cavities from falling asleep nursing?

[NinasMommy]

hello!

i read that i should clean out my baby's mouth after she nurses, and not let her fall asleep at the breast so that milk doesn't pool in her mouth and cause tooth decay.

she's 8 months old, and just got her first 2 teeth! 

a friend told me her baby got a cavity as a baby because she didn't clean the baby's mouth :(

should i really not let my baby fall asleep nursing? if i need to stop nursing her to sleep, how do i get her to sleep...? 

it doesn't make sense because i know most bf-ing, co-sleeping mamas probably nurse their wee ones to sleep, right? and what about when the LOs wake at night needing to feed?

i think it would be too much work, and i don't know if this advice is correct.

[MarineWife]

I don't think this is true for breastfeeding. It is true for bottle fed babies, especially if they are given cow's milk or juice in a bottle to sleep with.

I've breastfed 3 babies now. They always fell asleep nursing and I never cleaned out their teeth and they never had cavities while they were nursing. I'm breastfeeding my 4th now. He's only 11 weeks old so no teeth but I'm not concerned. I won't worry about cleaning out his mouth when he does have teeth. Can you imagine how disrupting that would be to the sleeping baby? You'd just have to nurse him/her back to sleep again.

[sunflower.mama]

My father in law (our dentist!) discourages it, but I have always nursed my kids to sleep/during the night without problems.  Although what I am picking up about cavities is that they are caused more from pre-existing bacteria in the mouths of certain kids than from eating/brushing habits.  Try not to let your baby mouth things that older kids have mouthed.  My niece has had a ton of cavities and they are pretty vigilant about dental care (or at least were after the first one).  My kids (knock on wood) have never had any and we'd probably get a B or B- when it comes to consistant brushing.

[MarineWife]

Read this from La Leche League International: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbsepoct02p164.html

[NinasMommy]

thanks for the article! just read the conclusion, closing thoughts, and prevention tips, and they seem to make sense.

btw, the book i got my [incorrect] info from was, What to Expect the First Year... i would tend to trust LLL...
 

Originally Posted by MarineWife 

Read this from La Leche League International: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbsepoct02p164.html

[NinasMommy]

thanks for the info and advice!
 

Originally Posted by sunflower.mama 

My father in law (our dentist!) discourages it, but I have always nursed my kids to sleep/during the night without problems.  Although what I am picking up about cavities is that they are caused more from pre-existing bacteria in the mouths of certain kids than from eating/brushing habits.  Try not to let your baby mouth things that older kids have mouthed.  My niece has had a ton of cavities and they are pretty vigilant about dental care (or at least were after the first one).  My kids (knock on wood) have never had any and we'd probably get a B or B- when it comes to consistant brushing.

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by NinasMommy 

thanks for the article! just read the conclusion, closing thoughts, and prevention tips, and they seem to make sense.

btw, the book i got my [incorrect] info from was, What to Expect the First Year... i would tend to trust LLL...
 

Oh, yeah. I always recommend against those What to Expect books. I saw a young pg woman reading What to Expect When You Are Expecting. Her dh saw me with my new baby and asked what I thought of that book. I told them I would burn it.

[NinasMommy]

LOL!

I definitely have mixed feelings about What to Expect the First Year... on one hand, it's such a compendium of practical information... on the other... some of the information is incorrect! I haven't read any of the others, but I did hear someone give a preggy mom basically the same advice you did about WtEWYAE. She said it's full of scare tactics!
 

Originally Posted by MarineWife 


Oh, yeah. I always recommend against those What to Expect books. I saw a young pg woman reading What to Expect When You Are Expecting. Her dh saw me with my new baby and asked what I thought of that book. I told them I would burn it.

[MarineWife]

I like Dr. William Sears' The Baby Book. It goes from before pg to 3 years. It's huge. Has so much info on how to care for your new baby/toddler. It gives info in short bits and more detailed explanations in different parts of the book depending on what you want. I recommend any book by Dr. Sears for new parents.

[NinasMommy]

cool, thanks for the suggestion, i'll be looking for it soon. what's his basic philosophy?
 

Originally Posted by MarineWife 

I like Dr. William Sears' The Baby Book. It goes from before pg to 3 years. It's huge. Has so much info on how to care for your new baby/toddler. It gives info in short bits and more detailed explanations in different parts of the book depending on what you want. I recommend any book by Dr. Sears for new parents.

[motherhendoula]

Dr. Sears is great - i second about picking up one of his books - and burning WTEWYAE!       Dr. Sears is a pediatrician, married to a nurse i believe, and they have had 8 children (maybe more?)   his advice is more middle of the road - he is a fan of co-sleeping and a fan of breastfeeding, and 'extended' breastfeeding -  His advice feels more like common sense.

[MarineWife]

He is AP oriented. He encourages and supports breastfeeding and babywearing and responding to a child's needs. Still a doctor so has a medical slant but advocates for a delayed vax schedule and such. He's a good introduction to AP for people who are new to it or unsure. That's why I recommend it to people used to the What to Expect series. It's not too out there for initial exposure and he has a MD for those who need that.

[NinasMommy]

oh, all good stuff to know.

i'm new to AP, but very much into it, so if you have more out there suggestions, i'm open to them. MD credentials not required.
 

Originally Posted by MarineWife 

He is AP oriented. He encourages and supports breastfeeding and babywearing and responding to a child's needs. Still a doctor so has a medical slant but advocates for a delayed vax schedule and such. He's a good introduction to AP for people who are new to it or unsure. That's why I recommend it to people used to the What to Expect series. It's not too out there for initial exposure and he has a MD for those who need that.