Teething or baby-led weaning?

[hasya]

DD is 7.5 months old and her 4th tooth just popped out. First came bottom 2, then top 2. Ever since she started working on the top 2 teeth, she's been more reluctant to come to the breast and very interested in solids. She keeps gritting her teeth, possibly to get used to the teeth against teeth sensation. Just yesterday, I started her on more than once a day solids (we had intolerance issues, so going slow). She seems to take a better feed AFTER I give her solid food.

Now, is this baby-led weaning? Or just teething behaviour, because nursing hurts her gums or something?

If she is trying to wean, what is the minimum number of times that I should struggle with her to get her to nurse? I am all for nursing for as long as she will, but if she resists, I don't want to start her on formula. Twice or thrice a day at best, she'll nurse properly. The other times, when I try to nurse-solid food-nurse, she fights the first nursing and is relatively happier nursing after solids.

If it is teething, will giving her a frozen cloth before nursing help? Probably soothe her gums before nursing so that she doesn't pull away in pain? I don't know why she keeps gritting her teeth, but that can't help pain. I remember losing my milk teeth and permanent teeth coming in. It was like an itch that would have me biting my loosening teeth with other teeth. A weird kind of pain helping pain or something.

Also, (moderator:) should I perhaps post this teething part of the question in a different forum? I feel like these are connected and that is why, I am posting the questions together. Please let me know if I should change/move my post somehow.

[PatioGardener]

She's definitely too young to wean, so I'd do everything possible to encourage her to nurse.  The cold cloth sounds like a good idea.  Or something hard to chew on like a teething toy.

And if she wants solids first and then will nurse well, then I'd go with that, although nursing before solids is usual until 12 months.

Some other ideas - try nursing when she is asleep or sleepy

remove all other 'sucking' devices such as pacifiers or bottles

pump or hand express to keep up your supply until this phase is over

and check out kellymom for more ideas: (I'd treat this as a partial strike caused by teething)

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html

ETA: It's hard to have a baby refuse to nurse - hang in there and know that she isn't rejecting you at all.  It's likely just that her mouth feels strange.

[hasya]

Phew, this sounds exactly as it is!

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/teething.html

Thanks, Patiogardener!

Note to self: Kellymom, dummy, kellymom! Read kellymom!