Is there an 'extended' breastfeeding support thread?

[Unrulysun]

Or would I be better off on LLL?

Just read the 'school-age children' thread with interest but didn't want to derail :)

dd is 1 today so it's not 'extended' bf by any normal definition but judging by the number of 'Are you going to carry on breastfeeding her?' (yes because otherwise she'll be composed primarily of grapes) conversations I've had inflicted on me in the last week I think I'm going to need all the support I can get

so proud we made it this far - ha ha!

Hello to the recent newcomers !

I've been lurking for a while, since picking everyone's brains earlier in the thread. I'm also not qualified to be here, as DS has BF for only 9 months so far. This means that I can't offer any advice UnsureRightNow, but hopefully someone more experienced will be along soon.

Does anyone know if there are any dental implications to extended BFing?

Thanks all for thoughts. Still not quite sure what to do but, hey ho...

Tallulah - so sorry to hear about your chemo. Hope it goes well. Wow, you've done well to keep bfing for so long, and it's such a shame to be forced to end it when you and DD aren't yet ready. Hope you both cope okay with it - I think it might be easier for her to understand knowing that it's because you're needing medicine.

Thanks Cleverlythings

Re Tooth decay www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/tooth-decay.html

Thanks for the link UnsureRightNow, that's reassuring.

Can I ask what age everyone took their DC to the dentist for the 1st time? I planned to have done this by now (9 months) .

DS was there at my last check up (he was just turned 1 I think) and the dentist wasn't interested in seeing him till he was at least 2. I was a bit disappointed!

Am about 2 months overdue a check up now , he will be there anyway so I might try to get him a shot in the chair or something. (He did have a go in one at 8 days old when he had his tongue tie snipped, doubt he remembers that one :))

He's got plenty of teeth now and i am totally paranoid about my brushing effectiveness, he's not as keen on it as he was at first...

I was at the dentist with ds1 last week and we made an appointment for november and the receptionist booked ds2 in as well. He will be around 20 months by then. Up until now they haven't wanted to see him.

In my scientific study of 1, ds1 has beautiful teeth, and he's had breastmilk at bedtime after brushing teeth, and through the night, for 5.7 years now. DS2's teeth are beautiful too, but he's only had them for 8 months!!

I put ds1 to bed last night (DH has been doing it) and he didn't ask for milk. This morning when I mentioned that he hadn't asked he said "I thought about asking but decided not to as milk is boring". However it wasn't boring this morning when he asked. But this is a great sign that he's getting over it!!!

tallulah I hope it went ok this morning.

I went to the dentist a couple of months ago and she told me to bring DS (now 9m) to the next check up just to start getting him used to coming and to see me having a checkup.

hi, may I join in? DS is 20 months, still feeding 2-3 times a day. I'm getting a lot of pressure from DH and rest of family to stop. DH is being good about it, and has accepted that I've planned to feed until DS is 2, but rest of family keep telling me how disgusting it is :( particularly maddening is sis who had her first 6 weeks ago, and is only feeding him expressed milk once of twice a day, but ffeeding the rest of the time - because her DP doesn't want to feel left out. She has told me REPEATEDLY how disgusting I am to stll be bfing a 'little boy'. It's quite disheartening.

however, DS now calls it 'bilk' and shrieks 'bilk!' at me when he sees me in the morning :) he asks DH for bilk too, and DH explains that only mummy provides bilk :o And he has been patting his keyworker on the boob at nursery and saying 'bilk?' to her? I just beat a hasty retreat when I saw that!! it's good though, as he calls cow milk 'milk', so we now have a ready made word for breastmilk in our family!

Thanks truthsweet and others for their replies on using a dummy and co sleeping. Although my dd is now 14 months and happy in her own cot at night its reassuring to hear.

kveta, that's so lovely to hear about bilk! That made me smile. It's lovely that you bf your ds and so sad that your sister has such a view. Most people who choose to bf do not pass comment on mothers who choose to formula feed. If it was my sister I'd find it hard to bite my tongue given that she us bring so direct and unreasonable to you. Could you quietly ask her if she doesn't have something nice to saynot to bother saying it at all? It's so upsetting when close friends and family are so negative.

Re. The dentist, in Scotland there is a initiative called Childsmile, where your dc gets an initial appointment with a dental nurse. My was first seen around 9 months by the nurse. It was really only an advice session...they asked about diet etc and gave advice if needed. At 2 my dd will get s fluoride coating on her teeth and will prob see a dentist age 3. Not sure if this scheme is only in Scotland? We get free toothbrush/toothpaste/sippy cups if you register (its available to everyone regardless of income) and we registered through our health visitor.

My dd is taking less and less interest in feeding. This morning she slept later than usual and refused a feed. I was leaving for work so she was a little distracted as her grandparents had arrived to look after her. Last night she fed for about 20 minutes and I tried switch feeding. She seemed more interested because she was getting a short let down every time we switched. Will keep trying this and see if it boosts ny supply. Feel that her lack of interest is linked to my slow supply but its hard to.break the cycle as she won't feed for long enough to boost my supply. My dh says I should be expressing and he us probably right...I thought id seen the last of my pump for now but will dig it out tonight :(

ooh harverina we have had the free cup/brush/paste, but I have somehow failed to hear about the coating etc.

