Newborn biting

[CallMeMommy]

Posting this for my sister - she's got a 10-day-old who likes to bite when she's eating.  I know there are tricks out there to deal with an older baby who bites, but does anyone have any suggestions for a newborn?  Sometimes she's happy as a clam and eats without a problem, but most of the time she'll just chomp down on the nipple and pull back for no apparent reason.  My sis said it's making her bleed sometimes, and she's about ready to quit.

[PatioGardener]

nak

mom may have overactive letdown.

I also found this on LLL.

[CallMeMommy]

Thank you!! Clampdown bite reflex sounds like it could be it! I just sent her that link.

[AnkaJones]

I don't have any special expertise on the problem, but as a mom who almost quit myself, I have to say please get your sister to go to a lactation consultant before she quits.  The often have good fixes for these problems.  Alternatively she could go to her local LLL (free, but often don't have the same resources as a board-certified lactation consultant).

Anka

[CallMeMommy]

Oh definitely, I'll nudge her to get help before she quits.  I just hope she calls me before she does.  I know she has a WIC appointment on Monday and they have a breastfeeding counselor, I'll tell her to start there, but there's also an IBCLC that works at the clinic that she could see too.  I think it helped just hearing that most babies grow out of the bite reflex so she's not quite as despondent now.