works fast. Probably the only drawback is that you need to get out the vacuum cleaner to perform the suction.

ZoLi Nasal Aspirator is an electric device. It's easy to use and handle, even in usually difficult angles. It features a transparent reservoire, so you know how much mucus you've removed already.

Graco Nasal Clear is an electric nasal aspirator. Features of this nasal aspirator:

- 12 different children's melodies - in case your child gets bored with one of them, you can always plan another one

- clear plastic collection cup - you can easily get to know how congested you baby is

- easy control of suction - you only need to push a button to start the suction and release it to stop

- the device comes apart - you can easily wash it, it a dishwasher safe product

- tips made of soft silicone - safe and comfortable for infants' gentle nostrils

- 2 different tips - made to work with different congestion conditions and different nostril shapes

Since it's a battery-powered nasal aspirator, you need to remember to buy the batteries (2 AA batteries). The batteries are not included in the package.

Some buyers point out that this device is really good for thin mucus, but it's not that effective with thick goop. In case of thick mucus you should use saline drops or spray to thin the secretions. Also, some people state that the device doesn't stay for long. Generally, there are many conflicting opinions on this product.

If you are unsure whether to buy Graco NasalClear Nasal Aspirator you might want to read customer reviews of this product. They should help you to decide whether or not to buy this product.

Children are afraid of nasal aspirators

Children are very upset when they see a parent with a strange-looking device (called the nasal aspirator). That's perfectly normal. They are even more upset when you're trying to put that strange thing into their nostrils. As we all know, they have completely no idea that you're doing it to bring them relief. Children also aren't very keen to sit motionless, so while performing the suction you need one hand to hold the baby's head still.

Children are upset with suction

Babies aren't familiar with something sucking air and mucus from their nostrils. Even after several times they will probably be as upset, as while the first time. A lot of babies cry while their parents remove goop from their stuffy noses. Because of that, you need to be able to hold your baby motionless while the suction is being performed. If the infant can move, there is a huge probability that you can irritate or hurt their nostrils with the nasal aspirator. Therefore, you should be very careful while performing the suction, regardless of the kind of nasal aspirator you are using. Another factor that you should consider is the time needed to clear baby's stuffy nose. Obviously, the faster you can do it, the better for you and your baby. Less time equals less possibility to hurt the baby.

Even the best nasal aspirators might sometimes fail to suck goop

Sometimes the goop is very thick or it seems to be attached to the sinus for good. When that happens, even the best infant nasal aspirator might fail. Fortunately enough, you can do a few things that will allow the nasal aspirator to do its job. When the mucus is very thick, you can use saline drops to thin it a little. You can also close the other nostril while performing the suction, or seal the nostril in which is the tip of the nasal aspirator. The last two ways are very helpful, but you need to remember that the baby will fight you. That's a natural reaction. Please bear in mind that you need to be extremely careful if the child is fighting. You don't want to do any harm to the infant.