The Dangers of Bottlepropping
Why it is Worth it to Take the Time to Feed Your Child Yourself
There are small openings in the back of our throats that lead to our ears, and though those of babies are shorter, wider, and more flat. When a baby is fed by a propped bottle the liquid pools in the back of her mouth, and the bacteria can then enter her ear and cause an infection. This can lead to hearing loss which will result in difficulty learning to speak and learn. Add this to the increased likelihood that goes along with feeding your baby formula instead of breastmilk, and you're taking a serious risk.
Choking is another very real possibility. Parents usually do not provide the same amount of supervision when a bottle is propped than they do when they are holding the baby and the bottle. Liquid can keep flowing from the nipple, even if she is not sucking. Even a sleeping babe can accidently breathe in the liquid instead of swallowing. Lying down makes it even more likely that the liquid will go down the trachea instead of the esophagus.
This practice also can also lead to tooth decay, as liquid gathers in a baby's mouth when the bottle is propped. Baby teeth are important because they guide the permanent teeth. Bottle propping can lead to a child needing serious and expensive dental work by the time he or she is weaned.
Contraptions such as this (http://www.bottlesling.com/) are even more dangerous, because the baby cannot knock the bottle out of the way if he does begin to choke or if he is finished. It is held firmly in place by a device. Even if he manages to dislodge it from his mouth, the liquid could drip out of the bottle up his nose or into his eyes, which can be dangerous and uncomfortable. At least when the bottle is on a pillow, a simple hand swipe could send it flying out of the way of a baby's airways, though infants shouldn't have to defend themselves in that manner.
Bottle propping in vehicles is especially dangerous because the car is in motion. A few bumps along the way can make milk come out of the bottle a little more rapidly with every bounce, which is very likely to cause a child to choke. Choking is very serious and dangerous.
Wanting a few moments to yourself, not having time to hold a bottle, or not feeling like participating in a feeding are not worth the many risks associated with propping a bottle. Until your child can hold a bottle himself, he needs you to hold it for him to protect him, his ears, and his teeth. Not only is this healthier, it gives him the physical closeness with you that he needs to develope a strong attachment to you and to feel secure. No matter how much you have going on in your life, it is not worth it to leave supervision and feeding time up to a pillow or sling. You are risking your child's safety...for what?
If you must attend to something else while bottlefeeding, carry your child with the bottle in her mouth with you. When you need to set her down, do so, and interrupt the feeding. A few minutes of crying is not nearly as bad as death by choking. You could wear your child in a sling, holding the bottle with one hand and having the other free. If you need a few moments to yourself, have them when the children are sleeping. There are methods of dealing with a hungry infant and other children and tasks that do not involve risking the safety of the baby. You simply have to be creative and resourceful. It is worth it find alternatives.
Unknown, "Let's Talk about Bottlepropping." Intermountain Primary Children's Medical Center. URL: http://intermountainhealthcare.org/xp/public/documents/pcmc/bottlepropping.pdf
Published by Heather B.
I'm young single mother of two boys, a liberal Democrat, and a born again Pagan witch for nearly 14 years. I write about natural family living, pregnancy, homebirth, attachment parenting, and religion or pol... View profile
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- Bottle-propping can allow bacteria to enter the ear and cause ear infections.
- Propping a bottle can cause an infant to choke and breathe in the liquid.
- It can also lead to serious tooth decay, which endangers the permanent teeth.
18 Comments
Post a CommentAs a mother of 4, I can honestly say I think it is selfish and/or lazy to bottle prop. I am a WAHM & my husband works out of state (and sometimes the country) for 6-10 weeks at a time. I have twins that never received a propped bottle. Sometimes it took some juggling to keep both happy, but it is worth it.
When I had my oldest, I also babysat a friend's son (who was bottle-fed). After some careful planning, I was able to set up both babies so that my son was nursing & hers was being fed his bottle at the same time. It does take more effort & work, but it is possible. Both babies were on a boppy & his bottle was being held.
Think about this: how would you feel if your child choked to death in the car because you propped a bottle to get where you wanted/needed to go? Or how would you feel if they ended up with severe ear infections and/or hearing loss? Is it really worth the couple minutes you "save" to neglect your child? (It is classified as a form o
while I would never agree to ignoring the baby, how do you suppose I feed twins by myself? I also have an 18th month old as well. I know it's not the perfect solution and don't encourage but I don't think if it's multiples you can't call it "ignoring". We're all looking for answer but passing judgement on a practice when all situations are different and the need is different is just rude.
The serious risk is bottle propping, which increases risk of ear infections + eliminating the benefits of breastmilk, which decreases risk of ear infections. If you're bottlepropping and feeding formula, the risk for ear infections is more serious.
I can agree with you about the bottle propping thing but what is the serious risk associated with feeding babies formula? Sorry not every mother can breast feed!
Rachel (Guest)- Welcome to motherhood.
Sometimes you have to stop the car, get out, and comfort your kid instead of letting them sit for 3 hours in a carseat and then wonder why they're miserable? Allot yourself more time. Not fun, but hey, that's motherhood. It's a job!
Having done home daycare in my home for over sixty hours a week before, yes, I have experienced several screaming, hungry infants at one time. I haven't called anyone a bad parent. Whether you have multiples or not, bottle-propping is dangerous; pediatricians agree on that. There is no medical source or credible parenting source that will tell you otherwise. In this life, you have to do what you have to do. But that doesn't mean there aren't risks. You can ask for help; you can feed one, then the other. You can have the older child wait; I sure as heck make my 22 month old wait if I need a minute to feed him. There are also devices that can be purchased that eliminate the dangers of bottlepropping while allowing the infant to be fed. Get off it. Like you're the only parent who lacks the ability to pee in private.
I do understand the risk factors & Heather B. if you are a pediatrician I will gladly stand corrected, but first of all you sure sound judgemental straight out the gates with your "bad parenting" stance. I am the mother to multiples (5 mos old) & a 23 month old and it's not a matter of making alone time for myself...I haven't had any of that in 2 years - I don't even go to the bathroom alone...BUT it is a matter of nessecity. I am only one person. I have only 2 arms. There is only so much I can do at one time. My pediatrician (rated one of the top 5 in my city of 7 million people) is aware that my options are limited & agrees that supervised propping is common in parents of multiples & a for the most part unavoidable. Do you have multiples, Heather? You say there are better options...what are they? Have you ever experienced 3 or 4 screaming, hungry infants at one time?? If not then please don't call me a bad parent! What are these miraculous other options you & you alone have devised??
This is a problem I encounter not infrequently in my nursing practice. Many mothers in our community used this method and, since the community's very family oriented, their children tend to do the same when THEY have kids. Babies really need to be in someone's arms while they're eating-it's the only safe way. With regard to being in the car-I would have to question bottle-propping in this case. If your baby started to choke, how would you help him while you're driving? Also, Heather's right about the potential to rot teeth. This is called "nursing bottle syndrome" or "baby bottle tooth decay" and it can get really gross-I've seen pictures.
I agree that if parents are going to do this they should follow the guidelines you suggest. Babies don't take any longer to get their food from the breasts than they do to get it from a bottle. It actually takes less time because there is no preparation.
Ever sit in traffic for three hours with a screaming baby and even after pulling over to feed, the only thing that will help to comfort him is a bottle in his mouth? Parents need to be educated about the risks associated with bottle propping, but as long as the child is supervised, kept propped up (either in a car seat or bouncy chair) while drinking, is not at the age when teeth begin to form, can push or move their head to release from the bottle, and it does not become a habit, than I don't see anything wrong with it.