After Baby Son Chokes To Death, Mom Warns Parents Against Bottle-Propping

Oct 08, 2018 by apost team

It is very important for parents and caregivers to be extremely cautious when caring for babies and there are common rules in place to keep them all safe. Some may not be as well-known as others, while others are plainly recognizable.

One common rule that should be known by all caregivers is that bottle-propping is not safe.

It has been almost three years since the death of four-month-old baby Alex Masters. His mother, Chloe Masters misses her son dearly and is stilled devasted by the tragic accident. Alex passed away on October 3, 2015 while being cared for by his godmother, Claire Sawyer.

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According to authorities, Alex passed away after the godmother left a bottle propped into his mouth while feeding, which Alex’s godmother denies doing. However, evidence from the coroner’s report shows that this is in fact what happened to baby Alex.

Chloe hopes that other parents and caregivers will learn from her tragic situation and take better care, caution, and responsibility when caring for babies.

Alex's death is not the only case where this has happened. In Delaware, a four-month-old baby experienced the same unfortunate end. The baby's father positioned a bottle in the baby’s mouth and secured it with a blanket. The baby was left in the feeding position for hours before anyone came back to check.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has reported that the loss of life in children is in high volumes caused by choking. Bottle-propping is one of the main causes of choking, but there are many ways children can choke.

Bottle-propping poses a great risk for choking along with some other things to be taken into consideration such as:

1. Tooth decay as a result of milk lingering in a baby's mouth during feeding.

2. The act of milk and other liquids moving into a baby's lungs. This is known as aspiration.

3. Babies are also prone to ear infections as a result of milk traveling from the baby's throat into the ear.

4. Caregivers use objects like pillows and blankets to prop the bottle into the baby’s mouth. These objects can move as the baby moves while feeding, resulting in suffocation.

Caring for babies is a big responsibility.

Taking the time to learn how to properly care for babies include learning the correct and safe way to feed babies. They are small humans who cannot care for themselves. Things like checking the temperature of the milk to make sure it’s not too hot, making sure the hole in the nipple isn’t too large or too small and positioning the bottle in the baby’s mouth to avoid any air consumption into the baby’s mouth and body.

Did you find this article helpful? What are your views on the proper way to feed a baby?