Reasons For Not Putting Your Baby To Bed With A Bottle
Posted on: 16 November 2015
If you have a baby then you will of course want to do everything you can to ensure they remain as healthy and happy as possible. It may seem like a good idea to give them a bottle when they go to bed so they will be comforted while they sleep and maybe even sleep longer with a full belly. However, there are many reasons why you should avoid giving your baby a bottle in bed and you can learn about some of them in this article.
It can cause ear infections
When you give your baby a bottle while they are laying down it allows the fluid to pool to the back of their throat to the area of their middle ear. When the fluid sets in this area, germs will grow that will lead to an ear infection. When your baby has an ear infection they will be in pain and may run a fever. It will require a round of antibiotics to treat the infection.
It can lead to choking
When your baby has a bottle in bed, they can fall asleep with it in their mouth. When they go to take a breath the liquid can go down their windpipe and cause them to choke. If the liquid gets down into their lungs then it can lead to inflammation of their lungs and infection.
It can cause damage to their teeth
Putting your baby to bed with a nighttime bottle can lead to the development of baby bottle tooth decay. This condition can be caused from many different things, but a common way your baby can develop it is by being put in their bed with a bottle on a regular basis.
When the fluid from the bottle sets in their mouth it will leave their gums exposed to the sugars and any bacteria for extended periods of time. This can cause tooth decay in any of their teeth that are starting to break through the surface of their gums, or any baby teeth they have already developed.
Now that you understand some of the reasons why it is such a bad idea to put your baby to bed with a bottle, you can make better-informed decisions on the best way to put your baby to bed. If you are worried that your child's teeth may be at risk for tooth decay, it is a good time to take them in to see a dentist like Rupp and Grabowski Family Dentistry.
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