17month old, teething, omg the pain!

[justmeinlove]

Still breastfeeding and it's been fine until the last few weeks. She's having huge trouble with her canines and seems to be soothing on me which essentially involves teeth...there are indentations around my nipples whenever she finishes, and honestly they are just hurting on and off the rest of the time :-\ It's Really painful when she feeds, sometimes it improves if I relatch her, but sometimes I bite my hand to distract from the hurting!

I don't particularly want to stop for this, but I really want it to stop hurting. Also a bit worried it might be causing damage? Sometimes when I am trying to get back to sleep at night (much night waking with this teething) I actually can't for a bit until the pain dies down.

Any help or advice appreciated!

 

[justmeinlove]

Anyone?

 

[justmeinlove]

Really? No-one? This is killing me :\

 

[staralfur]

Yikes, I'm sorry, I have no personal experience... but could you try taking her off for a few minutes before re-latching? Does she respond at all if you say "ouch" or "that hurts"? You could maybe try pumping for a couple of days to dissociate the boob from soothing tooth pain specifically? I'm not really sure if any of that is helpful but I hope you find a solution quickly! That sounds awful.

 

[justmeinlove]

Thank you! A bit of me wonders whether it's partially that she has so many teeth now, her mouth can't open wide enough to entirely Avoid biting? :-\

 

[staralfur]

Hmm, shouldn't be an issue, mine has all of her teeth and I never feel them. Even when she gets lazy with her latch and her mouth is barely open, her tongue is still over her bottom teeth and my nipple is far back enough that it hits the roof of her mouth and not her top teeth.

It could very well be that it just feels better to have a really shallow latch when her teeth are hurting, maybe the direct contact with the nipple makes it feel better? Have you tried giving her something to gnaw on, like a frozen washcloth? That might ease the pain for her throughout the day so that she's not trying to do it while nursing.

 

[justmeinlove]

Just had some great ideas from a friend too, which I'll share here for anyone reading in the future Fingers crossed it IS just teething, as the fourth canine is practically through so hopefully sleeping will be increasing again soon and chewing decreasing :\ Thank you So much for replying!

Lots of breastfeeding toddlers go through a phase of being a bit bitey....and the fact that you say it is inadvertent probably means that some newish teeth have altered her latch a little and she isnt quite sure how to latch on for the best. Im sure you've tried the obvious of altering position - if she usually lies in your lap, you could try her sitting straddling one of your knees, or put a pillow in your lap and let her rest her head on it but latch on in what with a newborn would be the rugby hold....sometimes just changing the position helps her to find a more comfortable latch. Some peole also find that lifting the boob a bit as they latch on can help get a deeper latch, thus keeping teeth away from the areole/nipple - she is probably totally adept at just popping herself on, so with a little encouragement, you holding boob and maybe saying 'open nice and wide' could help? Just thoughts - it usually passes - maybe she has a particularly uncomfortable tooth coming through somewhere and is trying to avoid contact with that gum?

 

[Calif]

Don't just sit there and take it! Tell her "no!"

Take your finger and suck on it. You can do that without biting, and she can suck on your breast without biting.