Anyone stop nursing due to biting?

[Tui]

Hi, my baby is nearly 8 months and has two bottom teeth. I think the top ones will arrive any day now.

He has bitten me while nursing occasionally, teeth or no teeth, but just recently has been doing it a lot. Obviously it hurts. I am coping so far, but worry it is going to make me reluctant to carry on breastfeeding if it gets worse/carries on.

Just wondering how everyone else got on with biting. I can usually preempt it during the day, but its harder at night.

 

[Tui]

Bump?

 

[happynewmom1]

I didn't stop although I could see how I could have had I not been able to get them to stop. Here are a couple of things that worked for us. One is to give their cheek just a really small flick.. Just to get their attention when they do it. You can also try pulling him towards you and see if he stops. This baby doesn't have teeth yet but she clamped hard a couple of times so I did this and she stopped. I also make it a point.. Especially when they are older, to show them I'm sad and they hurt me. If he just won't stop, you could always pump and give him a cup or something at least until he is a year and could switch to milk. Good luck! Breastfeeding can be really challenging sometimes

 

[Tui]

I do shout OUCH and NO, and pull away immediately, but he just laughs.

I haven't been able to pump since about 4/5 months. Just doesn't work anymore.

 

[Tui]

I've just read that babies bite sometimes when their nose is congested. Mine has his first cold right now and is very snuffly, so maybe that is why he is biting more lately?

 

[happynewmom1]

That could be! And really try pulling him towards you when he bites and see if he unlatches himself. It's instinctive to pulll him off but hurts way more to do that.

I really hope this is due to his cold and will stop soon! Also babies that age will laugh even if they are doing something wrong. Just keep at it. You are doing a great job!

 

[todmommy4568]

When my son bit I would take him off and set him on the floor in front of the chair we always fed in. He would cry and I would let him latch in a minute give or take. It took a couple times but he was able to put 2 and 2 together and realize that I only did it when he bit me.

 

[AmandaBanana]

My lo is 6 months and has 8 teeth.
He is testing me with the biting and thinks it's funny if I react.

Now I just tell him " good eating" when he does it right
When he bites I say "oh no that's biting and that hurts mama. Let me know when you're ready to eat."
And I cup my breast with my finger ready to shove in his mouth in case he bites lol
Teeth early are hard because he doesn't understand everything I'm saying.
But I think he's catching on. And he doesn't laugh like it's funny anymore.

 

[Twag]

I stopped nursing my son at 9 months when he bit me (with 4 teeth) and caused me to bleed (2nd time he had bit me) and then I found I was nervous about feeding him and so we stopped (tbh by then he was only having a feed before bed anyway and was bottle fed the rest of the time)

I have always regretted not feeding him until he was 1 tho - so I am determined this time with DD but she is much more a boobie monster than her brother will reluctantly take a bottle (expressed) I have since learnt that if they clamp down/bite then to gently push them into your boob as this will stop them (not sure why but seems to work)

 

[Tui]

Thanks everyone. So far so good. No more incidences.

He has stopped wanting boob so often during the day. I'm wondering if it was because I was trying to persuade him to drink more when he didn't really want it. His way of telling me "enough mum", lol. He still wants boob all night though, *sigh* !

 

[Twag]

My dd is the same doesn't want much during the day but seems permanently attached at night - yawn