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Mommy & Baby: Teething & Weaning
These are two topics that strike fear in the hearts of all parents: what will happen when my baby starts teething? How will he respond when its time to wean him (from the breast)?
Teething
Teething is not a disease, but a condition of growth. It shouldnt be dreaded, but simply seen as an accomplishment of a healthy, growing child. Most babies begin teething between 6-8 months of age, but as in all children, it may vary wildly. Some babies are known to teethe as early as 2 months or as late as 14 months. Pediatric dentists agree that the longer it takes a baby to teethe, the stronger and healthier the teeth are. Additionally, the later the teeth take to arrive, the later they will fall out and be replaced by permanent teeth.
Teething should not affect nursing in any way, unless your baby begins chomping down on your nipple. While this is painful and ones natural response would be to yelp, if you can stay calm and remove him from your breast while saying, No, no! you will have a much better response and less biting later on.
Some babies will experience fussiness, irritability, increased salivation, and a slightly raised temperature as they teethe. A proactive dose of infant Tylenol will help greatly, especially before bedtime.
Weaning
Weaning is defined by the process in which parents offer food supplements in place of or in addition to mothers milk. This process begins the moment parents offer a bottle of formula or when their baby first tastes cereal. It is a gradual process.
When weaning from breastfeeding, its typically easier to drop the late-afternoon feeding first. Replace each feeding dropped with six to eight ounces of formula or milk, depending on the babys age.
Weaning from the bottle typically begins with your babys arrival at his first birthday. Again, it is a gradual process. Most moms wean straight to a sippy cup with great success. As you replace each bottle (one at a time, though) with a sippy full of milk, be patient. It will take time for your child to catch on to drinking from one of these cups, and you dont want to unduly frustrate him in the process.
BONUS : Mommy & Baby: Weight Gain & Failure To Thrive
A guide to appropriate weight-gain and what to look for if you suspect failure-to-thrive:
Weight Gain:
Birth 2 weeks of age
Regain birth weight plus some
2 weeks 3 months of age
Two pounds per month or one ounce per day
4 6 months of age
One pound per month or one-half ounce per day (should double birth weight by 6 months)
One year of age
2.5 to 3 times her birth weight
Failure to Thrive:
There is a difference between slow weight gain and failure to thrive. With slow weight gain, the gain is consistent. With failure to thrive, you will see a baby who continues to lose weight after 10 days of life, does not regain her birth weight by three weeks of age, or gains at an unusually slow rate beyond the first month of life. Things to watch for from the mothers and babys side include:
Mothers side
Improper nursing technique (poor latch-on, etc.)
Nature or lifestyle (not enough sleep, liquids, nutritional foods, etc.)
Poor release of milk (related to let-down)
Feeding too frequently (this can give the baby an abundance of foremilk and a lack of hindmilk; the latter of which is nutritionally and calorie rich)
Feeding too infrequently (being a slave to the clock)
Not monitoring growth signs
Physical nurturing, holding, and cuddling
Infants side
Weak sucking
Improper sucking
o Tongue-thrusting, pushing the nipple out of her mouth
o Protruding tongue, her tongue will form a hump in her mouth, interfering with latching on
o Tongue-sucking, she sucks her own tongue and not on the nipple
An underlying medical problem (if you suspect something, talk to your pediatrician immediately)
Getting the help you need
Lactation consultants can be very helpful in resolving issues related to latching on or inverted nipples, both of which can cause a problem with nursing. Allow the consultant to observe your baby nursing and note if there are problems in position, latching, or something else. Do not permit the consultant to dissuade you from your flexible routine if thats what youve decided to do for your family. Remember: if flexible routines were unhealthy, NICUs wouldnt use them for the most vulnerable of babiespreemies.
If you determine that your nursing difficulties cannot be solved or are more stressful on you as mommy than what you need, do not feel guilty about switching to a bottle. It is more important that your baby receive nutrition to grow and thrive than to fit someone elses ideal of motherhood.