Weaning for biting

[Erin77]

My 14 month old has been biting me for about two months now. I tried pulling him in close and lots of other stuff, including stopping the nursing when he bites, so now he only does it at the end of a nursing session! He gives me a nip to tell me he's done. It is to the point where he bites me every day ( we usually nurse 3 or 4 x per day.) I tell him "no biting," and he knows he's not supposed to- he'll often bite, unlatch and smile at me. He also seems a little unenthusiastic about nursing- sometimes, if he bites on the first side and I tell him no, he won't even be interested in the other side and I'll put him to bed with no fuss at all. Is he weaning and the biting is just a sign? Or is this a phase he's going through and he'll grow out of it? I planned to nurse til he was two at least, but I will stop if he's done with it, I just don't know what to do and I'm tired of being bitten. Any advice from BTDT moms?

[Asiago]

I've been nursing my son for 24 months now and he went through a biting phase also- among various nursing phases. The biting phase reminded me alot of a puppy teething phase. My son would also bite my shoulder, neck, hand, anything, during that time. He just reminded me of a puppy, that's all I can say. Fortunately it was just a phase.

[blubird]

My 18 month old is doing this now and I am very frustrated. She leaves tooth marks, deep indentations. But no broken skin. It seems to happen when I am feeling tense, and if I try to unlatch her before she is ready, she bites. I am very tired of being bitten. I hope you get some good advice! It is hard to relax because I really am afraid of being bitten again. I am considering weaning, but she nurses about 8 times a day and gets very angry if I say no, so that probably won't happen.

[Erin77]

Well, I started pinching his nose when he bit, instead of just poking my pinky in to break his seal and saying no. He opens up right away when I pinch his nose. And when he would change from one side to the other without giving a goodbye nip (ha ha) I've started saying "THANK YOU! Good boy, no biting! Just changing sides!" and so on. Lots of praise and cuddles when there's no bites. I'm not sure what's having an effect, but he's down to one nip a day, at the end of the session, rather than ending with a bite every time we nurse (4x day) It's getting better! I seriously thought we were at an end here, I can't take laying there stressed out, not knowing when he's going to chomp!