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Chat 212 - Nig - Newsmail Report
Chat 212 - Nig - Newsmail Report
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.
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.
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.
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
