Dr. Aisha Mohammed from the Paediatric Department at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) has highlighted that research shows bottle feeding is linked to 14% of ear issues in infants.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi, Dr. Mohammed explained that ear infections resulting from bottle feeding can affect both the inner and outer parts of the ear.
She also noted that bottle feeding can lead to dental caries, commonly known as cavities, due to the combined effects of bacteria, acids, plaque, and tartar. This condition, which is prevalent among both children and adults, is often a result of poor dental hygiene.
To mitigate these risks, Dr. Mohammed advocates for spoon and cup feeding once complementary foods are introduced. She stated, “The use of cup and spoon methods should be adopted to reduce ear problems and dental caries in babies. This is because feeding bottles can affect the outer and inner ear of the baby due to dripping or forced feeding.”
Dr. Mohammed also cautioned against forced feeding, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia—a condition caused by inhaling gastric contents. She advised mothers to follow best practices for breast and complementary feeding to prevent choking and aspiration pneumonia. Additionally, she encouraged monitoring babies’ eating behaviors to adjust the meals provided, emphasizing that if a baby refuses food in a normal and gentle manner, it may indicate an issue with the meal.