Worried my 19 month old will go on a nursing strike if I stop her twiddling.

[MissRubyandKen]

Dd is 19 months old. She's always been a busy nurser. Early on she scratched, pinched, pulled. I tried nursing necklaces, loveys, blankets. I tried gentle touches, putting my hand on hers, trying to keep covered on the opposite side. She gradually got gentler and took to twiddling. As long as she was being gentle I admit I've let her do it this long. I just can't hardly stand it anymore. Sometimes it isn't even noticeable because she barely touches and is so gentle. Other times she is rough and pulls and pushes her nails into my nipples. If she hurts me or bites I ask her to stop, tell her that hurts milks, and ask her to be gentle. If it goes on and I'm hurting I say milks needs to rest and stop nursing. This desn't happen very often. Bottom line is though, I'm done with the twiddling. I've told her I'd like her to do one milks at a time from now on. She is pretty resistant. I know it is very comforting to her. She's been doing it for so long now. I'm worried she might strike or stop nursing. When I've tried this in the past a couple of times it was very short lived because she refused to nurse without both milks and I wanted her to nurse. I need some reassurance we'll get through this! I don't want to give in again. I'm not sure what to do to help her through this and keep our nursing relationship intact. I'm no where near done nursing this baby! I love her and she is such a little angel. I do know that in the long run I really need to do this for me.

[elliecee]

Oh my, I can certainly commiserate. I have a soon to be 12 month old (I can't believe it!) who has suddenly started liking to tweak me. LOL She loves to roll and pinch and I actually start tearing up because it hurts so bad sometimes. I started covering my other breast with my hand. ( don't normally wear a bra so she'll go up under my shirt) If I start the session like that--covered with my hand, she's more accepting. Otherwise, if I try to cover when she already had a hold of my nipple, she'll get mad and end the session.

I hope you figure out something that works for you!

[etsdtm99]

my DD did that and i could no longer take it when i got pg ( 18mo) and i just kept the bra closed on the 'other' side AND kept my arm over that side so she couldn't push me out of hte way, at first she wouldn't nurse for long but i was persistent and just told her a firm, one milk at a time, and she decided she would rather nurse without messing around than not nurse at all - if you are done, you need to be consistent .. you don't want to be uncomfortable nursing her, you want to enjoy it.. right?