Night feeding and tooth decay

Hi all
I want to start by saying this forum has been a wealth of information and reassurance for me - so much so that i've hardly needed to ask anything myself.

My DS is 3months old - so I am getting a little ahead of myself, but....
We are co-sleeping and demand breastfeeding, so he feeds right through the night.
Yesterday the MHN said that when they get teeth you need be limiting feeding at night because the sugars in the milk cause serious tooth decay - cue scary pictures!- she was mostly referring to formula, but when i asked about breastmilk she said that by that stage you shouldn't be night feeding much anyway.
I can't say for certain of course - but i assume that even when he gets his first teeth we will still be feeding quite a bit through the night.
I am just wanting to make sure that he is not going to end up with teeth like in the horrid pictures. Knowing I disagree with most things the MHN has told us is the 'way things are done' ie sleeping, weaning, breastfeeding, solids etc etc, i am sure that it is really fine?????

I hope that made sense

I think there might be some confusion between a night feed and putting the baby to bed with a bottle.

If you get the bub up and feed them either BF or bottle, the feed is over when you put them back to bed, but putting the baby to bed with the bottle there is the risk that the mouth has milk in it for a lot longer. Especially if they are going to sleep with a the teat in the mouth like a dummy that is what is more likely causes the tooth decay.
Some parents also put the baby to bed with cordial or juice too which does shocking damage to the teeth. I've seen a case of this IRL.

I researched this once before and posted it somewhere, it was an article - but I can't find it! LOL. Breastfeeding won't cause tooth decay for a few reasons. The action of sucking a breast means the milk hardly touches the teeth in the first place (apparently different for bottles). Breastmilk actually has tooth protecting stuff in it (lol - how's that for technical terms? :) ) Can't think of any more off the top of my head.. but essentially night feeds are not going to harm their teeth. Even if they fall asleep at the breast, the milk doesn't pool around their teeth like it does with a bottle.

Oh, and night feeds can go on for aaaages (way beyond 4 months when the can start teething) so don't let the MCHN make you feel bad if you find yourself still doing plenty of night feeds later on!

Thanks, that is great info, I feel heaps better, and that totally makes sense.
I think as far as the MCHN is concerned they just give you the info they have on what the majority do, with no real insight into the alternative options.(feels ridiculous using those words for what feels completely natural!)

Hi,

Your instincts are spot on this time! breastfeeding actually protects against dental caries! Night-time breastfeeding is par for the course with breastfeeding, and, of course, teethcome through long before breastfeeding stops.
Have a listen to this podcast - brought to you courtesy of the Australian Breastfeeding Association. MumsRight Podcast
It's brilliant. Lots of people including Health Professionals get breastfeeding and bottlefeeding mixed up, and try to apply the same principles for both.

Sounds like you are doing a great job with your little one
Regards
Barb

My little chomper has 6 teeth and still demand feeds over night - anywhere up to 4 times. The only problem I have is the little startle she does when still attached - youch! :rolleyes:

OMG, do we have the same MCHN??? Mine would NOT believe me when I told her recent research refutes this in the case of breastfeeding. She asked how long ago I had read it, I said within the last few months. Then she asked where, I told her academic journals...still didn't want a bar of it - I mean, what would I know? Not only must I have crap instincts, but what would the researchers who shape best practice know?? :rolleyes: Turns out I know a lot more about BFing than she does, in terms of education, merely because of my involvement with ABA and the way I've weaved BFing into my uni assignments, where possible :P
I know I joked about our nurses being one and the same, but the scary thing is that there are heaps more versions of my MCHN out there administering misinformation...

If you're worried about tooth decay and breastfeeding, Weston Price foundation has good info. There is a book called "Cure Tooth Decay" by Ramiel Nagel that has a GREAT explanation of how tooth decay occurs and how to stop it. It has nothing to do with breastfeeding. I loved the book because it was the first explanation that's made logical sense and fit in with our own experiences.

Wow. My son got his first teeth at 4.5 months and is still feeding many times overnight... it's sad how little these MCHN's understand about the importance of BFing, night feeds, attachment. What do they study??

The new ones will be up to speed, but I fear they, too, will get left behind on best practice. They go to the professional development sessions, get their names ticked off and may or may not pay attention to what is being presented. I have friends who see this happen in nursing circles! Not very comforting, is it?

I've got to credit my MCHN there. She was going on about solids from 4 months but then the next time I saw her it was all about 'around 6 months'. I'm guessing she had been to a professional development day and changed her tune. Good on her for rolling with it I say :D
I also told her we're vegetarian so my son will be and she straight away started giving me all this positive info on veggie kids that she had received from a professional development.

Awesome, Ren! I'm envious of you for scoring a good one ;)