Haakaa’s Helpers for Unwell Babies

This blog is intended for general information purposes only. If you have concerns about your child’s health, speak to a medical practitioner.

The weather has taken a fairly sudden turn in the direction of winter in New Zealand, which means there’s a lot more being cooped up inside. And with that, is the return of all those winter bugs that our little ones seem to pick up with no trouble at all; snotty noses and grumpy tots are all too familiar at this time of year. Luckily, finding ways to help get through rough times like this has become much easier, thanks to the Solutions tab on our new website! For those who are learning to navigate the new layout, we’ve made it nice and easy to find. Simply go to the “Shop” tab at the top, choose “Solutions” (the fourth option on the right), then pick the issue you’re trying to sort. In today’s case, we’re looking at Unwell Baby, and we’ve got some great solutions for you, neatly collected together. So, let’s see what Haakaa has to offer in the way of getting bubs through those winter sniffles.

Clearing Blocked Noses

If there's one thing that's guaranteed to make a sick baby even more miserable (and a tired parent even more stressed), it's a blocked nose. Babies tend to prefer breathing through their noses rather than their mouths, which means they really struggle when those little airways are clogged. Clearing them out is one of the best things you can do to help your wee one feel more comfortable.

Haakaa has a great range of nasal aspirators to suit different preferences, so let's have a look at what's available!

The Easy-Squeezy Silicone Bulb Syringe is the simplest option of the bunch. It's a classic bulb syringe design, made from soft 100% food-grade silicone, and works with just a gentle squeeze to draw out mucus. What's lovely about it is the transparent body. Unlike some designs, you can actually see what you've collected, which is extremely handy. It comes with two different tip sizes: an arc tip for tiny noses under 12 months, and a cone tip for older babies and toddlers. Even better, it disassembles easily for cleaning, and there are no hidden plastic bits or awkward crevices to worry about.

For a step up in design, the Silicone Penguin Nasal Aspirator is well worth a look. It works on the same squeeze principle, but features a clever dual-valve design that prevents backflow, which means you can keep squeezing while the tip is still in place without anything making its way back into bub's nose. It also has measurement markers on the side of the body so you can keep track of just how much has come out. It's fully detachable for a thorough clean, and comes with a tube cleaning brush to get into all the nooks and crannies. As with the Easy-Squeezy Bulb Syringe, two tip sizes are included, so it'll grow with your little one, and the penguin shape is adorable. Or as far as mucus-removal tools go, anyway.

If you're after something with a more ergonomic feel, or if your child doesn’t like having an aspirator near their face, the Swan Neck Nasal Aspirator might be just the thing. The distinctive curved neck design makes it easier to angle into little nostrils comfortably while keeping the collection body off to the side. Like the others, it's made from soft, safe silicone and is straightforward to disassemble and clean.

Rounding out the nose-clearing lineup is the CROC Baby Dual-Ended Ear & Nose Cleaner. This one's a little different from the aspirators. Instead, it's a dual-ended manual removal tool that’s particularly handy once your little one has a bit more solid material to contend with (anyone who's been there will know exactly what we mean). It’s a handy tool to have alongside the aspirators, making sure those little noses are well cleared and letting them breathe that little bit more easily.

Coughs & Colds

Once you've tackled the nose situation, there's the rest of those cold symptoms to think about. Part of our Natural Health range, the Breathe Easy Lotion Balm is a wonderful, all-natural product. It's a solid lotion balm in a handy tin, packed with a carefully chosen blend of essential oils: lavender for calm and sleep, eucalyptus to loosen mucus, tea tree for its antibacterial properties, peppermint to relax the airways, thyme to help reduce coughs, and lemon to support the immune system. The base is coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax, so it's wonderfully moisturising on delicate skin too. Simply warm a little between your fingers and massage it into baby's chest, back, and feet before bed. It's a lovely, gentle alternative to some of the more heavily fragranced conventional rub products, and the tin format means it won't dry out and is easy to pop in your bag.

Medicine Time

Giving a sick baby medicine sounds simple in theory. In practice, it's one of those things that can be quite stressful, especially in the middle of the night when everyone's tired, and nobody's happy about the situation. Haakaa has a couple of really clever tools that take a lot of the drama out of it.

The Oral Feeding Syringe is a straightforward, soft silicone syringe for administering liquids, whether that’s medicine, saline, or whatever your little one needs. This syringe features dual-angled ports that send liquids into your child’s cheeks, rather than down their throat, reducing the risk of choking or spitting up. The included measuring cup has clear measurements on the side, letting you check amounts before you fill the syringe.

For something a bit more sophisticated, the SqueezieDose Silicone Dispenser Set is super useful for little ones of all ages. The SqueezieDose uses a soft silicone bulb design that you simply squeeze to fill, then squeeze gently again to control the flow. The measurement markings are easy to read from any angle, and the wider base keeps it stable on the bench between uses. This set includes two interchangeable tips: a dropper tip that dispenses liquid drop by drop, and a nib tip with the same dual-angled ports as the Oral Feeding Syringe. It comes apart easily for cleaning and is dishwasher and steriliser safe.

If you'd like the option of something in between, the Penguin Dual Feeding Syringe Set is another lovely option that combines similar functionality with the same playful penguin aesthetic as the nasal aspirator – which, if you're building up a little Haakaa sick-day kit, makes for a rather cute matching set! The difference here lies in the two included tips. First is the now-familiar dual-angled port, but this set also includes a feeding spoon as an alternative, making it ideal for use with wee babies and older toddlers!

The Unwell Baby solutions tab has everything you need to manage the most common baby illness scenarios: blocked noses sorted, a soothing rub for coughs and colds, and the means to get medicine in efficiently and safely. The fact that everything is made from soft, high-quality silicone, is free from BPA, PVC, and phthalates, and is easy to clean and sterilise is a real comfort too. When your baby is already under the weather, the last thing you need to be worrying about is whether the tools you're using are safe. And this is just one group of solutions we’ve put together to help you out with a range of different stages and common issues. Try out some of the others to see what we’ve got that will help make your parenting journey a tiny bit smoother. Here's hoping your household has a nice, healthy start to the season – but if the sniffles do arrive, you'll be well prepared!