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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the choking risk is just a myth?

254 replies

BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 21:39

As in, "it's dangerous to put your baby/toddler to bed with a bottle/beaker as they might choke". Is it more dangerous than say a dummy? I have found one story on the web of a baby choking on a dummy, but can't find anything about the risk of choking on fluid.

(I have asked this on another thread but have had no response so I have put on my hard hat and am braving it here, please go easy on me )

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 22/02/2010 22:16

baby dies after aspirating breastmilk

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 22:16

assive

massive

and, ahem, proving

Tis getting late

OP posts:
Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 22:18

Thank you. Dreadful story

But this was a two month old baby....would it be the same for a 1 yo + ?

OP posts:
meltedchocolate · 22/02/2010 22:23

I give my 17 month old a bottle everynight. He will not sleep after taking it from me. He gets a dummy aswell though and will not sleep without it in his gob so the bottle gets literally chucked away to be replaced by dummy before falling asleep...

I feel comfortable giving a bottle to my son who is very good with it and i check in on, but wouldnt recommend it to anyone else because i understand the real risks that are there.

thisisyesterday · 22/02/2010 22:26

i think, as you say, it is maybe less likely. but it could happen.

they're drinking, they fall asleep, the milk just keeps flowing.

it isn't a risk I would take personally. I think the risk of it happening is small, and the risk of them actually dying is smaller still, but even if they didn't die it would still be fairly unpleasant for them

thisisyesterday · 22/02/2010 22:28

what worries me more is the teeth tbh! but that';s because i have awful teeth, so mine always have theirs brushed last thing at night, so it's always been last feed, then teeth then bed

harecare · 22/02/2010 22:29

Am I being thick? Why would you put an easily spillable drink in the bed of a sleeping baby? Never mind the choking, that's the worst case scenario, but the more likely result is a milk stained bed. Are you going to put a little torch in with the milk too? How weird.
Putting a cup of milk in the room that requires leaving the bed to drink would be an acceptable treat for a 2 year old to wake up to in the morning. Putting a cup of milk in bed with a 12 month old is just a bit pointless.

pranma · 22/02/2010 22:30

For toddlers I would leave a spouted cup of water on a bedside table so if the child is thirsty it can sit up and get a drink-not much risk of choking with one of those-could even be propped in corner of cot I would think.

thesecondcoming · 22/02/2010 22:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GrimmaTheNome · 22/02/2010 22:33

From what I can remember, if they are old enough to 'feed themselves a bottle' they are really too old to still be using bottles.
(should contribute this to the Pet Parenting Peeves thread )

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 22:36

Just seen your first link too thisisyesterday - another dreadful story

harecare - I'm talking about a non-spill beaker type thing, not an actually cup.

Which, in fact, don't release any liquid without it being sucked on, so really there wouldn't really be a risk at all because it wouldn't be a constant flow of milk? Still a small risk of milk being left in the mouth though.

The teeth thing, yes, taken on board and fully aware of.

OP posts:
PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow · 22/02/2010 22:37

bet you think it's OK to leave a 2yo in the bath on their own too.

No? Well it's just as irresponsible.

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 22:39

Not really pureasthecolddrivensnow - that is a proven risk.

And I haven't actually said that I think it's ok to leave a baby/todller alone with their milk, have I?

the secondcoming - so a 2 year having a drink of milk out of a beaker without any help is horrid is it?

OP posts:
PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow · 22/02/2010 22:44

ah... that technicality.
Are you fighting about this on behalf of a friend then?

One of my close friends does this (leaves her DD with a bottle/cup), and always has done.
Nothing has happened yet, but she is fortunate.

It's the small 'what if' that's the problem.

oh ffs.. why am i bothering.

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 22:52

Thanks for bothering - I posted on here to get a broad opinion on this, so thanks for giving me your POV (however I don't appriciate being called irresponsible)

OP posts:
thesecondcoming · 22/02/2010 22:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 22:58

Well from the response I've got on here and on the other thread, I'm inclined to think that it's not such a bad thing to do, which has suprised me actually.

OP posts:
PureAsTheColdDrivenSnow · 22/02/2010 22:58

I just don't get why you'd do it, that's all.

I didn't call you irresponsible, after all, you haven't admitted to doing this
on the other hand, if you did.. then yes, you would be.

PotPourri · 22/02/2010 23:01

Can this happen with breastfeeding then? My children always fell asleep while feeding...

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 23:02

Because it's easier I guess, and if there is no harm done (which is what I've tried to establish on here) then why not?

OP posts:
thesecondcoming · 22/02/2010 23:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
BattyKoda · 22/02/2010 23:04

I think the worst that is likely to happen PotPourri is a bit of coughing and spluttering.

OP posts:
Casmama · 22/02/2010 23:04

Koda you do seem a little batty to be honest. To have started two threads on this, never to have stated your view or why you are asking and despite almost everyone thinking it is a bad idea you conclude "its not such a bad thing to do"
It sounds like you had your mind made up anyway so do it or don't do it - looks like you will not be influenced by anyone elses opinion anyway.

navyeyelasH · 22/02/2010 23:04

I don't know if this helps, but when I was 13 nd at a sleepover a friend fell asleep with a piece of chocolate in her mouth. It melted in her mouth and trickled down her throat and caused her to cough hysterically.

She didn't choke but she was extremely scared! Personally I would leave a child at 18+ months with a beaker of Water in the bed provided it was one of those valve beakers that don't drop water. Any only if the child had a cough or 'naturally' woke frequently in the night for a drink.

If you start a dependence on drinking in the night from a young age surely this has a knock on effect with being dry through the night at a later stage?

Also not sure of this is my own OCD-ness but wouldn't the milk get all germy being out of the fridge all night?

I feel the risk of chocking is nothing compared to the other risks, ie tooth decay, getting scared if coughing, bed wetting, wet sheets, germy milk etc.

OTTMummA · 22/02/2010 23:05

my son is just over 2, and i have never proped a blooming bottle up for him, or left him alone with a bottle/ cup over night even when he had sore throats, imo its something you just don't do!
im happy to get up 3 times a night and give my DC a cuddle and supervised drink (and over 12 months they shouldn't really need a bottle tbh), as i know im not putting him at risk, and it is a risk, a lot of babies need a cuddle to go back to sleep after a they wake for a drink too.
it takes 5-10 mins, its not hard!

any healthy child under 5 shouldn't have a bed time drink in their room at all.

i read a story a few yrs back where a child in america 10/11 drowned in his sleep because he had a small amount of water in his lungs( so small it took 2 doctors to confirm it) from swimming that day, he seemed perfectly fine not complaining of any coughs, breathing probs etc, next morning his mum woke to find him dead with foam around his mouth, autopsy classified it as dry drowning.
so yes it happens, and its so easy to avoid.