Start the weaning process...

[Savannah11]

My LO is almost 8 months old and is exclusively breastfed but I think I'm ready to start weaning him off the breast... He's got 2 teeth and over the past couple of days has started biting my nipple and obviously for me it's extremely painful and I feel apprehensive at each feed worrying if he's going to chomp down on me!! He uses breastfeeding as a comfort and can't fall asleep at night without suckling - he also still feeds numerous times a day and once or twice at night!! How do I go about weaning him off? Do I replace a feed with formula as I really don't want to pump as I struggle to get milk via pumping. Xx

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Well it depends if you want to go baby food or not, how much hand-eye coordination and interest in food your baby has. There's probably no reason to replace a feed with formula once I started to realize when I was likely to get bitten and save the nursing for when he can focus.

Honestly once I started weaning it did not do much for reducing the amount that I nursed, still nurse about 6+ times a day, more now with teething. DS still goes to sleep suckling with teeth and sometimes bites. Is there any way for you to recognize when he is about to chomp, like when his latch gets loose or starts fidgeting around?

Another thing that might help is to start offering different comfort than nursing. And save the nursing for when LO is really focused and hungry/sleepy. I found that I got bit when DS was too distracted with the environment. Patting, walking, or moving to a dark room can calm baby down just as well.

Is Dad able to take over in the evenings with diaper changes and rocking baby back to sleep? Or do you feel willing to start cutting back on the night nursing too?

 

[Savannah11]

Sorry I didn't mean to confuse I meant weaning off the breast! He is already weaned on food however much prefers the boob over any food!! He is still feeding multiple times a day and I don't think food weaning has cut down his feeds so far! I think my issue is that I offer the breast for comfort when perhaps he's not hungry and I find he tends to bite when he's in a playful mood or coming to the end of a feed rather than when he's actually hungry. I absolutely love breastfeeding him and would love to carry on but the biting is starting to worry me as I feel so tense when I'm feeding him worrying that he's going to do it! Especially with those little razor sharp teeth!! X

 

[DaisyDreamer]

Definitely hear you. Babies need either BM or formula until 1 year.

But maybe try cutting back on how much you offer the breast? Like you said it happens when he's in a playful mood. So if you're trying to nurse maybe spend some time winding him down like going to a quiet room and reading/letting baby roll around and play a little bit on the bed etc.

I was like that too. But personally I try not to BF in a stimulating environment or put the breast away when he is on/off, paying more attention to the dog etc. because I'll get bit accidentally!

Still sometimes get bit and it does suck, I have no more advice, now that there are teeth involved there will always be a risk of getting gnawed on.

 

[minties]

Mine went through a biting stage too, it did pass .

Just as a side note, you aren't exclusively breastfeeding if baby is eating solids too.