OUCH!!!!! Grrr! Help needed to stop sudden biting - with teeth!

[TigerLady]

Otter has bit my nipple 3 times now! Hard -- and he has recently gotten very sharp bottom AND top teeth. So, when he clamps down, it hurts like a &^%&$($&%^^#$&*#!!!!

The first time I put down to my fault -- I offered the bb about 3 times, he refused each time and finally bit me. I didn't offer again. That was a couple of weeks ago

The next time, he couldn't decide if he wanted to feed or not. He would hold it in his mouth, think about it, let go, then hold it there agian. He did this about 3 times, then suddenly BIT! That was yesterday morning.

The last time was 430am last night. He woke but was SUPER plugged with teething snot. So, he tried to feed, but couldn't breathe, so couldn't. He got frustrated and before I could do anything, he BIT me again! I screamed so loud I am sure the UK ladies heard me! That, of course, set poor Otter off and he started crying and screaming, too. :sigh:

So, he is showing the pattern of biting when he is frustrated? That is my guess. But I can't have it. It hurts for hours after. My nips are already extra sore due to pg!

So, what do I do? He's too young to "punish." I don't like the idea of negative reinforcement (a slap or spank). He doesn't know what no means yet -- and TBH, I'm not sure I would get the no out before I screamed anyway.

 

[Lu28]

You poor thing! Aisling has only bitten me a couple of times and I've found as well that she does it when she's actually not interested in feeding. So at the end of a feed when she's messing about I take her straight off now.

If she starts doing it mid feed, I plan on putting her down on the ground for 30 seconds or so so that she associates biting with the feed ending. Obviously I'll feed her again after those 30 seconds xxx

 

[Kota]

TL could he be biting cause your milk is changing?

 

[Tacey]

I agree with Lu. Alice seems to do it when she's not really feeding. She also did it during the growth spurt, I guess because the flow wasn't fast enough. If you watch as he feeds you might see him change his position. When the nipple is right down in in the feeding position they can't really bite down so if he pulls away a bit, take him straight off. Hopefully he'll get the message about biting!

 

[TigerLady]

Kota, I dunno about the milk changing? It has just started chaning noticably in the last few days. Will have to monitor him and see what happens I guess.

 

[abigail_71]

ouchie. I though you were supposed to pull them into your boob when they bite, rather than take them off? Basically they have to let go to breathe?

I was thinking about you yesterday TigerLady - I finally made a start on the homemade Mei Tai!

 

[celine]

We discussed this at a LLL meet last week and someone said if they bite pull them closer into your boob and they will let go cos by pushing his nose in there he cant breathe and the reaction will be to let go.

Gabriel has 2 bottom teeth now and Im petrified, but I beleive the top teeth are the main offenders cos when bfing the tongue covers the lower teeth so i have time still lol.
Saying that a few weeks ago he did try gumming down on me and looked me square in the eyes as he did to see what i would do and he was smiling, i simply took him off and wagged my finger and him and said sternly 'no" and then waiting like Lu said probably about 30sec before offering boob again.

 

[TigerLady]

Thankfully he doesn't bit down and hold it! OMG, I think I would die! :faint: He only does a very fast nip, but the problem is (as Celine mentioned) the top! He has one through and 2 more nearly there. That one is sharp and hurts like the dickens.

So, I will pull him into my boob if he bites and holds. And I will take him off and make him wait a wee bit of time if he bites and lets go right away. Hopefully this will work!

Ab, great news about the MT! Hope it goes well for you!

 

[becstar]

I have the problem that unless it's night time La isn't that interested in boob, so I am loathe to take her off it as she probably won't care if she goes back on... she bites and it HURTS - and she doesn't even have teeth yet!

 

[TigerLady]

Bec, what do you do when she bites down?? EEK! If you can't take her off, I hope she waits to get her top teeth!!

 

[Lu28]

Aisling doesn't bite and hold on thank god! It's usually just a very quick bite so I haven't had to do the pulling into boob thing yet