My two and a half year old toddler had a fever the last few days.  A sick baby is always a challenge because th discomfort throws everything off, from appetite to sleeping patterns.  In times like these, nursing a toddler is extremely helpful and the benefits of attachment parenting are a relief for the parents.  By being able to nurse the baby, he was able to get nutrients and stay hydrated despite being too uncomfortable to eat.  Within a few days, by yesterday, the fever passed.

What does a fever mean?

A fever is typically the body’s reaction to fighting an infection.  Raising the body’s temperature is helpful for the child and indicates his immune system is functioning properly.  Fevers do not mean you did anything wrong.  The baby’s learning process involved touching and tasting everything, which makes it easy to pick up viruses and germs.  With rest and no other concurrent health issue, your baby should get over her fever within a few days.

When should I call the doctor? What temperature is bad?

This is only our baby’s second fever, so we had to research this to get information appropriate for hit current age.  We found that the older the child the higher the temperature she can tolerate.  We turned to Dr. Sears website for advice, which states…

• Low-grade fevers are generally not serious, are easily treated, and can wait until the morning to be evaluated by your doctor.
• Fevers of 101 to 103 (38.4 to 39.5 Celcius) are also generally not serious and can wait until morning to be evaluated, except as indicated on this web page.
• High fevers of 104 (40 Celcius) or higher that quickly come down to 100 or 101 (37.8 to 38.3 Celcius) with the treatment measures below are also generally not serious and can wait until morning, except as indicated on this web page.

Our baby got to around 102 degree fever for a couple of days.  We just tried to keep him comfortable, bathed him and gave him some medicine a couple of times a day.

To see the rest of Dr. Sears’ advice on when to call the doctor about a fever, go to http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t082100.asp

Creative Ideas for Nursing A Toddler?

I share the experiences and opinions described in a recent post by another nursing mom, Meladie, in her recent post titled Pros and Cons of Breastfeeding a Toddler.  Toddlers don’t have great manners, yet.  Here are some creative ideas I’ve read or just came up with to make nursing a toddler more discreet and enjoyable.

1. Give it a codename - Your toddler is going to use words to request, or demand, nursing time.  Giving it a code name, other than breastfeeding or nursing, will make public requests, discussions or negotiations about nursing much more discreet.  We use “snack,” so my son just says “I want a snack, mama,” and we discuss from there.
2. Find a place – Knowing that breastfeeding is available whenever you are around is also worth addressing.  You could simply create a pattern of taking him to a private place whenever nursing is necessary, or some parents set specific places as nursing places, like the car and the nursery.  Do what’s most convenient for your lifestyle.
3. Alternative Comforting- Nursing is as much a comforting device as it is a nutritional benefit.  Helping the toddler comfort herself in ways other than nursing is important, so try to simply hug your child when you know she isn’t hungry but asks to nurse.  It may just be that your toddler is bored, feels a lack of attention, or has been injured.
4. Share the Responsibility – Again, addressing the need for attention or comforting is helped by the other spouse or caregiver stepping in more, whenever available, to comfort your toddler when she seems like she’s about to or has asked to nurse.  The toddler already knows nursing isn’t an option with the other caregivers, so it is an effective way to help the child comfort herself with words, hugging, or just attention.

Share your stories and tips for toddler nursing by adding a comment below.  We’d love to hear from you!