He is misinformed...I have nursed all my children at night, and not one has rotten teeth...they all have beautiful healthy teeth. You're doing the best thing for your little one!
I have read that breastfeeding babies past a certain age at night(maybe a year ??) is bad for their teeth, because the sugar from your milk sits in their mouth all night. Our bodies do not produce significant saliva at night, so we don't have to swallow. Therefore, the milk just sits there in their mouth and around their teeth. I know when my sister was a baby, my parents put her to bed with a bottle and she had caps on her front teeth before shhe started kindergarten. The dentist said it was from putting her to sleep with a bottle at night. Having said all that, mine still wakes up at night and wants to nurse. Wish she didn't, but she does. I think the doc is right, but not at an early age.
Formula and breast fed is totally different...formula will for sure rot the babies teeth, I've nursed mine for as long as 20 months...and still they don't have bad teeth...added encouragment!
Hi! I recently asked my doctor this because my son is 7 months and still breastfeeding at night. The doctor said it was nothing to worry about. He also told me that if he is still breastfeeding at a year I should look at some methods of weening him. I do however use a gum brush on his gums during the day. It is hard to know who to listen to. You might want to get a second opinion.
This is NOT true. I am a lactation consultant intern and can assure you that breastfeeding at night will not do damage to the teeth. Doctors are NOT trained in breastfeeding. They get an hour of feeding info in their entire schooling and that is promoted from the formula company's. They "think" they know something about it but they do not unless they have attended an breastfeeding information continuing education class. Don't worry about the teeth....they are fine!
Taffy Blake
www.workathomeunited.com/tblake
I work from HOME and YOU can too!
Milk tooth comes from sleeping with the bottle. It does not come from breastfeeding or bottle feeding at night with the parent because the child swallows and you take the breast or bottle away. If you don't like the doctor I would definitely switch, because if s/he is so misinformed about such basic information then I would be concerned about what else is wrong.
I have heard that feeding at night can cause children's teeth to rot but I have heard more of that with formula in a bottle given to a baby at night to get them to sleep. I have 3 children and I nursing my youngest who just turned 1 and he wakes up each night and I feed him. I did this with my other 2 children until they were weaned at about 18 months. My eldest child is 8 and she and I get complements from her dentist about her teeth and how nice and white and healthy they are. She has no cavities or any teeth/gum problems so as for my experience nursing at night didn't cause any issues with my children's teeth and I am continuing to nurse at night until he is ready to stop.
I would recommend reading literature by Dr. Sears and le leche league. It seems that your doctor is giving you incorrect information. I have found that other moms are the best source of information on breastfeeding, not doctors. Keep breastfeeding. Stop only when you or your baby is ready.
