need help with biting

[rubidoux]

This is terrible. My six month old has bitten on and off since he was very little, like maybe a month or so. He doesn't do it a ton, but today he's done it three times. Some days he doesn't do it at all. I have always tried to make some negative noise/comment about it. But I cannot stand to look like I'm mad or unhappy at him. I'm such a wimp. Just now he bit me for the 3rd time in a row and I said a very serious "ouch" and "no biting" and looked him seriously right in the eye and he gave me this big nervous smile and I melted. I kow that it would be worth it to him for me to just look pissed off if it saved us from having to wean early, but it's soooo hard.

Maybe I should just put him down and wait a few min to let him nurse again?

My first never bit until he was 2 1/2 and it was by mistake. I'm lost.

[tutucrazy]

Originally Posted by rubidoux

This is terrible. My six month old has bitten on and off since he was very little, like maybe a month or so. He doesn't do it a ton, but today he's done it three times. Some days he doesn't do it at all. I have always tried to make some negative noise/comment about it. But I cannot stand to look like I'm mad or unhappy at him. I'm such a wimp. Just now he bit me for the 3rd time in a row and I said a very serious "ouch" and "no biting" and looked him seriously right in the eye and he gave me this big nervous smile and I melted. I kow that it would be worth it to him for me to just look pissed off if it saved us from having to wean early, but it's soooo hard.

Maybe I should just put him down and wait a few min to let him nurse again?

My first never bit until he was 2 1/2 and it was by mistake. I'm lost.

You should not react at all. He is going to find any reaction pleasing whether it be stern or not. Babies just don't understand that it hurts and that you don't want them to do it. When my son went through this (around that age) I just completely ignored him, even when it hurt. If he persists, without saying a word take him off the breast and continue about your day. He will soon learn that biting does not get a reaction from Mommy and will lose interest. Right now your reaction is just egging him on because babies like to find ways they can interact and impact their world. He isn't intentionally trying to hurt you, he just finds the cause/effect amusing. There were many of times I had to refrain from even looking at my son b/c he would be smiling up at me as he bit me. I knew that if I looked at him I would smile back at him, so I just refrained from looking at him. It really was no time before he realized that biting didn't achieve any reaction and he lost interest.

[Earth Momma]

when he bites pull him in close to you - he won't be able to breath and will immediately let go of his latch - each of mine tested out the new teeth and I found this to be very effective even on the stubborn child I only had to do 3 times and no more bitting issues!!

[rubidoux]

Earth Momma, I will try that if he bites down and doesn't let go. Owww! So far he hasn't, knock on wood. He bit me a whole bunch after I posted this yesterday, but then he didn't bite me all night and only once so far today. Maybe it was just something about what was going on with his teeth yesterday, not sure. But I have been doing pretty much what you said, tutucrazy. I do think it was not a good idea to smile at him before. So hard no to, though. Even when he's biting he's awfully sweet. lol

[Nikola's_Mommy]

This is great advice! I just started dealing with this issue and when baby would bite down I would yell out YEE-OUCH and pull away which I guess is the opposite of what to do - LOL!!

I will try these techniques next time.