We'll see the HV for his 2 year inspection I guess so maybe bring it up then...

First dental check up for Ds was at about 7 months I think. Dd was about a year, but wouldn't open her mouth! she finally let the dentist see her teeth this year in March aged 4.3

Thanks for all of the replies about taking DC to the dentist for the 1st time.

haverina, thanks for the info - the Childsmile website is very interesting and informative (even though I live in England!).

My dentist said to take DS at 18 months but the first visit or two was mostly about getting him used to the idea.

:(, Kveta, at your sister.

thanks all - I have decided the best way to deal with sis is to ignore her, we don't live near her. I'd love to meet my nephew though!

the dentist info is interesting - ours said to bring DS in when he could walk, so off we trotted at 9 months (when I had an appt too) and the dentist said 'bring him back when he can talk', so I'm tempted to go in now :o he did clarify that the first appt would be between 2 and 3 years, and before that just to bring him when I have my appt. Which is a pain - last time, DS screamed blue murder the whole time, and so the dentist barely took a look at my mouth. So I paid for a balloon, in effect

toothbrushing is very hit and miss here. I try and swaddle him in a towel and brush them myself once a week, but other than that, we've used a brushbaby for a few months.

DS hates having his teeth brushed but we do brush twice a day none the less. Just trybto get all his teeth. Started off using a baby tooth brush but gave bought him his own head for my electric brush and use that instead now. Although he still screams through most of it, I can at least be more confident that I'm 'getting' all his teeth properly.

Must take him to the dentist though have been putting it off.

I remember those swaddling, sitting astride, screaming, fighting and crying tooth brushing days well. It was exhausting!
Dd is much better at it now and lets me brush daily for her. I started off by telling her there were bugs in her mouth eating away at her teeth and that we had to get them! it seemed to do the trick and made it a bug exterminating game. Now she still has the bug idea but is much more willing to brush without thinking of them!

My Ds went through exactly the same thing and now at almost 13, he's good when he remembers to brush... but he is a boy!!!

tallulah thinking of you and hoping you're ok.

cleverly Call me what you like . My friends call me Rots.

harverina Crikey, that's tough :( I don't suppose your sister would respond to a curt "I don't criticise your FF, so please don't criticise my BF?". Or point out that babies and children are given milk and it's seen to be pretty essential, so surely the milk from one's own species is best? After all, formula companies are trying to get in there up to age 4.

Just catching up with the thread... Talullah, hope it's going well. What a great start for your dd to be bf till 4.2.

Good to read about the teeth thing as I read "how weaning happens" last week and there's a case study in there about tooth decay in a bf toddler which really freaked me out even though I've read the kellymom info before.

Loving hearing about all these bf toddlers who are older than mine!

Just getting myself back on the thread, have been away for half term staying at my mum's. Was lovely to have someone else doing all the cooking etc for once (I think I even came back with more clean washing than dirty ). And my mum managed to restrain herself to just one 'you're getting a big girl for that now' comment .

With regards to teeth, think the first time I took DS was about 2yrs ish (he had stopped bf by then, but I was more worried about his thumb sucking at the time). I think the first time he wouldn't open his mouth so the first time his teeth were checked was more like 3yrs (they were fine). DD has been coming with us to family appts, last time she sat on my lap in the chair and sucked on the little mirror on a stick but wouldn't actually open up - she's nearly 2y6m.

Ooh, interesting to hear about the dental checks - I had a wobble the other day and was reassured by the Kellymom stuff, but need to take DS to dentist soonish.

We have been pretty lax, just trying at bathtime each evening mostly, and until recently with DS doing it himself. But have been trying to start off ourselves and then hand over to him, plus doing it some mornings too.

We've been going since the DDs were 6m each (two different dental surgeries) though DD2's hatred of medical personnel also extends to dentists so she usually refuses any more than a cursory look around. DD1's love of meidcal personnel also extends to dentists so loves having a good poke around her mouth/x-rays (had one to make sure she had lost all of the tooth she knocked out falling down the stairs at 3y/o).

With DD3, the only one who feeds in the evening/night, has her teeth cleaned and then she has a feed afterwards. She does have a drink of water after her feed though.

Oh and re. my cock up with physics/maths - DH (the brains of the operation) explained all to me but the jist of it is that you don't protect your children from least severe kind of accident (common or not), you protect your children from the most severe and life threatening (rare or not).

He would rather we protect our children from internal decaptiation than soft tissue damage (bruising/swelling).

Kvetabarry my parents and one sister react in the same way. We had a massive argument a while back about it where I was told 'You have proven your point, you can stop feeding now' (WTF!?) and 'It's looks awful/disgusting' It really really hurt and although we have drawn a line under it I haven't had an apology and feel sad that my own family don't support me.

DD was 'messing' again at bedtime. Asked her if she was getting any milk and she said no and sadly shook her head I squeezed and milk is readily there (albeit a small amount) and she latched on but it is an irritating feeling, as though she's not quite on. Have asked if her teeth are sore but she says not :S

Oh ffs please ignore my 2nd post above I got a bit confused between ebf and erf threads