How to Safely Remove a Tiny Object From Your Child’s Nose
I don’t know why, but children sometimes decide to stuff something up their noses. (My own kids haven’t tried this yet, although we had to go to the doctor for the Lego in the ear.) There is actually a simple Heimlich-style trick that can safely pull an object out, and it works more often than not.
The technique is called Parent Kiss, and in essence you will blow your child’s nose. Yes, it’s a little weird, but it could save you a couple of hours of sitting in the emergency room or doctor’s office, so listen:
Step 1. Close the nostril in which the object is not stuck with your finger.
Step 2: Press your lips against the baby’s mouth.
Step 3: Blow a quick stream of air into his mouth (remember the last time you tried to shoot a ball through a straw).
To become a true pro with this technique, start step 3 by blowing slowly until you feel air resistance. This means that the baby closes the glottis so that you do not breathe air into his lungs. When the glottis is closed, your quick breaths will be especially effective.
If that doesn’t work, try again. A review of eight studies found that this method works 60% of the time . And even when he does not push the object, he often pushes it to a place where it is more visible, and it is easier for the doctor to reach it.