Biting Help

[Wisteriacow]

We *think* DS is working on some teeth but it's hard to tell. He tends to be a slow teether (teeth that his pedi said would be in within a few days didn't come through until over a month later) and won't easily let us look in his mouth. He's taken to biting me when nursing. He has done it at every single nursing session today except one. I've tried ending the nursing sessions as soon as he bites but it doesn't seem to teach him. Sometimes it's after a few minutes and sometimes he's doing it as soon as he starts nursing. I try to watch for when he'll do it but there's no indicator. Short of giving him pain meds all day long, any other suggestions? I don't want to wean him but I can't take this pain. He doesn't just bite, he bites down and then drags his teeth.

[mamadelbosque]

When he bites you, push his head INTO your breast. This will force him to delatch (because for a moment he can't breathe), in order to get a breath and he will *NOT* like it, and will quickly learn that biting is *NOT* fun. Its the only thing that worked for DS1 (DS2 doesn't have teeth... yet). I tried all the other stuff (delatching, telling 'no!', laying down, etc), and none of it worked. This did - push them INTO your breast till they let go! They'll learn!!

[Wisteriacow]

I actually used the pulling in trick a few months ago when we were having issues and it worked quite well. The problem this time is that I'm either too slow or he's too quick. By the time I realize he's biting, he's already let go and pulled away. Would it still make sense to push him into my breast if he's no longer latched?

Also, forgot to mention that DS is 11.5 months old if that makes any difference.

[Wisteriacow]

I'm also wondering what I should do about giving him a bottle. He's with a nanny 3 days a week for about 5-6 hours per day. He usually gets one bottle during the time that's about 4 or 5oz. I've been wanting to drop the bottle anyway but having been gradually decreasing the amount of BM in each bottle. Given his recent biting, should we stop giving him bottles since he's likely to bite the bottle nipple and it teaches him he can still get the milk without being "nice" to me? Give him milk in a cup instead? Or no milk unless he nurses nicely? He eats 3 meals a day plus snacks so he isn't going to starve without the milk but I know it's the healthiest thing for him so I really want him to have it.

[Wisteriacow]

To continue this open discussion with myself apparently, I prepared a cup of freshly expressed milk for the nanny to give him. He took a few sips and then refused anymore and keeps shoving the cup away. Is it possible they my ending the nursing sessions everytime he bit (which made him upset) caused a nursing strike to the extent that he doesn't even want milk in a cup?

(Little boy, you are driving mommy crazy, please go back to being a nice non-bitey nursling!)

[aksign]

not too much advice to add, but I had similar experience with not wanting to aggravate problem by using bottle, since all he seemed to do was chomp on bottle nipple.
I chose spoon and cup feeding instead- although I would use a little tylenol cup filled with bm. He would often push sippy away as well.
I pumped while the biting was the worst and nips were healing, and just tried to limit nursing sessions to night/naps when he wasnt as likely to chomp. Also, keep finger poised to break latch when you notice any change that might indicate impending bite... pretty stressful!! Good luck to you! We have had a few bouts, but it does pass!!! take heart!!