Mommy Baby Teething Weaning

Title: 
Mommy & Baby:  Teething & Weaning

Word Count:
392

Summary:
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 it�s time to wean him (from the breast)?

Teething

Teething is not a disease, but a condition of growth. It shouldn�t 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 ...


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Article Body:
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 it�s time to wean him (from the breast)?
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<br>Teething
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<br>Teething is not a disease, but a condition of growth. It shouldn�t 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.
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<br>Teething should not affect nursing in any way, unless your baby begins chomping down on your nipple. While this is painful and one�s 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.
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<br>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.
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<br>Weaning
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<br>Weaning is defined by the process in which parents offer food supplements in place of or in addition to mother�s milk. This process begins the moment parents offer a bottle of formula or when their baby first tastes cereal. It is a gradual process.
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<br>When weaning from breastfeeding, it�s 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 baby�s age.
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<br>Weaning from the bottle typically begins with your baby�s 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 don�t want to unduly frustrate him in the process.