Breastfeeding SupportGOT MILK? The Breastfeeding relationship is so important... if you need support, or are a boobie juice pro, come on in! This is the breast (uh, um best) discussion board on the web.
My dd is 18 months, co-sleeping and an AVID night nurser. To the point of flipping back and forth over my body every hour or so to drain each breast. This is rather annoying...but I love co-sleeping with her otherwise. (Dh is getting pretty sick of the flipping issue) but I am thinking it may be a phase.
I have been directed by her pediatric dentist to discontinue night nursing because she has developed caries in an enamel defect on her front tooth. He maintains that the enamel defect (looks like a groove) is the result of her recieving large doses of antibiotics as a newborn (abx interferes with enamel formation of tooth buds), but that the caries is due to her night nursing. Apparently, the enamel is weak in that spot, and the constant wash of milk sugars all night has lead to the decay. He also said that baby's saliva glands shut down when sleeping so that cannot protect the teeth.
It only looks like a tiny spot, but it creeps me out that she has any decay. I am vigilant about her oral health, my other 3 children (10, 8 and 5) have never had a speck of decay...and he tells me they are in the minority of his patients who even floss regularly.
He is certain if it were not for the enamel defect... night nursing would not have been an issue. She is teething her molars and incisors now, and he is concerned that if they erupt with defects, they too will become decayed. He insists she not nurse at night.
She has an appt. on the 28th to have the spot etched and filled with resin...so I have about 2 weeks to figure out what to do.
How do you get a co-sleeper to NOT nurse all night long!?!?! I am absolutely against crying it out... if anyone has any other suggestions, I mean ANY!!! I am desperate...I even tried getting her hooked on the pacifier! LOL... that was not successful to say the least. Naturally, at 18mos she is resistant to anything different...but I am willing to try anything (except CIO) at this point. I will continue to nurse her during the day. (Totally not ready to wean, here). Thanks in advance for any ideas or advice!!!
"If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that" Goethe
1st i'll say i've never night weaned. so take my suggestions w/ that in mind. but.....thoughts that come to mind.........
how about a sippy cup of water?
also, i know i sleep topless to make it easier to nurse, if you do that, how about wearing a shirt so it isnt "readily available". hope you can figure something out.
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Tanya
Wife to Keith (15 yrs.)
SAHM to Brooke Ashley(12), Sarah Ann(7), Taylor Alexis(5) and Sydney Allison (3-9-08)
Christian, HS
dr jay gorodn also has a "protocol" for gentle night-weaning...*if* you are sure it is time.
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~l~ Breastfeeding is food, vitamins, minerals, immunities, eye hand coordination, oral development, maternal weight loss, disease protection, free, antibacterial, anti-infective, living tissue, mother-baby bonding, comforting, pacifying, sleep-inducing, thirst quenching, hypoallergenic, brain food, anovulatory, a gift of love from mother to child.
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