Key takeaways

  • Keeping your baby hydrated can help loosen mucus and make it easier for them to cough it up, which can be achieved by frequently nursing or offering formula.
  • For babies older than 12 months, a small amount of honey may help to relieve throat soreness and cough symptoms, but it should never be given to younger infants due to the risk of botulism.
  • Several factors can cause a baby’s cough, including infections, asthma, allergies, and reflux. If your baby has a cough accompanied by breathing difficulties, fever, or unusual behavior, seek prompt medical attention.

Coughing is typically the result of your baby’s airway being irritated or otherwise affected in some way.

In babies, coughing is typically a symptom of mucus trickling down their throat. It’s the body’s natural way of clearing mucus and phlegm from the throat.

Most coughs in babies and children can resolve on their own or with home remedies. However, it can be scary waking up in the middle of the night to hear your baby coughing.

And, in some cases, coughing may be a sign of an underlying health condition that requires medical attention, such as whooping cough, asthma, or croup.

Keep reading to learn more about how to identify different types of coughs, when you should go to the doctor, and what you can do to help your baby feel better.

Keeping your baby hydrated is key to helping their mucus flow more easily and be easier to cough up. If your baby is dehydrated, their snot and other secretions may become thicker, making them harder to clear with coughing.

This means nursing or offering your child their usual amount of formula as often as needed. Extra fluids may not be needed, but it’s important to offer their typical amounts.

For younger babies, stick with breast milk and formula. For older babies, fluids may include water and unsweetened juices.

Another way to moisten secretions, such as dried snot, is to use over-the-counter (OTC) saline drops in your baby’s nose.

The mucus in your child’s nose can travel down the back of their nose and throat to cause postnasal drip. This irritates the throat and can produce a wet cough and rattling noise in the upper airway (not the chest). You may especially notice this cough after your baby wakes up.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends using 2 to 3 saline drops in each nostril several times throughout the day. Your baby may not love the sensation of the drops going into their nose, or they may sneeze. That’s OK.

You can also try sucking the mucus out of your baby’s nose before it has a chance to reach and irritate their throat and airway.

After using saline drops, you can take a bulb syringe and squeeze it to push the air out. While still pressing it, insert it one-quarter of an inch into your baby’s nostril, being sure to point toward the back or side of their nose.

Release the pressure to allow the syringe to suck the mucus out, and remove it for cleaning before repeating on the other side. Make sure to clean and dry the suction device well before storing it to avoid mold growth.

Repeat as necessary throughout the day, but keep in mind that you may irritate your baby’s nostrils if you do it too frequently.

Moistening the air your child breathes is another way to help reduce the risk of infections and to help mucus and phlegm flow more easily.

You can purchase a humidifier to add moisture to your baby’s nursery. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology recommends keeping room moisture between 40% and 50%.

However, some doctors say these devices may not provide enough humidity to help.

It’s important to keep the humidifier out of the child’s reach, change the water daily, and clean the device regularly.

Treating your bathroom like a steam room may also help manage a stuffy nose and cough in babies, according to the AAP.

Run hot water in the shower, close the bathroom door, and let the humidity build for 10 to 15 minutes. Once the bathroom is foggy, the parent can take the child in to breathe the steam, but it’s crucial to supervise the child at all times while in the bathroom.

You might also consider patting your baby’s chest and back to help loosen particularly stubborn mucus. Apply firm pressure that’s a bit harder than when you burp them.

For babies 12 months or older, you might try giving them a small amount of honey before bedtime or naps. The honey can coat your little one’s throat to help relieve soreness.

A 2022 study compared honey to cough medication in children 12 months old and older. They found that honey was effective in treating cough symptoms if used in the first 3 days of symptoms.

The AAP recommends serving your child 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2 to 5 mL) of honey as needed.

Honey warning

Never give honey to children younger than 12 months old because they have a higher risk of getting botulism, a rare form of food poisoning.

Try removing any irritants in your home that might trigger asthma or allergies. Things like tobacco smoke, dust, mold, and anything that allergy testing reveals is a trigger for your baby.

Things that may help keep your indoor air irritant-free include:

  • not smoking around your baby or indoors, as smoke can linger on fabrics like clothing
  • vacuuming carpets using a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter
  • using a room air purifier that has a HEPA filter
  • keeping the humidity level of your home between 40% and 50%
  • keeping pets out of sleeping areas
  • using allergen-proof mattress covers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends avoiding outdoor activities on days with poor air quality.

Safety warning

It’s important to keep a baby’s crib free of any pillows and other objects that can increase their risk of suffocation.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also warns against using sleep aids, such as car seats, bouncers, and other inclined products, that place younger babies at an incline greater than 10 degrees. This can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

If you’re worried about your baby’s cough and breathing, consider sleeping in the same room with your child so you can help them as needed.

No matter the cause of your baby’s cough, there are some signs that they need medical help right away. If your child is coughing and has any of the following symptoms, head to your local emergency room (ER) or call 911:

  • troubled or labored breathing
  • shortness of breath
  • a fever higher than 100.4°F (38°C) for children under 3 months
  • blood when coughing
  • excessive drooling
  • trouble swallowing
  • difficulty opening their mouth the whole way
  • significant tonsil swelling on just one side

Other symptoms to note:

  • any cough in newborns within the first couple of weeks
  • a cough that lasts 8 weeks or longer
  • a cough that worsens with time, especially after 3 weeks
  • a cough with night sweats or weight loss
  • any cough — wet or dry — with wheezing or rapid breathing

Even if your baby doesn’t have severe signs but is acting differently than usual, it might be a good idea to call your pediatrician. A doctor can help guide you, whether it’s to take your baby to the ER or just go in for an office visit.

Coughing is often the result of a baby’s airway being irritated or otherwise compromised. In many cases, a baby’s cough is caused by excess mucus buildup due to a viral illness or environmental irritants.

Some causes of a cough in babies may include:

A pediatrician can assess your baby’s symptoms to diagnose the underlying cause of your baby’s coughing and other symptoms and develop an appropriate treatment.

It’s not unusual for a child to get eight or more colds per year, on average.

Consider keeping a “sick kit” with items like saline and a syringe bulb, so they’re within easy reach when you need them to help manage coughs and other symptoms.

After a while, you’ll be a pro at determining what helps your child when they’re feeling sick and stuffy.

If you’re concerned about your baby’s cough, see your pediatrician or healthcare professional. A doctor can help you decide which home remedies may help your little one feel better and address any other medical issues that need professional attention.