Last updated on July 21st, 2022 at 03:50 pm
As a mom, you might feel nervous about nursing once your bundle of joy starts to cut teeth. Breastfeeding offers many health benefits and provides an important bonding experience, but it doesn’t need to stop when teething starts. To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, here are some strategies that can help keep those baby teeth from biting you.
First, make sure your baby is deeply latched, which will keep her teeth farther from the sensitive area. Also, consider changing nursing positions to help with latching and to reduce your soreness.
You’ll want to provide pain relief before and after feeding with teething toys or a cold washcloth. You can also try a homeopathic teething solution like Camilia. This medicine is formulated with chamomile and other plant-based active ingredients to relieve pain, irritability, and minor digestive disorders sometimes associated with teething.* It does not contain benzocaine that can numb your baby’s gag reflex and interfere with nursing. Camilia comes in small, pre-measured liquid doses that are easy to give before feeding while at home or on the go.
If your baby does clamp down, try to stay calm. Yelling or crying out can startle your baby — or worse, your reaction could amuse her enough to do it again! Instead, stop feeding for a few moments and try again. For older infants, you can discourage the behavior by saying “no” and stopping, too.
For more tips on teething and other children’s health topics, visit the Baby Wellness Center at CamiliaTeething.com.
*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.
References:
https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/breastfeeding-your-teething-baby
https://www.verywellfamily.com/breastfeeding-when-your-baby-is-teething-431584
https://www.parents.com/baby/breastfeeding/problems/biting-while-breastfeeding/