New parents have enough worries. The last thing they need to think about is breathing which, to them, is second nature. But to Baby, it's not. And nasal congestion in babies is, unfortunately, quite common. In fact, says Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician and co-author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year (Windsor Peak Press, 2003), virtually all newborns have some nasal congestion for up to six weeks.

Nasal congestion is more bothersome in newborns, as they are actually nasal breathers from the early neonatal period to about 2 months of age or so, explains Dr. Lamenta Conway, a pediatrician with the Sinai Children's Hospital and Access Community Health Network in Chicago.

Some typical symptoms to be on the lookout for include the following:

• Difficulty with feeding
• Crying or becoming agitated
• Nasal discharge
• Noisy nasal breathing
• Difficulty sleeping
• Possibility of fever
• Greater comfort when sitting upright
• Snoring
• Snorting
• Sneezing
• Coughing

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.