You’ve probably heard of “baby bottle mouth”–how letting your baby go to sleep with a bottle of formula will result in a mouthful of rotting, decaying teeth.

But what about breastfeeding your baby to sleep or nursing throughout the night? Will this practice also destroy your baby’s precious new teeth?

Well, the answer depends on who you ask. Not all pediatricians will give you the same answer. According to board-certified lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata, a valid link has not been made between breastfeeding and tooth decay.

Many breastfeeding experts believe that cavities happen DESPITE nursing, not because of it. Certainly the evidence points to breastfeeding being best for baby’s teeth and oral development. Breastfed babies need less orthodontia as they grow older. In one study, teeth were placed in a container of water, and another in a container of breastmilk. The tooth soaked in breastmilk showed less signs of decay than the one in plain water!

Formula wrecks havoc on teeth because it pools in the mouth, bathing teeth in sugar, which just sits there throughout the night. Breastmik is not thought to pool in the mouth the way formula does since baby has to work hard to “milk” the nipple, drawing it back onto the soft palate, where it goes down the throat. Breastmilk enters a baby’s mouth beyond the teeth where it can’t cause so much harm.

Keep in mind that some babies are genetically predisposed to cavities and will develop caries much more easily than others. Whether your baby is exclusively breastfed or eating some solid foods, make sure to clean his teeth twice a day. All you need to do is lightly wipe the teeth–no toothpaste necessary.

Book Recommendation:
Cure Tooth Decay: Prevent, Heal And Prevent Cavities With Nutrition

Breastmilk is a hundred times better than chicken noodle soup for a sick little one. It contains antibodies created specifically to fight the baby’s illness and is easily digested by even the fussiest tummies.

If your baby is congested, keep her as upright as possible when nursing. Wearing her in a sling or baby carrier and nursing in a semi upright position may help her manage breathing and nursing.

Breastmilk is not a “dairy product”. You may have been advised by your baby’s doctor to keep him or her away from dairy, but breastmilk is just fine, in fact it’s just what baby needs to help her heal.

Nurse often and drop some saline drops or drops of breastmilk into her stuffy nostrils. Nursing in a steamy bathroom may help clear her nose. Unlike cow’s milk, breastmilk does not increase mucus production.

If your baby refuses to eat, offer him expressed milk in a cup or in a spoon. You can even make “momsicles” by freezing your breastmilk until it’s slushy and letting baby eat it with a spoon (like a sno-cone!).

If your little one has diarrhea or vomiting, keep nursing. Sick children need more frequent feedings to prevent dehydration and hasten recovery. Even if the milk seems to come up quickly after it goes down, likely some of it is already digested, giving baby much needed nutrition.

Nursing also provides baby with the comfort s/he is used to, helping him heal quickly and keeping him as comfortable as possible during the illness.

Always talk to your baby’s pediatrician when you notice signs of infection or illness. But, in nearly every case, the best thing to do is breastfeed the days away and take time to really nurture your baby. And rest assured that your milk is better than any packaged remedy.

Breastfeeding, in almost all cases, should continue when mom is sick.

Most illness in mom is caused by a virus, which are typically most contagious before mom even knows she’s sick. That means baby has already been exposed. Most of the time, sudden weaning causes more problems than it solves – both for baby’s physical and emotional well being.

When you’re sick, all you want to do is lie in bed and watch movies or read a book. But, you’ve got a baby to feed. Unlike formula-feeding moms, you can resume lying in bed while nourishing your child. So think about that whenever you complain about nursing a baby: at least you don’t have to get up.

The best thing you can do when you’re sick with a cold, flu or another common illness is to continue nursing your child.

Breastmilk contains antibodies that are specific to your illness.

If you have the flu for example, your milk will protect your baby against the flu or at least lessen the severity of it. How cool is that?! Often, the nursing baby in the house doesn’t get sick at all, especially if the baby is still exclusively breastfed and not eating solid foods yet.

It is very rare that you’ll have to discontinue breastfeeding because of an illness.

As always, consult with a breastfeeding supportive health care provider about your specific condition. For some serious illnesses, you may be advised to give your child expressed breastmilk for a short time because you are taking medication incompatible with nursing – or you’ll have to nurse on a particular schedule so that the baby is eating when the drug isn’t present in your milk.

