RE: mother 15 weeks pregnant; breastfeeding toddler leaving teeth marks on
the breast:

1.Her nipples are sore because she's pregnant. This tenderness may continue
throughout her pregnancy. I've never found an effective remedy for
hormonally-caused nipple and breast tenderness.

2. The teeth marks are probably pressure marks, which isn't all that
unusual in an older baby nursing. If the teeth are sharp, a dentist may be
able to smooth the edges. Be sure to pick a compassionate and sensitive
dentist who works with children a lot.

3.Since she's pregnant, her milk supply has dropped which is probably
frustrating for both her and the child. Again, this is part of being
pregnant and supply will probably continue to decline. Make sure the
toddler has enough other foods to eat and drink throughout the day and even
at night.

4. Many moms who continue BF when pregnant again find that they are annoyed
and irritated with the older child's nursing. One theory is this is
nature's way of getting the toddler to wean so mom's body can concentrate
on the developing fetus. Makes sense to me - and it happened to me twice.

5. Be sure to rule out thrush in both mother and baby. This can make the
soreness worse for mom, and a toddler with yeast may have an itchy mouth.

6. Being pregnant and still breastfeeding an older child is one of the
trickiest emotional situations for the mom. She wants to keep meeting the
older child's needs, yet it's becoming less and less rewarding for both of
them. LISTEN a lot to her feelings, as it may take her several weeks or
even months to figure out what to do about this.

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre
Dayton, OH USA
http://www.bflrc.com