'I don't think I'll be breastfeeding, then': Mother's shock after her baby girl is born with two front teeth.

A mother has spoken of her shock after she gave birth to a baby with two fully formed front teeth.
Vicki Griffiths had planned to breastfeed little Eva Faith but changed her mind after seeing the newborn’s teeth.
Eva astounded nurses and midwives as well as her family when she was born weighing 7lbs 4oz at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Eva Faith was born on September 8 with two front teeth in her lower gum. Her mother, Vicki Griffiths, 26, said she had been planning to breastfeed but that she changed her mind when she saw the teeth

Initially, nobody realised and it was only when Mrs Griffiths went to have a bath after giving birth that her husband Steven spotted the teeth in his daughter’s lower jaw.
Mrs Griffiths, a 26-year-old child minder, said: ‘When I came back into the room Steven said, “she’s got teeth, you know!” and then we both burst out laughing.
‘We were in shock, and so were the midwives.

‘She had her mouth closed to begin with, so we didn’t notice. It was quite bizarre to see them.’
She added: ‘I had been planning to breastfeed, but when I saw Eva’s teeth I was put off. I don’t think anybody could blame me!’
Mr and Mrs Griffiths now worry that Eva will soon start sprouting more teeth before she is old enough to have Calpol or other children’s medicine.

Jonathan Wyllie, consultant neonatologist at James Cook, said: 'It probably happens about three times every two years here and we deliver 4,000 babies a year. It's every 2,000 to 3,000 births'

Mr and Mrs Griffiths (pictured) are worried that Eva will grow more teeth before she is old enough to be given any pain relief

The mother-of-three said: ‘I kept asking the midwives and nurses what I could give Eva if she was in pain, but nobody was able to answer me.
‘They just kept going away and then coming back with more people to look at Eva’s teeth. Nobody could believe it.
‘When we came out of hospital I went to see my GP and he said that he had never heard of this happening before.
‘Midwives with 25-years’ experience were also saying they’d never seen it.’
Little Eva Faith was born on September 8 and is now at home with her parents and older sisters Elizabeth, seven, and Emily, five, in Redcar, Cleveland.
At first Mrs Griffiths thought the teeth would have to be removed in case Eva were to choke on them, but she was checked over by a paediatrician who said they were stable enough not to present a problem.

Mrs Griffiths said: 'I had been planning to breastfeed, but when I saw Eva's teeth I was put off. I don't think anybody could blame me!'

Eva is now thriving on bottled milk and delighting all that meet her with her unusual feature.
Mrs Griffiths added: ‘Eva often has her mouth open, especially after she has woken up.
‘A professional baby photographer came round to take some pictures, and she simply could not believe it. Everyone thinks Eva is lovely, but can’t get over her teeth.’
Jonathan Wyllie, consultant neonatologist at James Cook, said: ‘It probably happens about three times every two years here and we deliver 4,000 babies a year. It’s every 2,000 to 3,000 births.
‘Babies are born with one or two teeth and it’s usually in the lower gum.’

HOW COMMON IS IT FOR A BABY TO BE BORN WITH TEETH?

Teeth that a child is born with are known as natal teeth.
They occur in about one in every 2,000 to 3,000 babies.
They usually develop in the lower gums and have little root structure meaning they are often wobbly.
They are not usually well formed but can injure the baby's tongue when it is breastfeeding and can cause a breastfeeding mother pain.
Natal teeth are often removed shortly after a baby is born because if they are loose there is a danger of the child choking on them.
These teeth are not usually associated with any other medical problems.
There is no known explanation for them other than that a child is more dentally developed.