The Nursing Baby - Q&A

My seven month old breast/Enfamil AR baby wakes all night to nurse. She won't sleep in her crib, she only wants to sleep with Mommy and Daddy or the swing. My real concern is when she gets teeth. My sister is still nursing her son in a family bed at two years old, his front teeth rotted. I don't know what to do, considering weaning because I only nurse at night/nap time do to spitting up of breastmilk anyways.

Rest assured, breastfeeding does not cause tooth decay. In fact, teeth bathed in breastmilk actually get stronger. "Baby bottle mouth" is exactly that - the tooth decay is most often caused by bottles of liquids (milk, formula, or juice) and sometimes by foods. Baby's teeth should be brushed as soon as they erupt twice a day according to your dentist's instructions. Your nephew's teeth rotting are probably due to several factors, such as heredity, prenatal difficulties, and/or diet. There is a great article at Kelly's Attachment Parenting site which lists some of the up to date research in this area.

You will have to be wary of your dentist's recommendations in this area. The studies revealing breastmilk's relationship to caries have mostly been carried out quite recently and I don't believe too many dentists are aware of it yet.

Keep in mind breastfeeding's other great effect on teeth. Babies that are breastfed to two years are 50% less likely to need orthodontic correction. Breastfeeding is essential for proper jaw development - no bottle can replicate correctly the force required for a baby to nurse.

On another note, you may want to try eliminating common allergens from your diet to eliminate the spitting up. A common culprit includes milk (look for casein and whey on labels).

These tips are not intended to be medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have questions.

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