Why Are Breastfeeding Babies Being Treated by Dentists?
As a new mother, you probably realize that you have, within your body, the most perfect food for your baby. You have your own weapons against hunger, disease, detachment, and depression. Weapons of mass lactation.
But what if I told you, that in order to breastfeed, your nipples may first bleed, crack and become infected. Instead of happily nursing, your baby may even hit your swollen breasts and scream when you offer them. Even though you really want to nurse, the mere sight of those adorable lips may start to send shivers down your spine. But you want what’s “best” and your pediatrician tells you this is normal. So you will have to white-knuckle it, cry through every latch, and keep going.
In addition to the surface trauma, your breasts may begin to swell to the size of a small country and get engorged or even infected. Your OB/Gyn may have to prescribe antibiotics or drain an abscess. And even after nursing for hours, your baby may not gain sufficient weight. So you may have to pump out your milk and feed your baby with a bottle–the very thing you were told to avoid by the lactation consultant you paid hundreds of dollars to. And no matter how much you endure–how many hours you pump and cry and bleed–at around 6 weeks your milk supply may start to dry up. And then, after being told formula is “poison,” you may have to…
