When will baby "SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT"?

Good question.

There are a lot of different theories on this topic and it is pretty widely debated. Bottom line, do what feels right.

And know that baby will sleep through the night when he/she is good and ready...

For those of you at the point where baby DOES sleep through the night but then a month later (or so) he/she starts waking again, wanting to nurse,please know that this is normal. Your 4 month old is not manipulating you. They do not have the developmental capacity to do so. He/She is simply meeting the needs of his/her body. Your baby is likely having a growth spurt OR is simply at the age where they are easily distracted during the day and probably not getting all the calories they need. Starting around 4 months, babies tend to have a hard time focusing on breastfeeding and tuning out all the fun and interesting things going on around them. Night time is when they make up for lost calories they missed during the day. Think about it: night time is quiet, dark and there are basically no distractions!

You can try to help limit this by feeding baby in a quiet, dark room during the day and feeding as often as possible, even if they are short feeds. This will minimize night time feedings to some extent if not all together. (This advice comes from a Certified Lactation Consultant)

For those of you with babies who still insist on getting up during the night to eat, be patient. This too shall pass. :o) I'm right there with ya!

HERE is a great article on this subject.

There is also tons of good info on Kellymom.com, too!

*** Side Note: It might also help you to get more sleep if you bring baby into your room, either in bed or in a crib, so you don't have to trek to another room to get baby in the night for a feeding. The less baby wakes from crying to get fed, the more easily he/she will likely go back to sleep during the night.

The sidelying position can also help you rest/sleep during the night when baby wants to nurse. If you do not feel comfortable in this position, talk to a lactation consultant or someone who has used this position successfully. They may be able to help you figure out how to make it work and it really makes a huge difference, especially during night time feedings. I use it during the day when I need a little rest, too! Its really quite nice.

TV: Good or Bad?

I found this on the AAP website:

From the American Academy of Pediatrics:
"Children of all ages are constantly learning new things. The first 2 years of life are especially important in the growth and development of your child's brain. During this time, children need good, positive interaction with other children and adults. Too much television can negatively affect early brain development. This is especially true at younger ages, when learning to talk and play with others is so important. Until more research is done about the effects of TV on very young children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend television for children age 2 or younger. For older children, the Academy recommends no more than 1 to 2 hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs."

Babywise: why its not a wise idea

I have had a couple people encourage me to read a book called "On Becoming Babywise" by Pastor Gary Ezzo (who has no medical background) but since I had already heard about some of the philosophies contained in the book, I was pretty sure it wasn't something I would be interested in. I'm more of an attachment parenting sorta Mom.

HERE is an article on some of the risks associated with following the Babywise book.

I respect other parents rights to parent how they feel comfortable, however, I draw the line when a child suffers. We all need to make sure we are well informed as parents, meaning we can't just read one book and call it good. No matter what you are considering for your baby, make sure it can be well supported by sound medical evidence, research and the AAP, WHO or other well known, well respected organizations.

Vitamin D

We just went to Colin's 4 month check-up on Tuesday and our Pediatrician mentioned starting solids. I was surprised and mentioned the AAP guidelines, as well as recommendations by WHO not to start solids until 6 months - exclusively breastfeeding until then was best. He back-tracked and agreed.

This opened the door for conversation about starting solids later. I approached the topic cautiously, knowing full well that exclusively breastfeeding beyond 6 months is not widely accepted, though there is limited research to show that it is actually harmful for babies in developed countries whose mothers are well nourished. What little research there is points to third world countries and malnourished mothers who are breastfeeding. Naturally if they are deficient, then so will their babies be at some point....

Anywho, I mentioned breastfeeding exclusively till 7-8 months as I sensed some tension. The Pediatrician launched into an argument that Vitamin D would not be produced in breastmilk sufficient for baby's needs. Agreed. However, the only natural way to get Vitamin D is through sun exposure (not the baking or burning kind, but limited healthy amounts which are good) and Colin does get small amounts of healthy sun exposure through out the week. The Pediatrician argued that he should have sun screen on. And I agree that when out in the sun for extended periods during peak sun exposure, it is good to use sun screen but if you always use it, you won't be able to absorbed the natural rays for the sun which aid the body in synthesizing Vitamin D. When we take supplements, our bodies can't regulate them as well.

So, for those of you wondering about Vitamin D deficiency in your baby, HERE is a great link with tons of great info on how much sunlight is needed for adequate vitamin D, how much is contained in mom's breastmilk, as well as quotes & recommendations from AAP & WHO.

At the bottom of the link on KellyMom.com there is a link to JOURNAL ARTICLES which has a list of research that has been done on the topic of Vitamin D.

I still plan on exclusively breastfeeding beyond 6 months. Colin was born nearly a month pre-mature and if keeping his adjusted age in mind (you always want to adjust baby's age, if he/she was premature for every mile stone, especially for the first year) then he wouldn't be ready for solids until 7 months. I feel that there is some compelling evidence that starting solids at 6 months is not the most beneficial time for all babies, or even most babies. It seems unreasonable and unwise to have a "hard & fast" rule for when all babies should do anything. They all do things a little different and grow at their own pace. And we should let them.

For those of you interested in this also, I will post some info and links to help you decide if this is right for your baby.

Happy Breastfeeding!

