Nose Frida vs. Bulb Syringe (Review)
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In this article, we’re going to talk about nose frida vs bulb syringe.
Welcome to parenthood, the land of bodily fluids.
To the left, we have the urine cascade.
To the right, we have vomit, a lovely shade of sweet potato orange.
Straight ahead you’ll see the main attraction: mucus.
Mucous goes by many names. Snot, slime, boogers.
All will at some point make it onto your shirt and for some lucky parents, even your hair.
While this is an accurate description of life with an infant, we’re not left to fight the battle of mucous alone.
Nasal aspirators are a key tool in the health of your child.
Whether your infant has already become sick or you’re preparing for the likely chances that they do, read on to find out all you need to know about nasal aspirators and which one is best for your family.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. For more info, please see my disclaimer.
What is a nasal aspirator?
Because your child is still developing, their immune system is very vulnerable to infections.
A cold can be passed on to the child from a family member with a stronger immune system that didn’t even know they were carrying it.
There’s almost nothing that can be done to avoid this, at some point your child will probably get sick.
If your baby is in daycare it’s not if but how many times they get sick.
When an infant goes through symptoms of a cold, their tiny nasal passages are quickly clogged with mucus.
This can make breathing difficult and cause discomfort for your baby.
Nasal aspirators are designed to remove the excess mucus from the baby’s nasal passages, ensuring comfort while the baby recovers.
Generally, they implement a hand-controlled device that applies a soft vacuum force to gently pull the mucus out of the nose.
When used properly, this method is unobtrusive and contains no risk of damaging the inner lining of the nose.
What kind of nasal aspirators are there?
There are several types of nasal aspirators, but each one is designed to collect the mucus in a sanitary and painless way.
Aspirators have been used on kids and adults for hundreds of years in the medical field, early forms of the aspirator were similar in function to the ones used today.
As technology improved and manufactured goods became easily accessible, the design of the devices branched off into different forms.
These days, there are electric aspirators and such that are improvements on the original idea.
The bulb syringe is a tried and true design used by hospitals all over the world, while other styles have become more popular in recent years.
Let’s go over two different types of these devices and see what we learn by comparing them.
Bulb Syringe Nasal Aspirator
First, let’s take a look at the more traditional and widely recognized kind of nasal aspirator.
The bulb syringe is made of one piece of molded silicone that has a bulb shape at the end that can be pressed in the hand, which tapers into a rounded syringe that the air flows through.
Operation is easy, you squeeze the bulb of air and then place the syringe tip into the baby’s nose.
Once you’ve done this, gently release the bulb so that the air and mucus is sucked out. Once this is done, remove the mucus in the syringe by squeezing it out.
The device can also be filled with saline and then carefully squeezed into the baby’s nose and removed using another syringe.
Finally, after your baby’s breathing easy again, wash out the syringe with warm water and soap.
In the end, the process is simple, and the price is cheap. You get what you pay for, however, as these tend to break or not function for serious cases.
The tip of the aspirator is usually smaller than your infant’s nostril, and will likely not create an airtight seal.
You must also be careful not to insert the tip too far into the nasal passage since it is usually smaller than the nostril.
Reviews will state that this is a fine tool, but has a tendency to split open on the side and be difficult to clean.
Despite the bad stigmas that follow this kind of aspirator, it is still widely used and often used in the newborn nursery by the pros.
With the proper care, the Briggs Baby Nasal Aspirator will remain a handy tool to combat your child’s congestion struggles for a long time.
Pros of Using a Bulb Syringe:
✅ Simple design
✅ Low price
✅ Safe
Cons of Using a Bulb Syringe:
✅ Fragile
✅ Sometimes ineffective
✅ No airtight seal
Check the other reviews of the bulb syringe on Amazon.
Fridababy NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator
The second product we have to compare is the Nose Frida.
A Swedish made invention, this device is more complex than the usual nasal aspirator.
By our personal experience works much better.
It works by utilizing the suction power that any person can create with their mouths, allowing for a more powerful force to clear the baby’s nose.
The nostril cover is inserted into the baby’s nose creating an airtight seal, and the caregiver sucks on a mouthpiece attached at the other end through a small hose.
There is a small foam filter to catch boogers, and no fluid actually travels into the hose.
The filters are made from BPA free hygienic foam and come in packs of 100.
The Nose Frida will include a few filters, but be aware that you will have to buy more.
Cleaning the Nose Frida is quite simple, as the aspirator will break down into 4 parts.
The whole setup is built to last and supposed to be the last nasal aspirator that you’ll ever need.
While it’s more expensive than the bulb syringe-type aspirators, it may be worth it in the end.
For those having trouble with the basic kind or want to be sure they’re getting the best possible equipment, go with this inventive and genius product.
Pros of Using a Nose Frida:
✅ Powerful suction
✅ Airtight seal
✅ Easy to clean
✅ Innovative technology
✅ High-quality guarantee
Cons of Using a Nose Frida:
✅ More expensive than other syringes
✅ Sucking function may be off-putting
✅ Requires the purchase of filters
Check the other reviews of the Nose Frida on Amazon.
Which nasal aspirator should I choose?
The first thing to think about is your particular baby.
If you know that your baby gets chronic symptoms that require cleaning or is in daycare and constantly exposed to illnesses, it would be wise to invest in the Nose Frida.
Also, if your baby has large nostrils like ours, you may need the think about the Nose Frida instead of the bulb syringe system.
You also need to take into consideration how you will clean your aspirator.
Despite how meticulously you clean out a bulb aspirator, you cannot guarantee the interior will be clean because the silicone is not see-through.
There have been reports of mold and other types of residue buildups on the inside of the bulb syringe.
This makes sense since the design does not allow a lot of airflow into the bulb.
On the other hand, the Nose Frida will break down into 4 parts (not including the replaceable filter) that are easily washed with soap and water and will dry quickly.
See the Nose Frida website for more instructions on cleaning.
The bulb syringe allows more than one person to use the device, while the Nose Frida needs to have the mouthpiece cleaned between each use.
The disposable aspect to the Nose Frida may be appealing to some.
The filters are not very expensive and also allow you to observe the collected material better.
If you notice signs of infection in the mucus or blood, that can be helpful information that wouldn’t be seen as well in the bulb syringe.
The bulb syringe may also be able to clean infant ears, something the Nosefrida does not do.
Conclusion
Overall, the Nose Frida is an upgrade to the traditional bulb syringe.
While the bulb syringe is not a bad option and was the mainstay of congestion relief for infants for many years, we would recommend the Nose Frida from this point on.
Which one are you picking?
