Tips to Help Your Infant's Respiratory Health

Your infant’s respiratory health is of great importance. Infants’ lungs take time to fully develop. Therefore, as a parent, it is important that you take the proper care and precautions to ensure that your child lives in an environment with the least amount of risk to their respiratory health. You can take these simple steps to protect your child from many lung diseases that could potentially have severe health consequences for your infant.

What to Know About Your Infant’s Lungs

Unlike adults, the airways of infants are much smaller. The small size of their airways makes it that much more essential that your child is receiving the proper amount of oxygen for their physical well-being. In fact, babies’ lungs do not fully develop until about their third year of life (Brusie). With reduced lung capacity, infants have a greater risk to suffer from the negative effects of pollutants and airborne bacteria. It may seem obvious, but the signs that your infant might be suffering from a lung disease can be subtle. For example, if you notice frequent nasal flaring in your infant that could be a sign of respiratory distress that your infant is suffering from (Gill). Your infant is much more likely to suffer from a lung disorder if they were born prematurely. Premature babies have an increased risk of getting diseases like pneumonia which can have severe health consequences for your baby. Always consult with your doctor about your baby’s respiratory health to verify that your infant has a proper respiratory function.

Tips to Protect Your Infant’s Respiratory Function

There are many steps that you can take, as parents, that will help aid your child and their lung development.

• Diet

• Make sure that your newborn is eating properly. What does this mean? A healthy diet for a newborn includes making sure that your baby is receiving all the proper nutrients it needs to fully develop. Stay away from additives, artificial foods, and other foods that are not made for newborn consumption. As your child grows out of breastfeeding, incorporate healthy solid foods like mashed fruit or vegetables (CDC). Promoting a healthy diet can help your child with their lung development giving them the proper nutrients to mature healthily.

• Sleep

• Sleep has a profound effect on your infant’s physical well-being. Establishing a consistent sleep routine where your baby can comfortably sleep will allow your infant to properly develop the optimal respiratory function.

• Limiting Indoor Pollution

• Infants are more susceptible to the negative effects of bacteria and pollutants in the air. In order to sustain a healthy breathing environment for your infant, limit the use of products that require gas or any sort of fuel. An additional step you can take is to purchase a humidifier. A humidifier like the Miro NR08 is perfect for a newborn. The Miro NR08 is built with humidity sensors that ensure your baby is getting the optimal amount of humidity for their respiratory health. Additionally, the Miro NR08 operates at a nearly silent level so you do not have to worry about disrupting your infant’s sleep.