But, in the vast majority of instances, you can breastfeed just fine.

Here is a link to an article published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the topic: Can I Breastfeed With Swine Flu (H1N1)?

In a nutshell, the article discourages weaning even in the case of mom being sick with swine flu. It suggests mom pump her milk and have someone else feed baby, so that baby can continue to receive antibodies she has produced.

Three Pieces of Breastfeeding Advice to Ignore — Bad Advice #3:

“Babies shouldn’t breastfeed beyond [six months, one year, etc]. Mothers who nurse their toddlers are doing it more for themselves than for their babies.”

There is nothing wrong with breastfeeding toddlers—literally.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) claim there’s no evidence of psychological or developmental harm in babies who breastfeed beyond age one.

Extended nursing has benefits. Research shows that babies over a year old still receive substantial amounts of nutrients from breastmilk. Even though toddlers need nutrition from solid foods, breastmilk is still a valuable part of their diet, providing high amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C and protein. The composition of milk even changes to fit baby’s growing needs.

Even though the sight of nursing toddlers isn’t at the forefront of society, extended breastfeeding isn’t extreme. The AAP recommends breastfeeding for at least a year and longer as mutually desired by mama and child and the World Health Organization urges moms to nurse for at least two years.

Extended nursing isn’t a selfish act. Sure breastfeeding is relieving for mom but, really, is there a mom who’d force her toddler to nurse just so she can “baby” him? Would that even be possible?

Three Pieces of Breastfeeding Advice to Ignore — Bad Advice #2:

“Whatever you do, don’t let baby sleep in your bed.”

While co-sleeping may not be the answer for all families, it can make nighttime breastfeeding (and sleeping) less of an ordeal for parents and babies. Most families throughout the world sleep next to their babies. The US is one of a few countries where this act is considered taboo. But why?

According to the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame, babies and mothers who co-sleep receive more sleep than those who sleep separately.

But what about long-term negative effects of co-sleeping?

Research shows there aren’t any.

Actually, babies who co-sleep tend to have something in common—they’re thriving—both physically, mentally and intellectually. And they’re nursing well. Babies who co-sleep tend to eat more at night, maintaining mom’s milk supply and promoting natural child-spacing.

Co-sleeping makes nighttime nursing much easier and is safe, provided you take some safety precautions and are nonsmokers. If baby wakes during the night, all you have to do is roll on your side and let the nursing begin. Then you can continue getting your snooze on while baby nurses back to sleep.

Ignore those people who say you might roll on your baby (highly unlikely if you’re sober) or are being a sap. People talk like sleeping next to your baby is a slippery slope—do it once and you’ll never have a child-free bed until the teenage years roll around. But this isn’t necessarily true.

As with everything, do what works in your family’s situation. After all, those naysayers may only be jealous that you’re getting so much sleep while, at the same time, being able to cuddle with a sweet baby.

Bad Breastfeeding Advice #1:

“Don’t nurse your baby all the time or she’ll become too dependent. You must wait and feed your baby every few hours.”

This is possibly the most damaging piece of breastfeeding advice you’ll ever hear. Not only can following this advice lead to clogged milk ducts and breast infection (or low milk supply and poor weight gain in your infant), it can sabotage your entire breastfeeding relationship.

In short, don’t do it.

This advice was designed for formula fed babies, to prevent overfeeding. Don’t breastfeed your baby like a bottle-feeder.

Scheduled feedings apply to formula fed babies, not breastfed babies.

Unlike formula, breastmilk is quickly digested and since babies have small stomachs, expect your little one to “cluster feed” through most of the day—and night—in the early weeks. It’s normal for newborns to appear hungry every hour or so for part of the day.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, newborns should be nursed whenever they exhibit hunger cues: rooting, putting hands to mouth, mouthing, fussing, or crying, which is a late sign. Listen to them.

Unlike formula, breastmilk works on the law of supply-and-demand. The more baby nurses, the more milk you’ll make and vice versa. Babies on scheduled feedings may not nurse enough to build up an adequate milk supply.

And as for the line about babies becoming dependent? Babies are supposed to be dependent on you. After all, there isn’t much a baby can do for himself.

Throw those schedules in the diaper pail.