'I was about to feed my baby when the bottle exploded - now I might be scarred for life'
Megan Elston was scalded by the baby formula which sprayed over her stomach and thighs
Megan Elston, 23, with her seven-month-old Koah Keidel
(Image: Kennedy News & Media )
A first-time mum fears she'll be scarred for life after a baby bottle 'exploded' on her tummy and thighs - spraying her with scalding formula. Megan Elston says she was preparing her seven-month-old Koah Keidel's evening feed on May 1 using a MAM Baby bottle that she had been using for the last three months.
After waiting 20 minutes for the boiled kettle water to cool down she says she filled the 9oz bottle and added the milk formula. But just before the 23-year-old went to shake the cup to mix the solution, she claims the bottle exploded at both ends - spilling liquid over her thighs and lower tummy.
Shocking photos show the full-time mum's inner thighs with large red burns on them, which then developed into blisters. After taking a 15-minute shower to try and cool her wounds, Megan went to North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, North Devon, where she claims her left leg felt like it was "on fire".
There, she had the blisters popped and bandaged and was prescribed antibiotics before being discharged to recover at home. Now healing, Megan says she fears she will be left scarred for life and feels self-conscious about wearing shorts and dresses this summer.
Megan Elston's burns after they were bandaged in hospital
(Image: Kennedy News & Media )
The mum-of-three is raising awareness about what happened to her to stop it from happening to other parents. Megan, from Westward Ho! in Devon, said: "I was just sterilising bottles like I normally do.
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"I boiled the kettle and waited 20 minutes and then put the water in the bottle and put the powder in. I put the lid on and I hadn't even shook it yet and the lid just popped off. Both the top and bottom popped off and it kind of exploded.
"I waited for 20 minutes because any longer than 30 minutes and the water wouldn't be warm enough to kill the bacteria. The formula went over both of my thighs and some of my belly. Luckily my baby was in the other room when this happened.
"The blisters all started coming up. At the hospital they popped the blisters on one leg and dressed them.
"When they started to blister it felt like my leg was on fire. I then went to the doctors the following day as I had woken up and the other leg had started to blister too.
"It wasn't painful getting them popped but getting the burns dressed was painful as it was sore to touch. I was worried that I'd be left scarred for life. It's such a big area and summer is coming up too."
Megan needed hospital treatment
(Image: Kennedy News & Media )
Since the accident, Megan says she has been back to the doctors and hospital a few times to have her burns cleaned and re-dressed. Megan is now raising awareness about what happened to her as she claims she followed the correct procedure when making Koah's milk formula.
Megan said: "Koah is seven months old and I have been using MAM bottles since he was born. I used the smaller bottles and now I have moved up to the 9oz ones.
"I moved onto this bottle about three months ago and have never had any issues before with them. Koah has a bottle at least five or six times a day so I am very used to doing this procedure.
"All I can say is make sure you're not holding your baby when you're putting the bottles together. It's left me feeling self-conscious and quite rubbish. I'm quite conscious of going out in little dresses and shorts now."
Megan Elston fears she'll now be left scarred for life
(Image: Kennedy News & Media )
Megan says she has since reached out to MAM about her burns. She says they have told her to send the bottle back to them so they can investigate further.
A MAM spokesman said: "The safety of our customers and their babies is at the forefront of everything we do and MAM is committed to ensuring the highest quality standards.
"All of our products are rigorously tested and meet applicable safety standards. The bottle type in question is certified to EN standard 14350:2020.
"We are very concerned about Megan's injury and have requested that we collect her bottle to enable us to thoroughly test it and investigate the circumstances around the accident. Clear instructions on safe use are supplied with every bottle.
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"These include never pouring boiling water into the bottle and allowing boiled water to cool for at least 20 minutes before introducing it to a bottle to reduce the risk of scalding. While preparing a bottle, we recommend that you never do it with a baby close by.
"You should always wrap it in a towel or cloth to ensure the base is tightly screwed on and any shaking should be done gently over a sink with the base facing away from you."
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