Once a baby or toddler discovers their own nose, there’s no limit to the random objects they might try to stick inside of it. Parents may find themselves struggling to clear their kids’ nostrils of everything from peas and raisins to beads and Play-Doh. Often, a visit to the doctor seems unavoidable, but a popular parenting hack recently shared on TikTok may be able to save you a trip. It’s called the mother’s kiss, and it involves using a quick puff of air to pop stuck objects out of kids’ noses. We checked with two pediatricians to see how well it works and how to perform it at home.
What is the mother’s kiss?
“The mother’s kiss is used to clear an object stuck up the nose by plugging the nostril that does not have the object in it and blowing into the child’s mouth,” says Dr. Pierrette Mimi Poinsett, a California pediatrician and a medical consultant for Mom Loves Best. “It’s generally safe and effective.”
Nikki Jurcutz, an Australian paramedic and baby first-aid instructor, recently taught her followers on TikTok how to perform the mother’s kiss.
In the video, Jurcutz first uses a finger to plug the open side of the child’s nose. Then, she puts her mouth over the toddler’s mouth to form a seal and blows a single puff of air. Within seconds, a green pea pops out of the other side of the child’s nose like magic.
How well does the mother’s kiss work?
The mother’s kiss, or parent’s kiss, may seem like one of those made-up Internet hacks that wouldn’t actually work in real life, but experts say it’s actually a good option to try when kids stick things up their noses. One study found the mother’s kiss method is effective nearly 60% of the time, and no adverse effects were reported.
“I jokingly like to call it ‘inflate a kid,’ but absolutely it’s effective for a solid, round object,” says Dr. Amy Baxter, a pediatrician and the CEO of Pain Care Labs in Atlanta.
Baxter adds that how well the mother’s kiss works may depend on the type of object you’re trying to remove. “I’ve had it work on peas, beads, corn and unidentifiable toy parts,” she says. “It is unlikely to work on something like a battery, a bead turned sideways or a spongy item.”
Parents who watched Jurcutz’s video report similar successes with hard, round objects. “I shot a Cocoa Puff out of my kid’s nose across my childless brother’s kitchen table,” one mom writes. “He was horrified.”
How safe is the mother’s kiss?
Baxter says the mother’s kiss is generally safe for kids of all ages, though young babies typically don’t have the fine motor skills to put objects up their noses. The trick is most likely to be used on toddlers and preschoolers and doesn’t pose serious risks. Older kids may be able to blow their nose with tissue to remove and catch a stuck object.
While the mother’s kiss is effective, it’s not meant to be a substitute for emergency care. The experts say to seek medical help first if a child:
- Is struggling to breathe.
- Is bleeding or in severe pain.
- Has objects stuck in both sides of the nose.
- Put a sharp or toxic object up their nose.
- May have additional, hard-to-reach objects up their nose.
Sometimes parents use the mother’s kiss when trying to clear an infant’s nose of built up mucus; however, Poinsett warns against this. “It is not recommended to employ the mother’s kiss to blow a baby’s nose and clear secretions,” she says. “It’s a surefire way to spread infection between parent and baby. Use a nasal bulb syringe or aspirator instead.”
What if the mother’s kiss doesn’t work?
Baxter says parents and caregivers may need to try the mother’s kiss more than once for it to be successful.
“Typically, I will tell the parents it takes three times,” she says. “The first is to get used to the puff. The second is because, while they’ll get the seal [right], they won’t puff hard and fast enough.”
If it doesn’t work with “a good seal and a hard, fast puff of air” on the third try, Baxter says it’s time to seek medical attention. A medical provider should be able to easily remove the stuck object with a medical extractor or forceps.
