Product Review- Nosefrida

After reading another review on the Nosefrida nasal aspirator system on another frequented blog, Dirty Diaper Laundry {here} I decided to give it a try.

My little boy is 10 months old. He had a cold which turned into bronchitis a couple of months ago. Cleaning his nose with a bulb syringe was torture for both of us. That is one thing they never warn you about with parenting. Yeah, sleepless nights, poopy diapers, etc... but never how much it totally sucks to pin your screaming baby down to suck boogers out of his nose while tries to wiggle and push you away. Then, using a nasal aspirator, there is the constant re-positioning of the aspirator each time you want to 'suck' again. The sucking puffs are short, and depending on the aspirator, totally ineffective.

With the advertised amazon special mentioned, I figured I better get one of these swedish miracles before Donovan's next cold.

The reviews I read made it sound like a miracle. Well tolerated, effective, etc.
Lucky us (or not so, really), Donovan now has another cold and I got the opportunity to try the Nosefrida just the day after it arrived.
The principle sounds really icky. One tip goes in the nostril, the other end in your mouth and you suck. Eww.
If you look at the pictures above and to the side, it is the blue tube that goes against the nostril. It is much wider and more blunt than the typical bulb syringe aspirator. There is a foam filter in the cap portion of the blue tube which helps block anything from getting into the tube. The red tip goes to your mouth. Very simple concept, really. Replacement filters are also available for sanitation reasons.

First time use was rather clumsy, but I could already see its potential. Nice bubbles of clear mucus gathered in the tube. They never got anywhere near the foam. Donovan's nose seemed somewhat more clear, but he was tired. I think the sucking noise startled him so he cried a bit. Ok, a lot.

The next morning Donovan could hardly nurse he was so stuffed up. Every breath the nose juice could be heard bubbling. Time to really give the Nosefrida a try. I can't say that Donovan tolerates it better than the bulb syringe, but it is so much more effective. With one hand I direct the tube/wand in the nostril, the other I use to keep his arms from flailing all over the place and knocking it out of my hands. The mouthpiece stays easily between my lips and voila. You don't have to have super lungs with awsome psi power to be effective. In half the time it would have taken me to clean out one nostril, I had both done. And breathing through his nose was clear- not just moderately improved as it would have been with a bulb syringe.
Cleaning is easy. The blue tube comes out of the cap to be washed out, and easily snaps back into place. I haven't changed the filter yet. I figure I will put a new one in once he is done with this cold, or if it gets contaminated with boogies. Whichever comes first.
So far I am really happy with the product. I have seen no danger of even coming close to getting a taste of baby boogers. Definitely worth the investment.

Maiden Post

As the title suggests, this is my first post on my new blog.
Why did I start this blog? To start getting my name out there, and to have further means to network in the world of WAHMs, the cloth diaper community, and to hopefully have my experiences help other new and not so new moms.
I have launched a couple new websites to market creations I have sewn. I hope to grow a bit and actually be able to join the ranks of a WAHM, leaving my full time employment outside of the home.
The websites, in case of interest, are http://www.perfect-pouch.com/ and http://www.just-add-baby.com/. The pouch website is to market cellular and smart phone accesory. Just Add Baby is my big excitement. I have so many ideas for hand made baby products, I cannot wait to get it up and running.
My interest in this has come hand-in-hand with my becoming a mother. That journey is a long story in itself and fodder for a few other blog posts- such as fighting infertility, pregnancy as a high risk mom, time on bed rest, delivering a premature infant, time as a NICU mommy, and the transition to home. Being a mother of a 31.5 week preemie also poses its own challenges as I raise Donovan.
My childhood was charmed as I grew up the oldest of 8 children in a very traditional Catholic home. Mom was home with us, while dad did the 9-5 thing. Home cooked meals eaten together at the table were the norm. Hand made clothes were also part of daily life. From my "domestic engineer" mother I gained the talent and interest in sewing. I made my son's entire nursery set, and from there the ideas haven't stopped. Most of my ideas are for variances on old products that arose when I needed a tweak to make things work just right for us. As people commented on my ideas, I decided it might be a good idea to bring them to you. But this blog is to cover so much more.
I hope to be a resource other mom's can count on. To review pre-existing products, point people in direction for support if needed, and to help coach other crafty mom's to be able to create for their own little ones.
Send me a message if there are questions. I will be happy to answer.