She had had a call
>from a mother who is an employee at a health club. The mother is employed
>inthe nursery as a caregiver, and has always brought her child to the
>nursery also, to work with her. The child is 26 mo now, I believe..and
>"people" have been complaining about this child nursing during the mother's
>worktime. It was ok as long as it was a small baby, but now the mother has
>been told that it is no longer good for her baby

I would be happy to write a letter and send a copy of my chapter on normal
age of weaning (2.5 to 7 years) to the owner of the health club.  This would
be a great opportunity to educate the boss, the other employees, and the
customers about the "health" benefits of breastfeeding -- this is a HEALTH
club after all!
>is that the health club had better be setting a policy for ALL
>employees..not jsut for this one mother just because they feel like it
>is"disgusting, or not good for the woman's baby anymore.".  Can they just
>set a policy for ONE employee, and not for others, ?

Well, you don't want to give the health club an out by declaring "No babies
at work" or "No breastfeeding at work" for EVERYONE, do you?  Seems like
this isn't the approach to take.


Re: repairing toddler caries

>Does anyone have any experience with toddlers who have developed dental
>caries and have elected not to have them repaired or to postpone repair?

When we first tried to have Alex's molar cavities filled he screamed and
cried and threw a fit.  We (the dentist and I) decided to wait for 3 months
and try again with an oral sedative that would "relax" him but not put him
to sleep.  He ended up crying so hard he threw up all the medicine, and they
still couldn't do it.  We waited another 3 months and then he got an
injection that made him drowsy and cooperative, but without the side effects
of complete general anesthesia.  I stayed with him the whole time and he had
a boatload of fillings done all at once (8).  I have really crummy enamel
and many many root canals and crowns and filling myself, and he seems to
have gotten my enamel (my mother has it also, sigh).

> Most people who end up going to pediatric dentists are told that general
>anesthesia is recommended for dental work and many mothers are told to wean
>the toddler from nighttime nursings.

My dentist didn't even ask about nursing, and I didn't volunteer -- I'm sure
it never occured to him that a 3 year old would be nursing.
>

  The major risk is that possible
>future abscess formation could damage the unermerged adult teeth.

And this IS a real worry.  Excellent dental hygiene is called for in any
case, but especially if the cavities are not filled.


Kathy Dettwyler