Older babies feeding constantly whilst teething?

[clemette]

Is this normal?
DS is 12 months and is a big feeder normally, but he has started waking every 45 minutes through the night and will only sleep with my nipple in his mouth.
Is this linked to teething (he is cutting three teeth)? Someone told me that breastmilk is a natural anaesthetic - does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks, Sam

No definitive answer for you but my DS is 5 months and teething. All day long he has been comfort feeding himself to sleep (which he hasn't done for ages). He normally feeds every three hours but today has been on and off and on and off and on and off...

Not sure if it's anaesthetic or comfort but it's doing the trick for him.

Thank you. I wish I could find the place where I read it. Nappy brain...

bump?

My ds3 (10mths) is the same, gone off food and just wants to comfort feed all day.

Interesting theory about natural anaesthetic, if you remember where you heard it I'd like to know more too.

Yes! That makes sense to me. My LO is 12 months and finally getting teeth - she has been feeding a lot more than normal - it is the only thing that comforts her and it does seem to ease the pain in her mouth somehow - weird (and clever) hey! And here too she is off her food.

I am relieved I didn't stop breastfeeding - I was tempted to stop a couple of weeks ago as I have been ill for a month with a virus and thought that I may be more run down due to breastfeeding.

piximon, they told us about that in scbu in John Radcliffe Oxford. It is however apparently the sucking not the milk. In oxford they encourage dummies if mum cannot bf during medical procedures that may be uncomfortable.

www.babyfriendly.org.uk/items/research_detail.asp?item=429&nodeid=

(about prem babies but...)