Thingamababy

Reviews of baby and toddler gear, books, = music and=20 more.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Review: NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator for = Babies

Here is a product every new parent should own. It's the NoseFrida nasal aspirator.

I wish I had the NoseFrida on the nights when my infant daughter had = a stuffy=20 nose due to teething or ear infections. We resorted to using an old = fashioned bulb nasal = aspirator so that she might sleep soundly. The bulb made her scream = like a=20 banshee while inefficiently requiring too many attempts at extraction. = NoseFrida=20 looks to be precisely the type of device to extricate mucous as quickly = as=20 possible.

Sure, it looks weird to our uncultured American eyes, or at least = mine. I=20 lampooned a Ja= panese=20 version here last month.

3D"Marketing Then Liz, an overseas parent in my postcard = exchange=20 group, slapped me with cold, hard common sense.

"In France, this is a very common item which can be bought in = any=20 drugstore. Every household probably has one in their medicine cabinet. = The=20 electric ones are also sold here, but the general consensus is that = the=20 aspiration is too strong and the noise is scary for a little baby. = With the=20 'manual' one you can inhale gently." The French aspirator = is called=20 = Mouche=20 B=C3=A9b=C3=A9, or "the baby nose-blower."

NoseFrida is a Swedish import. The name means "nose relief." It = consists of a=20 5-inch-long cigar-shaped plastic collection chamber connected to a = 15-inch=20 flexible tube. The "cigar" goes into your baby's nose, and you suck = through a=20 mouthpiece on the other end of the tube. Or rather, the instructions = state you=20 place it close to the nostril opening, not actually inside the = nose.=20 Then you simply suck with as little force as needed.

A foam filter prevents mucous from entering the tube. It seems like a = preventative measure for keeping the tube clean. If mucous actually = entered the=20 tube I think you would have plenty of time to notice and stop the = suction. Just=20 the same, the NoseFrida web site states the device came out = clean in a=20 bacteriological evaluation conducted by the Dept. of Paediatrics and the = Dept.=20 of Microbiology at Malmo University Hospital, Sweden.

My 2.6-year-old daughter can blow her own nose these days, so I = tested=20 NoseFrida on my wife, who is perpetually battling allergies. Yes, this = was in=20 direct violation of the=20 product's instructions which state the aspirator should only be used = on baby=20 and children's noses.

My wife's reaction: "Surprising! It feels like when the dentist has = you close=20 your mouth around the water-sucker-thing to suck your excess saliva = out."

Truth be told, there was a good 10 seconds of giggling as I put the = device to=20 her nose. She ripped NoseFrida away 2 seconds later, just as I heard a = wall of=20 goo being dragged kicking and screaming at a 100 miles per hour from the = recesses of her nasal passage. It worked fast.

The product instructions advise cleaning NoseFrida between uses with = soap and=20 warm water, and replacing the foam filter. It ships in the U.S. with 4 = filters=20 and a carrying case for $15 (plus $4 shipping) and extra 20 filter packs = are=20 available for $2.50 each (shipping included).

I'll keep NoseFrida in mind for the next baby shower I attend. It's = sure to=20 stand out among the usual pile of baby clothes, and the parents will be = calling=20 to thank me after their first big snotty night.

Sold through NoseFrida = USA.

3D"Close-up

A NoseFrida was provided to Thingamababy for review, a pretty gutsy = move=20 considering my fi= rst=20 reaction to suction nasal=20 aspirators.

Friday, February 02, = 2007 in Health=20 | Pe= rmalink=20

Comments

Nosefrida arrived just a few days after I ordered it, and my wife and = I used=20 it on our 18 month old daughter the same night. We couldn't believe how = much=20 mucous came out! Our daughter didn't even have a chance to protest, it = was quick=20 and effective. Our pediatrician advised us not to use the bulb syringe, = so we=20 are happy to have found an alternative. It comes with a few filters in = the=20 package, but I would recommend ordering some extra.

Posted by: Jane | Wednesday,=20 February 07, 2007 at 07:47 AM

Nosefrida really works great. I have used it on my one month old baby = girl=20 and aslo on my 2 year old!The results are immediate, they don't love it = but they=20 don't have time to fight it because it's so quick! Gets everything out = pretty=20 much on the first try. I would recommend ordering extra filters right = away,=20 especially if you have more than one child.... Delivery was fast which = was great=20 for me.

Posted by: Ginger Byrnes | Wednesday,=20 February 07, 2007 at 02:01 PM

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Friday, February 02, 2007

Review: NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator for = Babies

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