Most babies will get an ear infection at some point, but you can lower the chance of your baby getting them in a few simple ways:

• Breastfeeding can reduce the number of ear infections a child has, partly because of protective elements in breast milk and partly because the position a baby nurses in helps to drain the ear canal better than the position for feeding from a bottle.
   
• Avoid giving your baby a bottle while she is lying down, as this position has been linked to more ear infections.
   
• Living in the same house as someone who smokes can increase the number of ear infections. (If you or someone else in the family smokes, quitting will have many benefits, including protecting the health of young children under the same roof.)
   
• Children with allergies are also more likely to have ear infections; remove the triggers to a child’s allergies—mold, dust mites or anything else—to reduce the number of infections. 

See also ...

•  Ear infections and antibiotics

•  Pediatric guidelines on treating ear infections

This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.

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