"Momsicles"

A Helpful Mom posted this link for "Momsicles" for babies who are teething. This is a great alternative to other frozen solids if you are wanted to keep exclusively breastfeeding. Thanks Brady!

http://www.mother-2-mother.com/momsicles.htm

I made a variation of this breastmilk popsicle and at first Colin wasn't sure about it, but he was curious. If nothing else, it distracted him enough so he stopped crying! ;)

I offered it to him in a Sassy Teether Feeder. You can check them out HERE on Amazon (cheap). Or HERE at BabiesRus.com (convenient). HERE is a link to the mesh replacements on Amazon.com. Another couple of options are the Munchkin brand, or the Nuby brand. I have a friend that has the Munchkin brand and says its hard to clean because the mesh bag does not come out like the Sassy and Nuby brand. Another friend has the Nuby and she loves it! HERE is a link to the Nuby on Amazon.com. HERE is the link to the Munchkin brand on Amazon.com. Sassy also makes a pink/purple one for those of you with girls... though I can't find it as cheap.

I had some extra fabric that I decided to sew into an alternate feeder for the Sassy feeder. The texture seemed to be more appealing to baby. I used a lightweight silk type fabric (and had to hand sew it because I couldn't get it to go through the sewing machine without getting jammed!) At first he just licked at it, but after a couple of times offering it, he started to suck on it and pretty soon the whole cube was gone. It can get a little messy, but nothing that a bib can't handle.

I poured breastmilk about half way up in an ice cube tray and that size fit great in the Sassy Teether Feeder.

Have fun experiementing!

Teething: When Baby Bites the Breast

My little one is about 3 1/2 months old now and I fear that he is not only teething but possibly has a tiny tooth popping through. This has made me very interested in how breastfeeding will change, if at all, once my baby has teeth. I found this article at Kellymom.com on breastfeeding once baby has teeth and I found it helpful.

You can read the full article HERE.

These are some tips on PREVENTING BITING.

And this is some advice on what to do if baby does bite you. I was told by a lactation consultant that if baby bites you while at the breast you should gentle press him/her into your breast. By doing this you will occlude his/her airway and he/she will let go to breathe. I tried this the other day and it worked very well. Colin looked a little surprised but he let go and then happily latched back on and continued to nurse without biting me. Much better!

Good luck! Hopefully you will not have this problem.

Toxins & Baby Toys

Have you seen labels recently that state they are "BPA Free" and wondered what that is all about? I have. I found this article at Mothering.com that explains what these toxins are, where they are found and why they are dangerous.

Here are a few quotes:

What's the Concern?

"Phthalates (pronounced THAY-lates), a class of chemicals used to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic soft and flexible, can be found in such products as toys, teething rings, shower curtains, lotions, and cosmetics. Exposure to phthalates has been linked to cancer, infertility, premature breast development in girls,² and genital birth defects in boys.³ Young children can be exposed to phthalates by chewing on plastic toys, or through skin contact with lotions and shampoos that contain them.

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 75 percent of the participants tested had detectible levels of phthalates in their bodies.⁴ This finding has triggered alarm among some scientists because exposure to phthalates—which are known to interfere with the body's own hormones—can result in birth defects and developmental delays in babies born to mothers who were exposed during pregnancy.

Dr. Shanna Swan, professor and associate chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, found that baby boys born to mothers with high levels of phthalates had increased rates of a genital defect that had previously been seen only in lab animals.⁵

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to make hard, clear, polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and other containers. It is also used in dental sealants and in the lining of food and beverage cans. BPA mimics the hormone estrogen, and may interfere with brain-cell development,⁶ as well as with biological processes that rely on estrogen, such as ovulation and reproduction. Studies have shown that BPA leaches out of polycarbonate containers⁷ and metal cans,⁸ and have linked exposure to BPA to cancer, impaired immune function, early puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems.^9"

^{Read the full article HERE.}

Avoiding Cavities on Baby Teeth

I was looking for information on teething and I came across this article from La Leche League International on caring for baby teeth and preventing cavities. It also talks about the benefits of breastfeeding in preventing cavities and discusses the misguided advice to refrain from breastfeeding at night. I thought it was worth passing along. :)

Here are a few quotes from the article:

"Dr. Brian Palmer, DDS, is one of the most outspoken and well-known defenders of breastfeeding as it relates to dental caries. He believes that early childhood caries are a relatively new phenomenon. Palmer has examined the skulls of prehistoric to early historic infants and children in various museums. Less than 1.4 percent of teeth that were examined had decay. It seems improbable that human milk would cause decay[...]Palmer suggests, it would be "evolutionary suicide for human milk to cause decay."

"More information comes from two different studies in which researchers compared the effects of modern-day artificial baby milk (formula) and human milk on some factors believed to contribute to dental caries. Their studies showed vital differences between human milk and most formulas. First, they found that human milk does not significantly lower the pH in the mouth, while almost all brands of artificial baby milk did. The bacteria that is thought to significantly contribute to decay, Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) thrives in a low pH. Second, most formulas supported significant bacterial growth, while human milk supported only moderate bacterial growth. Third, formulas were found to dissolve tooth enamel (the outer layer of teeth), while human milk actually deposited calcium and phosphorus into enamel (a process known as remineralization). Researchers also concluded that human milk is not cariogenic (does not cause cavities) unless another source of carbohydrates is available for bacteria to feed on. Most artificial baby milk formulas tested were cariogenic (Erickson 1999)."

Kellymom.com has an article on "Is Breastfeeding Linked to Tooth Decay?" and at the bottom of the article there is a long list of references and other articles to read. You can find it HERE.