10 ways to reduce the chance of choking on milk that every parent should know 🍼

10 ways to reduce the chance of a baby choking on milk 🍼🤍

The baby coughing during milk... is an image that startles many parents because of the fear that the milk will enter the lungs or the fear that the baby will suffocate.

But in reality, babies can occasionally cough or choke on a little milk, because the body is still in the process of learning Suck-Swallow-Breathe Coordination, which gradually improves as they grow up.

While there is no way to prevent milk choking 100%, proper breastfeeding can reduce the likelihood of birth and make the baby more comfortable.

1. Carrying the baby in a position where the head is slightly higher than the torso.

Whether breastfeeding or bottle milk, the baby should be carried slightly higher in the head than the torso, with the head, neck and torso aligned.

This posture makes it easier for the baby to coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing, reducing the likelihood that milk will flow into the mouth too quickly, and reducing coughing or choking during breastfeeding.

There is no need to hold it too upright, just position the baby in a comfortable position, not bow your chin to your chest, and not raise your head too much is enough.

2. Choose a nipple with a flow rate suitable for the baby.

Nipples with holes too large can cause milk to flow too fast for the baby to swallow, resulting in easy coughing or choking.

On the other hand, if the teats flow too slowly, the young may need to exert a lot of suction, become tired easily, and swallow more air.

Signs that teats may not be suitable, e.g.

* Choke often

* Cough during eating milk

* Milk flows out in the corner of the mouth throughout

* Suction unusually strong or irritable while eating.

The most suitable teats are the ones that naturally suck, swallow, and breathe, not the ones that make them eat the fastest.

3. Don't make your children too hungry.

When a baby is starving, he often sucks faster and stronger than usual.

As suction speeds up, swallowing and breathing may not correlate, making it more likely to cough or choke.

Should start breastfeeding at the earliest signs of hunger, e.g.

* Suck hands

* Stick your tongue

* Facing the breast

* Open your mouth

* Move your mouth like you're sucking

You don't have to wait until you cry, because when you cry a lot, it's harder to control your eating rhythm.

4. Let the baby set the rhythm of eating.

Each baby has a different eating rhythm.

Some suck constantly. Some take a break every few gulps to breathe.

If you stop sucking yourself, don't rush the cork back into your mouth or try to keep eating.

Allowing the baby to take an intermittent break gives the body time to coordinate suction, swallowing and breathing, reducing the likelihood that milk will enter the mouth too quickly.

Eating a little slower. It may be safer than rushing to eat until the bottle is exhausted.

5. Notice the signs that the baby has not started eating in time.

Before choking, many babies often raise alarms, e.g.

* Suction unusually fast

* Wide eye opening

* There's a loud swallow

* Milk flows out of the corner of the mouth

* Gently coughing

* Pull the mouth off the cork itself

When you see these signs, you should pause your breastfeeding, give your baby a breath, and start again when you're ready.

Forcing your children to continue eating may increase your chances of choking.

6. If eating bottle milk, try the Pace Feeding method.

Pace Feeding is feeding the baby to determine the eating rhythm, similar to eating milk from the breast.

Instead of lifting the bottle steeply at all times, hold the bottle at an angle where the milk fills the cork area and intermittently lower the angle of the bottle so that the baby can stop breathing naturally.

This reduces the inflow of milk into the mouth too quickly, and may reduce choking in some children.

7. Rest for the ball to burp when necessary

During milk, the baby may swallow air at the same time.

As more wind accumulates in the stomach, the pressure inside the stomach increases and may push the milk back up in the esophagus, causing it to cough or choke.

If the baby starts to bend, slow down, or stop eating, try to burp for a while before resuming.

However, every child does not need to burp every time. If you look comfortable, eat well, and do not feel uncomfortable, you do not need to burp.

8. After breastfeeding, do not hurry to lay down.

After the milk, your stomach is still full.

If immediately laid down, the milk may bounce back up to the esophagus more easily than usual.

Carrying the baby in a posture for 20-30 minutes improves milk to move down to the stomach and reduces the chance of milk coming back up to the neck.

There is no need to walk carrying all the time. Just carrying in a comfortable position is enough.

9. Avoid playing hard after just eating milk.

A new full back should give the baby a break.

Bouncing hard, throwing, playing, or changing postures can increase abdominal pressure, making milk easier to reverse.

If you have to carry or play with your child, do it softly and wait to pass the meal.

10. If the child chokes abnormally often, the pediatrician should be consulted.

Even occasional mild coughing or choking is seen in many babies.

But if the baby has the following symptoms regularly,

* Choke almost every meal

* Cough every time you eat milk

* Green face

* Stop breathing

* Difficult to breathe

* Eat less milk

* Bad weight gain

It should not be thought normal, because there may be other causes, such as swallowing disorders or certain diseases that should be further examined.

Summary 🤍

Reducing the likelihood of milk choking is not due to complex techniques or expensive equipment.

But start by understanding your child's nature at each age.

Make the ideal breastfeeding position, choose the right nipple, do not rush your child to eat, observe the signals you are communicating, and give your child time to rest during meals when necessary.

While there is no way to prevent choking at all, breastfeeding in the right way can reduce the risk a lot and make every meal of your child a time that is always full, safe and comfortable for both your child and your parents. 🤍

# Child development # Infant development # Raising children # Raising positive children # New Mom# New Mom # Newborn # Newborn # Breastfeeding # Breastfeeding # Milk Bottle # PacedBottleFeeding # Milk Choke # Child Health # Pediatrician # BabyCare # Newborn # NewbornCare # Parenting # MomLife # DadLife # BabyTips # FirstTimeMom # FirstTimeParents # phbus