How to prevent milk choking in children

Choking on milk is a common phenomenon in infants and young children (under 2 years old). Parents who do not pay close attention and do not know how to handle it can endanger the baby's life if the baby's airway is blocked due to choking on milk.

The phenomenon of regurgitation, regurgitation and choking on milk in the nose is divided into 2 types in infants, including: physiological phenomenon and pathological phenomenon.

Up to 95% of cases of regurgitation and spitting up milk are physiological phenomena - mothers can rest assured because this is normal in newborns.

However, the remaining 5% is the phenomenon of pathological regurgitation. The main cause of pathological regurgitation is due to the following diseases: intestinal obstruction, intussusception or diarrheal infection. Therefore, if you observe anything unusual, your baby needs to be examined by a doctor promptly for the earliest and proper treatment instructions possible, to avoid future consequences.

If the phenomenon of regurgitation or choking on milk in the nose occurs in a short time, with low frequency, after eating and does not cause any significant symptoms, it is considered a physiological phenomenon. Pathological regurgitation or regurgitation will occur more frequently, last longer and can cause clinical symptoms of varying degrees.

Regurgitation or vomiting of milk is a common condition in newborns (under 3 months old) and children under 2 years old. In particular, this condition appears frequently and mainly in newborns, the first cause is because the baby's stomach is still horizontal, the angle between the stomach and esophagus is an obtuse angle that has not yet formed an acute angle to prevent reflux when the stomach is distended.

This will make babies very susceptible to regurgitation and spitting up milk. This regurgitation and spitting up milk will also lead to the baby choking on milk up the nose, causing obstruction of the baby's airway.

The correct way to breastfeed to avoid the baby choking on milk

Because the nervous system, digestive system and some internal organs are not fully developed, young children, especially newborns, often choke on milk while breastfeeding, which can lead to suffocation and even death if the condition is severe and not properly treated. Below are ways to prevent choking on milk in newborns that mothers should "pocket" immediately to ensure the safety of their babies.

- Breastfeed your baby properly and with the right amount of milk.

+ The nipple must fit the baby's mouth.

+ The nipple hole must be suitable, avoid the case of being too small, causing the baby to have to strain when sucking. On the contrary, if the nipple hole is too big, too much milk will come down, making the baby unable to swallow in time, making the baby prone to choking and vomiting while sucking.

+ Do not place the bottle horizontally, the milk will be submerged in the nipple to avoid the baby drinking both milk and air.

+ Mix milk properly.

- Choose the right time to breastfeed

Mothers should absolutely not let their babies sleep while breastfeeding because they can fall asleep and easily choke on milk. If the baby falls asleep while breastfeeding, mothers should put the baby down to sleep instead of letting the baby suckle as many mothers have done for a long time. Mothers should train their babies to breastfeed on time to make it easier to control, preferably after the baby wakes up.

You should always watch your baby to detect when he is hungry and feed him immediately, because if you let him be hungry for a long time, he will drink too much, too quickly and easily choke on milk and get gas. When your baby coughs or cries, you should stop breastfeeding immediately. You should also limit playing with your baby while he is breastfeeding, as this can cause him to laugh and choke.

- Breastfeeding position

Breastfeeding position is also an important thing that mothers need to remember to prevent choking on milk for babies. The most correct position that most mothers apply is to hold the baby's head high, in a comfortable position, do not bend or tilt the neck too much because bending the neck makes it more difficult for the baby to breastfeed or tilting the neck can cause the baby to choke on milk up the nose.

In addition, mothers should pay attention to let the baby suckle slowly, do not rush and endanger the baby. A tip for mothers, if the mother's milk is too much and the baby cannot suckle fast enough, the mother can slow down the flow of milk by using two fingers to pinch the nipple.

- After feeding, hold the baby upright, chest against one side of the mother's chest, face on the mother's shoulder and gently pat the baby's back to burp. Then, gently lay the baby down, with a pillow slightly raised under the shoulder, head avoiding bending the neck or stomach.

If mothers follow the above instructions correctly, it is guaranteed to limit the situation of choking on milk in infants and young children.