Barracuda in the Bed...

[Samanthavv]

Okay. My son is 6 months old. He is exclusively breastfed.

He's recently learned to roll over and does so quite quickly and repeatedly. Normally, at night time, he sleeps between my husband and I. Anyways, since learning to roll, he has turned into a barracuda! I don't know what to do!

I have to sleep a certain way because I recently had an appendectomy and it hurts not to. And aside from that, I have problems with my lower back that make me very sore the next day if I don't sleep in a certain position and this position isn't a nursing one!

I feed him at night and don't mind doing so at all... but the last week or so, he wants to stay on my boob the entire night and he freaks out if I don't let him. He will undo his swaddle, and roll over to me, and claw at my breasts! It hurts too! Regardless of how short we clip his nails, it hurts and he's made me bleed on several occasions. But I'll wake up to him clawing me and scratching me... And even when he finishes eating he does this... No matter how many times we rewrap him and place him between us as usual, he undoes it and rolls to me and then commences the clawing, screaming and demanding of boob.

I can't just let him nurse the entire night. If he's hungry thats fine... but he's just wanting to use me as a pacifier (which, as of lately, he's began to refuse pacifiers!)

I don't know what to do. I feel like ever since he learned to roll, I've turned into an injured baby gazelle and he's a big hungry lion wanting to devour me piece by piece, every night!

[Maluhia]

teeth coming in? growth spurt?

I don't think they are ready to night wean at this age, so that won't work at all

What about wearing clothing that protects you from scratches when you are not nursing so you don't wake up to the scratching on your actual skin?

Also, lovingly pulling his hands off and saying "please no hurting me" in a soft and loving voice? I did this sort of stuff often with DD, I was never sure at what age she understood me, but I wanted to speak to her as a person not only a baby.

[Kikelet]

This is a tough situation. I'm trying to think of what I would do, because I am expecting my first baby and I have thought about this scenario before.. Especially what to do when the baby just wants to have their mouth on on the boob all night. It can be unhealthy for your nipples if he's not actually comfort sucking or actually drawing out milk, which you probably know already.

It would break my heart to not have my breast ready and willing all the time, but if he's actually hurting you, that's not good and I think a compromise is ok. Maybe you could try a sports nursing bra for night time until he grows out of this phase? That way he can't claw at your breast. I am not a fan of crying it out, by any means, so I can understand that hiding the boob might make him scream and freak out.. I do think this is a phase, though.

Gosh I'm trying so hard to think of a gentle parenting approach to this without sounding like I want your baby to suffer!! I would definitely do a comfy nursing bra first, with a shirt or something over it. Yes, he will probably freak out, but in the name of not having bleeding breasts and no sleep, he will learn that mommy is still there for him and he can nurse, just not be on the boob for many many hours. I really hope you can find something that works for you guys to ease this period..

[Samanthavv]

It is a tough situation! The first night he did it (a few weeks ago) I let him just do it... But then in the morning my nipples were so sore and chapped... It was terrible.

I tried snuggling with him, laying him across me with his pacifier in his mouth. I tried swaddling him (normally calms him) but he was just having none of it. He would break free from the swaddle, and then attack me! And yes, I say attack, because it IS an attack!

I know it sounds bad, but I've been considering sleeping on the couch at night because I can't handle it!

I don't have money to get a sports nursing bra or anything, but I think I could just make do with a form fitting t-shirt. I normally sleep topless (I'm well endowed... So it's my "break" from being bound all day) but I might have to.

I like sleeping with him (usually) and I would hate to just making him sleep alone...

And really, we can't make him sleep alone. All we have is a rocker, his carseat and a bassinet he could surely roll out of... And we DO have a crib, but our house is very small and theres literally no where to put it. So there's really no option there, either.

[Kikelet]

Originally Posted by Samanthavv

I don't have money to get a sports nursing bra or anything, but I think I could just make do with a form fitting t-shirt. I normally sleep topless (I'm well endowed... So it's my "break" from being bound all day) but I might have to.

