Breastfeeding a Toddler: One Mom's Perspective

A friend of mine passed along this link about a Mom who is breastfeeding her toddler (3 yrs) and she expresses some of her feelings about the experiences she has had doing so. I enjoyed it so I'm passing it on, too.

http://www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/it-may-be-time-to-wean-my-three-year-old/

Teething Product Review

Since Colin is in the midst of teething, I've tried quite a few teething toys to ease his pain. These are a few that I like, and a few that have been recommended to me.

Sassy Cuddle Dolls:
What we like about this toy:
- The hands are made from wood and are very smoothe & Colin enjoys chewing/sucking on them
- Colorful design keeps him interested
- Soft cuddly body is safe for when Colin starts shaking it around
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free

Sassy Butterfly Teether:

Why we love this toy:
- Medium soft/hard plastic for teething
- Bumpy texture for interest
- Can be chilled for soothing sore gums
- Easy for babies 5 months+ to hold onto (slightly on the heavy side for its size)
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free
- Pretty inexpensive: $4.99 on Amazon, Walmart also carries it

Infantino Ring-A-Links:
Why Colin likes these:
- Simple design, easy for little babies to hold
- Textured for interest
- Hard, but some have a soft rubbery texture, too
- Easy to take anywhere and attach to almost anything to keep them from falling on the ground
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free
- Very cheap: $2.99-$3.99 at Target/Walmart/BRU/Etc.

Infantino Water-filled Teether:What I like about it:
- Simple and sometimes simple just works so well ;)
- You can put in the fridge to make it cold and its got a very slight texture
- Easy enough for little babies to handle it
- Colin uses this almost daily

Bright Starts Snuggle & Teethe:

Colin likes it sometimes...
- It is soft and makes a crinkle noise when touched
- The feet are a somewhat hard somewhat soft plastic, for teething (Colin doesn't really teethe on them... occasionally he will put them in his mouth but not all that often.)
- Walmart has them for $6 and I think Target is about the same price - maybe a little cheaper.

Fisher Price Monkey Teether:

This one just gets an "Eh..." from Colin:
- Its hard and there is nothing soft on it - not very hospitable for those sore gums
- More of a rattle toy, which he likes for a few seconds at a time
- To be honest, we hardle use it and I'm not even sure where it is at the moment....
- Cheap: $2.99 at Walmart
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free

One of my absolute FAVORITES:

Nuby Soft Silicone Soother Stage OneAll I could find online was a lame picture of the case... HERE is a link to Walmart's site with a picture of the actual teething toy.

Why Colin (and I) love it:
- It 100% silicone so it is super soft and easy to clean
- It has little massaging nubs/teeth that Colin loves to chew on
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free
- Comes with a handy plastic case to keep the teether clean while in your bag (since its made of silicone it is a magnet for lint/hair so I appreciate the "sanitary case", as they call it ;)
- Cheap! $3.99 at Walmart

FYI: This teether comes in stages. This one is the stage one, but there are two more stages for the progression of teething depending on which teeth are emerging. Very cool. I think we will eventually get the other two, as well.



Nuby Jiggle & Giggle Vibrating Teether:

Why I like it:
- easy for little hands to hold
- can be chilled in the fridge for comfort teething
- soft silicone side that vibrates when pressed
- very easy for little ones to figure out - within seconds of handing it to Colin, he figured out how to make it vibrate on his gums and held it there for a long time.
- replaceable batteries! It takes one AAA battery, and it includes a battery when you buy it so baby can use it immediately (which is what we needed that morning! lol)
- The product claims to decrease swelling and discomfort associate with teething and from the way Colin loves it & plays with it all the time, I'd have to agree. :)
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free!

Where you can find it:
Walmart has it the cheapest that I have seen - online it advertises $6.88 but I think I paid $4.99.
Amazon offers it through Kohls but it's $10.

Similar products:
Walmart also sells a Nuby Alligator, Cow and Elephant in the same series with the butterfly. They are each a little different. The Alligator vibrates but doesn't have the cool gel (that I can see).


A friend of mine recommended this option & her baby loves it:

Infantino Vibrating Teether (Strawberry or Grapes)Why I like the Nuby brand a little more:
- Nuby is Cheaper. What can I say? This teether is not that much more, though. I think I've seen it as low as $7-8 at Walmart/Target. BRU & BuyBuy Baby also carry it. Amazon has it for *gulp* $14, but I'd look elsewhere. ;)
- Heavier than the Nuby vibrating teether.
- Can't replace the batteries so if your baby likes it enough to run the batteries out, you would have to buy a whole new one.

RazBaby Razberry Teether:
My friend recommended this one so I'm just going off what she told me:

- Made of 100% medical grade silicone, so its soft and you can put it in the fridge to make it cold
- Similar to a pacifier so its easy for young babies to use and figure out
- Interesting texture for baby to gum
- Walmart has a 2-pack for $6. Amazon sells the 2-pack for $8.80.
- BPA, Phthalate & PVC free!

