How To Massage Newborn Tear Duct [work] May 2026

This content is written to be clear, reassuring, and medically accurate. If your baby’s eye is constantly watery or has a yellow, sticky discharge, they likely have a blocked tear duct. This is incredibly common in newborns (affecting up to 1 in 5 babies) and usually resolves on its own by the first birthday.

Look at the inner corner of the eye (near the nose). You are looking for the tear duct sac —a tiny bump just beside the bridge of the nose. how to massage newborn tear duct

You are not hurting your baby. You are helping their tiny tear ducts learn how to work. Be gentle, be patient, and trust your instincts. Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician before starting any home treatment for your newborn’s eyes. This content is written to be clear, reassuring,

Wash your hands thoroughly. Make sure your fingernails are short and smooth so you don’t scratch baby’s delicate skin. Look at the inner corner of the eye (near the nose)

This content is written to be clear, reassuring, and medically accurate. If your baby’s eye is constantly watery or has a yellow, sticky discharge, they likely have a blocked tear duct. This is incredibly common in newborns (affecting up to 1 in 5 babies) and usually resolves on its own by the first birthday.

Look at the inner corner of the eye (near the nose). You are looking for the tear duct sac —a tiny bump just beside the bridge of the nose.

You are not hurting your baby. You are helping their tiny tear ducts learn how to work. Be gentle, be patient, and trust your instincts. Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician before starting any home treatment for your newborn’s eyes.

Wash your hands thoroughly. Make sure your fingernails are short and smooth so you don’t scratch baby’s delicate skin.

Episode 280: Odetta

how to massage newborn tear duct
Circa 1961 via Jack de Nijs wikcommon

Odetta was one of the defining voices of American folk music. Though she had been trained in classical music, she was drawn to spirituals, work songs, traditional ballads, and blues. These songs told the stories of true life – of struggle and of those who overcame oppression. Odetta used her theater training and deep resonant voice to bring these messages to life. Her work inspired later artists like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, served as a soundtrack for the social reforms of the 1960s, and led to her honorary title as “The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement” and “The Queen of Folk Music.

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Episode 279: Grandma Moses

how to massage newborn tear duct

Anna Mary Moses spent the last twenty years of her life as a beloved and celebrated artist after a hobby became an occupation in the most astonishing way.

Anna Mary Moses was born when Abraham Lincoln was president and died when John Kennedy was; she lived through one Civil, and two World wars, and was one of the first women in the US to legally vote. Because her life was so full, she didn’t take up painting as her primary hobby until she was in her 70s, and was on a rocketship of world fame as a celebrated artist until she was in her 80s.

how to massage newborn tear duct
Anna Mary circa 1864
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