In the first few days of life, a newborn may sound like they have a stuffy nose because in the womb they were surrounded by fluid. Sometimes they sneeze for the first couple of days as they try to get rid of this leftover fluid in their nasal passages. A newborn with a stuffy nose may snort when breathing and sound "snuffly."

Stuffy nose or nasal congestion in babies happens when the tissues inside the nose swell or produce mucus. If your baby has a stuffy nose they may breathe through their mouth, which can make it harder for them to feed. In rare cases, a stuffy nose can cause breathing problems. Usually, nasal congestion goes away on its own within a week.

Extremely dry air can cause the sensitive lining of a baby's nose to dry up. The blood vessels inside a dry nose may break and bleed. If your baby's nose has not been injured but it bleeds, it may be because of a dry nose. This dryness may also make it easier for a baby to get a cold.

Nasal dryness often worsens during cold winter months, when heating makes the air inside the home dry. Try the measures below to help your baby's dry or stuffy nose.