Teething doesn't mean the end of bf does it?

[Moulesfrites]

I know that it can't, as people bf toddlers, but am sick of people, particularly mil, sucking air in through her teeth when I say I want to continue bf even though it appears that ds, nearly 12 weeks, is an early teether. Do you have any retorts or hints for getting through this?

When the teeth first come through you can feel them, but they quickly learn to shield them with their tongue. What you will find is that each new tooth requires a day or so of them learning to reposition slightly.

The other thing is that lots of babies show signs of teething as young as your DS then the teeth don't appear for months.

FWIW I am still BF my 4 yo who has a mouthful of teeth

Of course it doesn't mean the end of bf-ing!

FWIW DD was a drool monster at 9 weeks and everyone started telling me it was the first sign of teething. She didn't cut her first tooth until she was 10.5m old. Still bf-ing, she has never bitten me, in fact I wouldn't have known she had teeth if I hadn't seen them. So biting isn't inevitable.

Some babies get a bit bitey with their first teeth and generally the advice is to take them off each time they bite and say 'No' assertively to reinforce that they can't do this. I'd guess early teethers may take longer to get the message, but the early teethers I know are still being bf at 1+ so it must be possible.

As for what to do about MIL, I'd tell her you've done some research and teething only sometimes causes problems and when it does there are things you can do about it so lets cross that bridge if we come to it. And then leave her to suck air through her teeth if she wants to. Her teeth, her choice, your breasts, your choice.

My DS showed signs of teething (according to random strangers on the street etc) from about 10 weeks. I wasn't convinced. DS is now 23 weeks and one little toothypeg popped through last weekend and we are still bf happily, not really noticed it. I did however notice the two weeks of waking every 45 mins!

They are called milk teeth for a reason! Ask your MiL what she thinks that reason is, I wonder what she'll say And some babies are born with teeth, should they not be BF at all?

Tell her a friend of mine was born with teeth, does she think she shouldn't have ever been bfed??

I think i will have a lot of people telling me its time to stop when ds gets some - he's 7m and no sign yet so I think they'll all think I've gone on long enough as it is.

My MIL maintains that babies don't get teeth until you stop bfing them .

It's also not possible to feed past one year because by then the breasts have been "sucked dry".

She is genuinely astonished that I am still able to produce milk for 22 month old DD, who of course has most of her milk teeth .

My DS has very recently cut his first tooth at 8.5 months, and that evening he bit me TWICE. Grrr, it hurt. Generally if he bites it means he's not interested in feeding, so off he comes. What I'm not sure about is what will happen when he gets his top teeth in... I can imagine this being really really painful if he bites! Eek!