2020-04-01_Mother_&_Baby

LISTEN UP, MAMA!

60 | April 2020 |motherandbaby.co.uk

Posture

counts

If you’re bottle feeding,

keeping your baby in an upright

position for up to 30 minutes

after a feed can stop fluid

collecting at the back of her

throat, where bacteria can

thrive and may affect

the Eustachian tubes.

Holdinga warm

• not hot –
  flanneloverher
  earasyouread
  hera bedtime
  st orycanhelp
  toeasethepain
  forlongenough
  forherto drop
  offto sleep.

Warmit

up

Ease the pain

Oftenthebest cure forear infectionsis
rest, alongwithtime, patience andcuddles.
‘Buttheseinfectionscanbeverypainful,’
says Dr Hesham,‘soit’s worthusingan
age-appropriate painkillerto helpeasethe
discomfortandallow sleep. Give yourchildthe
appropriate doseof baby paracetamolor
ibuprofenaboutanhourbeforeshegoesto
bed,to helpreducethediscomfort.’

How to heal

Mostear infectionsclear upby

themselveswithina fewdays,

butsomecanhangaroundfor

a fewweeks.‘Goto thedoctor

if youryoungsterstillseemsto be

in painafterthreeto five days,’says

DrHesham.

Build up

immunity

Your little one won’t necessarily

be prescribed antibiotics: ‘Even

if it’s a bacterial infection,

antibiotics may not be the best

solution,’ says Dr Hesham. ‘Her

body can usually fight off ear

infections without extra help,

and that’s better for her

immune system.’

Pay attention!

Glue ear is an infection that can
occur after a cold, causing a sticky
fluid to build up inside your baby’s
middle ear, making it hard for her to
hear. It often leads to a temporary
change in behaviour, so bear in mind
that if your toddler suddenly starts to
ignore you, it could just be a sign of an
infection. Try getting her attention and speak
to her face-to-face, to make sure she can hear
you. Glue ear usually clears up after a couple of
months, but do consult your GP if concerned.

Time to go dry

If your little one has an ear infection of any sort,

it’s a good idea to avoid water running into

her already painful ear and aggravating the

discomfort. So, avoid taking her swimming until

she’s better, and keep her ears above water

when she’s in the bath.

Good news

Happily, most babies outgrow ear infections as

their Eustachian tube becomes longer and

narrower, making it harder for germs to get as

far as the inner ear.