Something to consider:
When I was reading reviews on Amazon, one caught my attention (you can read it HERE). A mom claimed that her 5.5 month old was able to get the Razberry teether in his mouth sideways and began choking. She claims this is because the teether is made of soft silicone and therefore pliable. I am not an alarmist, and my gut tells me she might be over reacting on the choking part, but I thought I should share just to be on the safe side. I think its always prudent to keep a close eye on little ones, no matter what they are playing with.

Another teething toy Colin really enjoys is the Nuby Bug-A-Loop:
Why I like it:

- Like nearly every product I've seen that Nuby makes, it is BPA, PVC and Phthalate free.
- Soft rubbery beads for soothing sore gums
- Easy for little babies (4-5 months) to hold and bring to their mouth
- Relatively inexpensive: $6.42 on Amazon

Another recommendation from a friend - Sassy Beginning Bites Teether:


What she likes about them:

- Easy for little ones to hold and play with
- Soft rubbery toy to chew
- Can be placed in the fridge for a cool teething soother
- Pretty inexpensive: Walmart sells it in a 4-pack with some other rattle toys for $14.98. BRU has the 2-pack for $4.99.

Something to consider:

- Sassy infant toys are all BPA free and Phthalate free if made after 2008.

"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.

Use Caution with Teething Tablets

Because of my nursing background, I'm always checking out the back of the box for ingredients. I had heard a friend talk about the success she had using "Humphrey's Teething Tablets" and decided to pick up a box at the local pharmacy while I was out. On the box they advertise that they are "all natural" and "homeopathic" teething relievers.

I need to add a side note at this point:

In general, I like using alternatives to drugs and when I do, I use them as little as possible, however, what most people do not realize is that herbs and other "natural ingredients" are actually drugs, by definition. "A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function"(definition found HERE.).and they can be just as potent or more so than what you will find with a prescription at the pharmacy. Please use caution when using natural remedies. Do your homework.

I got home and looked at the list of ingredients and became concerned. The first ingredient that concerned me was "Belladonna", also known as "Deadly Nightshade". You can conclude from the former nickname that it isn't a substance to be taken lightly. Below I have added some information about "Belladonna"; how it works and why it is dangerous.

Atropa belladonna or Atropa bella-donna, commonly known as Belladonna, Devil's Berries, Death Cherries or Deadly Nightshade, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Solanaceae, native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. The foliage and berries are extremely toxic, containing tropane alkaloids. These toxins include scopolamine and hyoscyamine which cause a bizarre delirium and hallucinations,^[1] and are also used as pharmaceutical anticholinergics (See below for definition of an Anticholinergic agent). The drug atropine (See below for definition of Atropine) is derived from the plant.

It has a long history of use as a medicine, cosmetic, and poison. Before the Middle Ages, it was used as an anesthetic for surgery, the ancient Romans used it as a poison (the wife of Emperor Augustus and the wife of Claudius both used it to murder contemporaries) and predating this it was used to make poison tipped arrows. The genus name "atropa" comes from Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology, and the name "bella donna" is derived from Italian and means "beautiful woman". (The above is from Wikipedia.com and can be found HERE.)

An anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central and the peripheral nervous system. An example of an anticholinergic is dicycloverine, and the classic example is atropine (See below for definition of Atropine). Anticholinergics are a class of medications that inhibit parasympathetic nerve impulses by selectively blocking the binding of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to its receptor in nerve cells. The nerve fibers of the parasympathetic system are responsible for the involuntary movements of smooth muscles present in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, lungs, etc. (The above is from Wikipedia.com and can be found HERE.)

Atropine is a tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) and other plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a secondary metabolite of these plants and serves as a drug with a wide variety of effects. It is a competitive antagonist for the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor. It is classified as an anticholinergic drug. Being potentially deadly, it derives its name from Atropos, one of the three Fates who, according to Greek mythology, chose how a person was to die. (The above is from Wikipedia.com and can be found HERE.)

Moms, please don't make medical decisions based off of opinions and well meaning suggestions. Do your own research and trust your instincts.

Teething tablets are drugs. I don't say that to scare anyone. I only want to draw the necessary attention to it. The actual ingredients in them are concerning. We, as parents, need to really consider everything that we give our kids because it can seriously effect their health and well-being, even their brain development.

These are the ingredients in Humphrey's (FYI: Hyland's teething tablets were recalled because they were not regulating the amount of these dangerous ingredients in their product which could be damaging and even fatal to our babies)

Active Ingredients:
Calcarea Phosphorica (Calcium Phosphate) 3X HPUS
Chamomilla (Chamomile) 3X HPUS
Coffea Cruda (Coffee) 3X HPUS
Belladonna 3X HPUS (Alkaloids 0.0003%).

Inactive Ingredients:
Lactose N.F.

