Nursing to the Rescue!
April 3, 2009 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under advantages of breastfeeding, health of the baby, mothering
I cannot count the number of times that breastfeeding has helped me soothe an injured child. We have weathered our fair share of injuries, ranging from a scraped knee, to a pebble stuck in a child’s forehead, to a knocked-out tooth! Each time nursing has allowed me to calm the child enough to assess the injury.
Photo by Sophie, scol22, sxc.hu
It’s a known phenomenon that breastfeeding provides pain relief. Nursing also provides a welcome distraction from the injury, and comforts the child through the rhythmic sucking and through close contact with the mother.
I had the unfortunate opportunity to be reminded of all this the other day. My 8-month-old was standing up on the carpeted bathroom floor and holding on to the side of the bathtub. She lost her footing and struck her upper lip on the side of the tub! I couldn’t tell the extent of her injuries, but I could see blood in her mouth as she cried. I latched her right on and she quickly calmed down. Soon she had settled enough for me to get a peek inside her mouth. Not only did she have a fat lip, she also had a tear in what Dr. Google tells me is the “upper labial frenum” — the bit of skin that connects the gum to the upper lip. There was quite a bit of blood, enough for my daughter to be disturbed by it, and nursing definitely comforted her. I doubt the sucking aggravated the bleeding given the location of the injury, and I know that breast milk has antimicrobial properties that help injuries heal! So, it was win-win-win with an easily soothed baby, a swift means to assessing the injury, and breast milk to help heal the wound!
Has nursing ever come to your rescue?
Absolutely! If my husband or parents have my 14 month old in another room and he gets hurt, they know the first thing to do is bring him to me for “nursies”. Even the worst bumps he gets and how hysterial he is, he calms IMMEDIATELY during nursing. It also helps during teething to keep him sleeping during the night. Sure, we have a lot of night wakings where I need to nurse him back to sleep. But at least he actually goes back to sleep and we can all get our rest, versus just staying up part of the night.
Nursing has saved my bacon many times! I found it particularly helpful with a toddler. Once they’re really mobile the number of falls and bumps and scrapes skyrockets. And often so does the screaming and frustration. Having a quick and easy way to calm the upset child and assess the situation was so helpful. It’s the one thing I really missed after my child weaned a few months before her third birthday – the almost magical ability to instantly soothe the savage child.
Yes, you really have to get creative with the parenting when the all-purpose soother of nursing is no longer in the parenting tool box!
I can’t even begin to count the number of times nursing has come to my rescue. As The Boy gets older though, he requests hugs and snuggles more and more though, which I struggle with more than he does! I am happy to see him grow and mature, but sad to see nursing coming to an end.
Nursing doesn’t have to come to an end, Maria. My sons are 8 and 11, and they nurse regularly, particularly when they feel stressed out or sad. I always have made it their decision, but they have chosen to continue to nurse. They enjoy it and it gives us our special time together. If he still wants to nurse, you should. Emails are always welcome. Best,Deb.
As great as those hugs and snuggles are, it’s hard to have the nursing come to an end both because it’s not the same magic parenting tool, and it’s just one of many sentimental milestones in a child (and mother’s!) life.