I like sleeping with him (usually) and I would hate to just making him sleep alone...

I wouldn't want my baby to sleep alone either I'm sure a t-shirt will do just fine, as long as it's not low cut enough for him to scratch your skin. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this..

Try to be patient, as awful and difficult as it is.. He will learn and it'll be ok. Oh and I just thought of something else.. if he indeed teething, maybe a cold washcloth or teething ring will work temporarily at night. You can just let him chew until he falls asleep and take it away. He might be using your boob as a general comfort because of the pain If the screaming is just really bad and you can't seem to calm him, talk to your pediatrician about giving him some baby tylenol and see if that helps, because it might give you an indication that he truly is teething or in pain.. but use that as a last resort. I'm relatively anti-drug, but sometimes chewing and sucking just doesn't make it better.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Samanthavv

I don't know what to do. I feel like ever since he learned to roll, I've turned into an injured baby gazelle and he's a big hungry lion wanting to devour me piece by piece, every night!

I know just what you mean! I said something similar about my own son.


It sounds like he is trying to boost your supply.

Is he working on a new skill? Babies often like to go on nursing marathons when learning something new or teething.

Maybe drink more water, oatmeal or other things that will make you produce more.

If it seems like teething pain you could try some homeopathic teething tablets.

[Ldavis24]

I don't mean to high jack the thread but how can it be bad for your nipples if your LO stays on almost all night? DD has been doing this since day one and I haven't had a problem? Am i secretly destroying my nipples by letting her do this?

[justKate]

Originally Posted by Samanthavv

I feed him at night and don't mind doing so at all... but the last week or so, he wants to stay on my boob the entire night and he freaks out if I don't let him. He will undo his swaddle, and roll over to me, and claw at my breasts! It hurts too! Regardless of how short we clip his nails, it hurts and he's made me bleed on several occasions. But I'll wake up to him clawing me and scratching me... And even when he finishes eating he does this... No matter how many times we rewrap him and place him between us as usual, he undoes it and rolls to me and then commences the clawing, screaming and demanding of boob.

I can't just let him nurse the entire night. If he's hungry thats fine... but he's just wanting to use me as a pacifier (which, as of lately, he's began to refuse pacifiers!)

I know what you're talking about. I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be with my own physical issues. DD (9 mos.) just started the attack, and she is relentless. She was EXHAUSTED last night, but would not sleep unless I let her CHEW the breast. She's not hungry--she's just getting teeth (6 or more all at once!) and wants the comfort. Which turns in to chewing.

I know this isn't a great solution--at least it wasn't for me--but I had to let Huz start comforting her back to sleep. Last night she screamed at me for 35 minutes because I took the (empty) breasts away from her after she chomped, pulled, and drew blood. Huz came in, said "let me try," and she was asleep in 10 minutes. No screaming. She just can't stand to have the breasts nearby and not be chewing them. Later when we went to sleep, she was settled enough to nurse and then cuddle. Thank God.

Long story short, would your Huz be willing to try to settle him a little after he's eaten?

I hope it gets better soon.

[Samanthavv]

My husband does try to settle him, and it seems like, if I'm in the room or he can see me or hear me at all, then it's a lost cause. I'm seriously thinking about sleeping on the couch and only going in there when he needs fed. Last night we calmed him down for a few minutes by little him play with this little keychain flashlight (he watched the light move and just thought it was so cool that he could move it...) but unfortunately, that calmness was short lived and he was back to screaming.

I'll have to try the rag thing... Once we have water again. Our pipes froze.

Normally, I try to stay away from medications in children under one. It just feels so wrong to give it to them, you know? We use gripe water. And we have teething tablets but they don't seem to help him at all.

LDavis: It can hurt. I notice when we sucks on me all night, I end up with painful chapped, and sometimes blistered nipples.