Once when my child was younger and had just barely started eating I instinctively chewed some hard food and gave it to her almost mouth to mouth. I felt grand, like a Robin feeding her nestling, a strong maternal feeling. That totally grossed out my husband - and I was later told off - the claim was that by doing that an adult can transfer bad bacteria that we adults may have in our mouth to our baby, potentially harming their teeth.
Could that be true?
P.S. Well, I did continue that practice for a while giddily in secret but not without a tinge of guilt!
Premastication is definitely on my list. There's lots of literature on it and the messages have changed a lot over time. The overlap in oral microbiota between mothers and children in cultures where premastication is common and dental disease rife suggests that the overlap between bacterial species is pretty low and premastication doesn't raise the risk of dental disease. It's also been investigated for transmission of various diseases, and has been roundly condemned, but recent interest is much more positive - around allergy prevention, reducing selective eating, and more. Premastication occurred in every culture. This means that there were evolutionary benefits in the past, but they seem to be true even now. :) I'll get writing! :D
Very excited for this podcast! I have two questions that arose from reading your articles. One: I have been doing part time EC with my 6 month old, but I never read about how to do it, I just kinda heard about it, and got a tiny top hat potty and just sat her on it whenever she woke up or I took her out of the carrier. But I haven’t been holding her in the deep squat that you described (until quite recently when I read about it in one of your articles). I don’t feel like she instinctually goes now, though I do catch most poops since they are usually first thing in the morning. Have I missed the boat on harnessing that instinct, by holding her incorrectly? And is it bad to sit on the potty too much, if she isn’t in a squat? Sometimes people will mention hemorrhoids to me when they see her sitting there so often.
Second question: I don’t know why I started washing her hair, it was just what everyone does during baby baths so I did it. How is it to break the shampoo cycle for a six month old? I usually bath her like every 7 to 10 days.
Sounds like you're doing exactly the right thing with your six-month-old. Holding them in a deep squat is easier when they are very small (but worth practising as it's a very easy way to give them wees outdoors or on a big toilet if there's no potty). If you are often catching poops, then you and she are getting the hang of it just fine. Wees are harder to catch, but also become less frequent so get easier.
In terms of the duration she spends on the potty - I wouldn't worry about haemorrhoids as they are mostly a problem if you strain. However, I tend to count to 50 - if there is no wee, poo, or passing wind, then I assume that the baby has finished and I take them off. That gives them enough time to go if they need to go.
In terms of washing, it is pretty easy to break the cycle for a six month old because they produce so little sebum anyway that there should be no transition. I would just stop washing and see what happens. I've answered your question in a bit more detail in the podcast that comes out on Thursday. :)
Once when my child was younger and had just barely started eating I instinctively chewed some hard food and gave it to her almost mouth to mouth. I felt grand, like a Robin feeding her nestling, a strong maternal feeling. That totally grossed out my husband - and I was later told off - the claim was that by doing that an adult can transfer bad bacteria that we adults may have in our mouth to our baby, potentially harming their teeth.
Could that be true?
P.S. Well, I did continue that practice for a while giddily in secret but not without a tinge of guilt!
Premastication is definitely on my list. There's lots of literature on it and the messages have changed a lot over time. The overlap in oral microbiota between mothers and children in cultures where premastication is common and dental disease rife suggests that the overlap between bacterial species is pretty low and premastication doesn't raise the risk of dental disease. It's also been investigated for transmission of various diseases, and has been roundly condemned, but recent interest is much more positive - around allergy prevention, reducing selective eating, and more. Premastication occurred in every culture. This means that there were evolutionary benefits in the past, but they seem to be true even now. :) I'll get writing! :D
Love this. And your knowledge is incredible.
It’s never a curveball for you!
The fire story! 😂 cracking!
Very excited for this podcast! I have two questions that arose from reading your articles. One: I have been doing part time EC with my 6 month old, but I never read about how to do it, I just kinda heard about it, and got a tiny top hat potty and just sat her on it whenever she woke up or I took her out of the carrier. But I haven’t been holding her in the deep squat that you described (until quite recently when I read about it in one of your articles). I don’t feel like she instinctually goes now, though I do catch most poops since they are usually first thing in the morning. Have I missed the boat on harnessing that instinct, by holding her incorrectly? And is it bad to sit on the potty too much, if she isn’t in a squat? Sometimes people will mention hemorrhoids to me when they see her sitting there so often.
Second question: I don’t know why I started washing her hair, it was just what everyone does during baby baths so I did it. How is it to break the shampoo cycle for a six month old? I usually bath her like every 7 to 10 days.
Great questions!
Sounds like you're doing exactly the right thing with your six-month-old. Holding them in a deep squat is easier when they are very small (but worth practising as it's a very easy way to give them wees outdoors or on a big toilet if there's no potty). If you are often catching poops, then you and she are getting the hang of it just fine. Wees are harder to catch, but also become less frequent so get easier.
In terms of the duration she spends on the potty - I wouldn't worry about haemorrhoids as they are mostly a problem if you strain. However, I tend to count to 50 - if there is no wee, poo, or passing wind, then I assume that the baby has finished and I take them off. That gives them enough time to go if they need to go.
In terms of washing, it is pretty easy to break the cycle for a six month old because they produce so little sebum anyway that there should be no transition. I would just stop washing and see what happens. I've answered your question in a bit more detail in the podcast that comes out on Thursday. :)