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Comfort feeding during teething - asking for trouble?

17 replies

Zinger · 16/11/2004 10:12

We are now in Week 6 of Teething Hell. Prior to this, DD was sleeping 12 hours a night and I'm terrified of destroying her good sleep habits. However, when she's up and in pain several times a night, sometimes for up to 3 hours at a time (in spite of all the pain relief I can offer her), one's resolve does go out of the window. I've been regularly putting her in our bed when desperate, but even that doesn't always work. Occasionally I've breastfed her after an hour or two, and am now tempted to just start doing that as soon as she wakes. Last night, for example, she was up screaming pretty much all evening from about 8-12; at 12.30 I fed her and she slept in our bed for the rest of the night.

The thing is, for various important reasons (trust me on this!), I need to give up breastfeeding this month. DD hasn't had night feeds for months (and also eats incredibly well during the day) so these comfort feeds seem like a really backward step which will interfere with phasing out breastfeeding and set up new, bad sleep habits.

But how do I survive otherwise? I can't do the hours on end of walking round the bedroom cuddling a screaming baby any more - either she or I am going to end up thrown out of the window!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Zinger · 16/11/2004 10:23

PLEASE help on this!

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geordie · 16/11/2004 10:39

hi there,

I was in a similar position to you about 3 weeks ago (except not gicing up bf). However I am ttc so no night feeds please as this inhibitsd fertility!!

What I did was.....
NElsons teething powders on bedtime and if waking during the night. Basically then controlled crying. On a bad night I move his cot into our room and slept with my hand on his chest which seemed to help! Last night he woke at 1.30...normally we leave him and within 10 mins he goes back to sleep (controlled crying does work!) but last night he wouldn't so I gave him a teething powder..dh gave him a long cuddle in the dark and put him down- no crying he went to sleep.

The other thing you might try (we haven't needed to YET!) is medised- which is a painkiller that makes them sleepy.

If you don't want to feed you could try offering cooled boiled water...as the sucking thing is comfort in pain...but I wouldn't offer milk in case she starts to wake up hungry in the night.

HTH

Zinger · 16/11/2004 10:43

Thanks geordie - we've tried Nelsons & Medised, but not water or cc - will try water in the first instance - useful tip, thanks

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nailpolish · 16/11/2004 10:50

that is a good tip about the water - it is the sucking they look for for comfort. zinger you have my wholehearted sympathy, you poor thing

Zinger · 16/11/2004 10:52

Thanks np

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lockets · 16/11/2004 10:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Zinger · 16/11/2004 10:54

Thanks locket. Yes, I'm going to take her to HV / GP if this continues

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Zinger · 16/11/2004 10:55

locketS, sorry

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cockle · 16/11/2004 12:06

I want to start ttc and am having similar problems giving up breastfeeding during teething zinger. Will try the water thing too

cockle · 16/11/2004 13:16

bump

Zinger · 16/11/2004 18:24

Thanks cockle. Let me know how you get on

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spod · 16/11/2004 18:59

i comfort feed during teething if necessary,,, when teething over dd goes back to normal sleep pattern no real problem. I wouldnt do cc when babe is poorly or teething.... dont think it would work anyhow as they are crying because they are ill/in pain, not because they dont want to sleep. it would send the wrong message. Could you try co-sleeping when she's teething without actually feeding?

Zinger · 17/11/2004 13:06

Thanks spod. Not planning cc. Having given DD a full feed the night before last and co-slept with her all night, last night she slept all night in her cot with no feed (only woke at 10.30 for some pain relief, then slept right through till the morning). So I feel reassured that I can do the comfort feeding and co-sleeping thing occasionally without destroying her good sleep habits altogether. Will also start using bottles in the night if necessary once I've phased out breastfeeding, although I'm not sure if they'll be as comforting as b/f?

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lulupop · 17/11/2004 13:56

MEDISED. It is wonderful in this kind of situation.

Like Calpol except with sedative effects of an anti-histamine as well. The pain relief aspect will help with the teeth, and the sedative bit will keep her asleep longer.

Feeding her in the night is likely to lead to her expecting it when she's not teething, too.

bundle · 17/11/2004 13:57

anbesol liquid on gums numbs enough to take their mind off it. fabulous stuff.

Zinger · 17/11/2004 14:30

Have tried anbesol, calpol, medised, nurofen, teetha, ashton & parsons ...

She really is in a lot of pain and when she's been up for 3 hours screaming, believe me, only a feed will do. lulupop, hopefully last night's experience means she can get through OK without a feed when not teething. But I will be careful.

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Zinger · 17/11/2004 14:30

Oh, also calgel, bonjela ....

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