i saw the research article on guinness awhile back. i don't have a link but it's full of B vitamins, minerals, protein and all kinds of good stuff.
it's pretty much the standard cure all in ireland hospitals for certain things, esp after you give blood. i know first hand it helps when nursing as all 4 of mine were breast fed and the doc clued us in.
for the gums tho a wet finger of jameson should do it. it's smooth and mild.
First result, still looking:
Quote:Q: What about the old wives' tale about nursing mothers drinking Guinness?
A: Current medical research suggests that pregnant women and nursing mothers should totally abstain from any form of alcoholic beverage. In pregnancy, it can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, characterized by slow development. Alcohol does pass in the mother's milk, so nursing mother's should avoid Guinness and any other form of alcohol. I have received numerous comments from readers that I am being overly cautious and that Guinness is still given to nursing mothers in Ireland and brown ale to mothers in Belgium.
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~bennett7/guinness/guinfaq.htm
Quote:REMEDIES FOR TEETHING
Anything cold - here are a variety of cool favorites:
Frozen teething rings
Ice - rub an ice cube along baby's gums.
Frozen juice slushy or popsicle
Cold spoons
Frozen bagel or banana
Frozen washcloth
Medications
Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen- these are both safe and effective pain relievers to help your baby, and you, get some sleep. Click on these for dosing.
Teething gels- there are various over-the-counter gels, pastes, or liquids that numb the gums. Pat the gums dry with a washcloth, then apply a small amount only on the area of the gums that is bulging. There are several drawbacks to these, so we suggest you only use them as a last resort:
They taste terrible
They travel throughout the mouth in the saliva and can numb the tongue and lips
It is easy to use too much
Baby may swallow too much
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t083000.asp
(Looked there for any opinion on using alcohol.)
it helps let the milk down and flow....
i never said you should drink while you're pregnant.
I'm just looking at this point, not sure yet. What I know is that I was told quite strongly to avoid alcohol when I was nursing, I just don't know if that was accurate. Haven't found anything convincing showing that Guinness is a good idea yet -- the BBC article was the most definitive and positive ("Guinness is good for you -- Official") and says specifically that "the present advice is against this" when it comes to nursing mothers.
soz : of course, for every "pro study" there is a "contra study". here is what i read in today's newspaper (by a respected canadian physician). it has been said over and over again that one should NOT drink any alcohol (or coffee), but just water and fruit juice. well, the doctor suggests that there is nothing wrong with having a drink before your (airplane)meal and a glass of wine with the meal, because it keeps the platelets moving more smoothly. i can just hear the outcry, that will no doubt follow soon by other medical "researchers" . i should mention, that he does not encourage anyone to get drunk , and that he does encourages people to try and move around while on the airplane or at least keep moving their feet, legs, arms ... you get the story. MODERATION, is what he talks about in all his articles. hbg
hamburger, just looking for a "for" study at this point -- so far the overwhelming number of hits have been "is there any truth to that old wives' tale that...?" with the answer being "no".
But still looking.
then have a coke, a pepsi and a few candy bars before you nurse.
soz : you'll have to look at german google pages if you want "FOR" points of view on this subject ! not too surprising, is it. i'm actually surprised when looking at websites from other countries (even british ones) how different subjects are often treated when compared to american websites - and i'm not talking of personal opinions. a good example can be found by comparing "normal" blood-pressure readings between those from the u.k. heart association to the u.s. heart and stroke association. i'll see if i can find an example from a german website, soz. i think it's quite a bit of fun digging up stuff. hbg
Go fer it! I'm not turning up much.
Interesting point about the empirical facts being interpreted so differently...
soz : just looked at the german site WISSENSCHAFT (SCIENCE) - and quite a few other sites. you'd think beer must be the fountain of youth residing in germany ! just one of the many facts mentioned is the natural antibiotics in bier (antibiotikahaltiges Bier) ! btw. the site also mentions that anyone having liver problems should be drinking at least (!) two cups of coffee a day ! we happened to be in vienna two years ago and where visiting with urs(?) when her husband(head of toxology at the university of vienna) just came back from the conference (being held in vienna) where the beneficial results of coffee drinking were announced. i could not help to remark (jokingly) that such a study could only be made in vienna - since you see the viennese enjoying their coffee from morning 'till night (and so did we !). hbg
Looks like the same results, Mikey (google.ie.) Lots of "What about the old wives' tale...?"
Meanwhile, back to the subject at hand:
Remembered the stuff I was thinking of, Orajel:
Quote:Parents should never place alcohol in any form on baby's gums as alcohol can be dangerous for infants.
http://www.parentsplace.com/features/crying/qas/0,,166694_115088,00.html?arrivalSA=1&cobrandRef=0&arrival_freqCap=2
My daughter also started teething VERY early, Orajel didn't do much of anything. Nursing and cold teethers did.
'mothers milk is good for you....' is that TOW's tale?
All I wanted after the birth of my baby was a nice cold one, but no, I wasn't allowed (and I wasn't allowed to eat during labor, either).
Right, I forgot about that (no eating during labor).
I found a whole passel o' those "alcohol is poisonous for babies, do NOT rub on gums" quotes, but nothing more substantiated than the one I already posted yet.
The varying advice brings me to maybe the most important point -- we're all amateurs, ask your doc.
And good luck!
