Saline Solution

I usually use a store bought saline solution for our family to save time and effort (an extrasuper mom has lots of things to do, you know). But you can actually make one in your home. Here's a very simple recipe to make a saline solution.

Mix a half teaspoon of salt (preferably kosher, canning, sea or pickling salt) and a pinch of baking soda to a cup of water (room temperature). Place the mixture in a clean container and use as necessary. It is better to make a new batch everyday, but you can actually store this mixture up to a week.

For my kids, I normally use 2 to 3 drops per nostril and then let them blow through their noses. For infants and kids who don't know how to blow their noses yet, a nose suction or aspirator is a handy tool. You can do this 3 to 4 times a day.