biting because of sippy cup?

[ilah17]

So DS got his first teeth at 4.5 months (now he's 9 months), and at first he had some biting issues. He hasn't bitten me in a while - until last week. Last week his daycare provider started giving him his breastmilk in a sippy cup instead of a bottle (with my permission). She said he was not interested in bottles anymore. Well, he uses Nuby sippy cups - they have a valve the baby has to compress to get the liquid out, so naturally DS bites it. Well now he's biting me when he nurses, and he's also getting frustrated when his biting doesn't produce an immediate flow of milk. This weekend was terrible. My nipple is throbbing and DS wouldn't nurse back to sleep last night and he broke skin, so now I have a scab

So what should I do - switch sippy cups or ban them? An open cup doesn't seem like an option and obviously weaning isn't either. Thanks in advance for your opinions/advice

[Megan73]

Ouch! It definitely sounds like the sippy is the culprit. I'd try a straw cup - my son was actually able to use a straw before he mastered the sippy even thought the labels on some straw cups say 12 months+.

[handsandfeet]

Just came on to do a search for biting, and found your thread -- I'm wondering if this is part of our problem as well. We've been doing a sippy cup with water trying to get him used to it. He is also 9 mos. And the biting has become intolerable. He bites when I don't letdown fast enough, and also when he's done. It's become a cycle now that my letdown is slowed because I'm constantly tense fearing the bite. I'm going to quit the soft-spout sippies and see what happens... any luck with you yet?

[momtokainoa]

Just out of curiosity, what is your reaction when he bites? Although the sippy cups are probably to blame for how the biting got started, it doesn't mean the sippy cups need to be discontinued. Most moms who get bit while nursing react with a loud "ouch" and they immediately pull the baby off. Sometimes this type of reaction could be entertaining to baby and they may continue to bite to get this reaction.

I learned with my first son and through La Leche that the best way to handle it is to gently, yet quickly, push baby's face inwards towards the breast. What this does is plugs baby's nose and since they're mouth is full they cannot breathe and they will let go of the breast immediately. Then you say "no biting" firmly and set them down and walk away.

I tried this technique with my first son and it worked like a charm. He got his first teeth in at 4 months and started biting immediately after, but using this technique I was able to nip in the bud after the second bite. I'm definitely going to use this with my 7 month old; that is IF he starts biting. So far so good.... thank goodness.

Hope you find the answer that works for you soon. It's never fun getting bit.... especially there.