Calcium phosphate can be found in some cosmetic products, as well as many industrial chemicals and cements. It is poisonous in large doses. (google for more information)

Chamomile is derived from a plant, either Anthemus nobilis or Matricaria recutita. It has long been used for its sedative effects. Since it is a member of the daisy family, anyone allergic to this family, such as ragweed, should not use it. (for more info see http://wilkes1.wilkes.edu/~kklemow/Matricaria.html)

Coffea Cruda is unroasted coffee (i.e. caffeine) "Caffeine works by changing the chemistry of the brain. It blocks the action of a natural brain chemical that is associated with sleep." - http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/drugs-alcohol/caffeine-awake.htm

"It's important to know that caffeine is an addictive drug. Among its many actions, it operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin use to stimulate the brain. Relatively speaking, caffeine's effects are milder than amphetamines, cocaine and heroin, but it is manipulating the same channels in the brain, and that is one of the things that gives caffeine its addictive qualities." - http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/drugs-alcohol/caffeine1.htm

Belladonna is also known as Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna). It is "one of the most toxic plants to be found in the Western hemisphere. Children have been poisoned by as few as three of the berries, and a small leaf thoroughly chewed can be a fatal dose for an adult. The root, however, is often the most toxic part, though this can vary from one specimen to another." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belladonna).

Here is a link to more information on "belladonna" the plant, also known as "deadly nightshade" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belladonna_%28plant%29

I worked as a nurse in the new born nursery and NICU and I know how seriously we consider and monitor any medications/drugs being given to babies. Their little bodies and all the organs in them are so immature. They do not have the ability to process drugs and toxins like an adult body would. Any drug you give them runs the risk of building up in their system and becoming toxic.

I called a friend of mine, who is a nurse in the OR and PACU and asked her about "belladonna" since I know it has medicinal use for adults. She said they use it with an opiate (very strong pain reliever) for cancer patients, as a last resort drug for pain from bowel spasms, meaning nothing else is working well enough. In the hospital, medications are kept on the floor where nurses can easily access them through-out their shift, as they are needed. This medication, however, is so dangerous that it is carefully monitored and must be walked down from the pharmacy by the pharmacist himself anytime a patient needs this medication. It has some serious possible side effects. She said they rarely use it.

The FDA has received reports of "serious adverse events in children taking this product (Hyland's Teething Tablets) that are consistent with belladonna toxicity."

Symptoms of belladonna poisoning are depressed level of consciousness, seizure, difficulty or slowed breathing, lethargy, sleepiness, muscle weakness, skin flushing, constipation, difficulty urinating, and agitation.

You can read the full article here: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20101025/hylands-teething-tablets-recall-possible-poisoning-risk

Other risks are listed here: http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-56595-belladonna.aspx?drugid=56595&drugname=belladonna&source=1&pagenumber=6

Two of the major side effects of belladonna are constipation and decreased sweating. Now these may seem like no big deal, but as a medical professional they are concerning to me.

Constipation can lead to hard stools which can cause inflammation and tearing of the intestinal tract. Tearing causes loss of small amounts of blood that may not be visible to the naked eye but result in losses of iron and other vital components for healthy blood which provides nutrients and oxygen to the baby's vital organs including the brain.

Constipation also means that baby is not eliminating waste which means his/her body cannot get the toxins out of his/her body effectively.

Decreased sweating is dangerous. It doesn't sound bad, but it is. Especially if the baby happens to be teething or has a cold and is running a fever. Sweating is how the body regulates temperature. Babies bodies are immature, and do not regulate temperature very well on their own, but if you give them a drug that causes them to sweat less then you are making it that much harder on their little body and potentially causing their fever to spike higher which can lead to other very harmful effects such as febrile seizures, to say the least.

What is also concerning about "belladonna" is that it chemically affects the brain. A baby's brain is rapidly growing and developing, so much so that by the age of 5 years old, 96% of a baby's brain development is completed.

Babies have been teething for hundreds of years and there are safe remedies to help them during this time. And as a mom, I totally understand wanting to comfort your little one when they are in pain. I have a baby, too and I would do just about anything to make him feel better when he is hurting. But with everything there are PROS and CONS. You need to ask yourself, do the benefits outweigh the risks? Do I know enough about what this drug may be doing to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks? Is the harm worth the potential pain relief?

Also, remember that this phase will pass. Teething doesn't last forever (though sometimes it feels like it). Talk to a pharmacist at a local drug store. They are very knowledgeable on all types of drugs and their side effects. They are also very willing to help you and give you information. Just ask. Also talk to your pediatrician. No matter which side they are on, ask them why they recommend either using or not using the homeopathic teething pellets. Always ask why.

We live in a day and age where science can prove things with research and studies. Don't rely on opinion. Ask for facts.

And finally, go with your gut. When all else fails, you are a Mom and you can trust that your instincts are valid. Do what feels right and best for your baby.