Can't stop the biting anymore

[WifeofAnt]

He's (20 months) 'biting' me again. This time I cannot get him to let go. My fingers get bitten and he shakes his head 'no' as I try to pry him off. I'm hurting so bad and he is so upset that I'm stopping him from nursing before he's ready (or telling him no from the beginning). My left nipple looks like someone cut through the top layers of skin 1/3 of the way around the top and side, any worse and I might have blood in my breastpads. I don't know if there's anything I can do anymore. Talking to him ("that hurts", "be gentle", "ouch!") is getting me nowhere, yelling out in pain gets no reaction whatsoever, and trying to remove him causes me more pain.  I can't anticipate the bite because it starts as a bad teeth-first latch the very beginning of the nursing session.  Most of the time I can get him to fix his latch so it doesn't hurt so much but the trauma is already done.  Its like I'm nursing a half-toddler, half-crocodile.  I don't want to plug his nose and 'suffocate him' (my breasts are too small to make him let go by pulling him in) but other than treating him like a dog that needs a pill shoved down its throat I don't know how to make it stop besides just refusing to nurse him.

[HappyHappyMommy]

That sounds painful, WifeofAnt! I'm bumping this up for attention. Anyone have advice?
 

[teiladancer]

my son started that around 7 months after he got his first 4 teeth. i had deep sores. after all the trouble i went through to get him to breastfeed i was determined not to stop no matter how hard he bit me. it was a tough decision but i made it through "kicking and screaming" lol. if you do try to hold his nose it wont last but a half second. at some point he will associate biting with you pinching his nose and will hopefully stop. in the mean time if you are determined to continue breastfeeding i suggest using lansinoh gel pads which you put in the refridgerator and lots of lansinoh ointment. my sons episode lasted around two months and yes im sad to say there were times where he did not get milk for an hour or two ( i bf every 11/2 hrs i dont know how often you do at this point). i didnt start holding his nose until this last round of biting began and it quickly subsides when i employ that tactic. btw its not the size of your breasts keeping you from "smothering" him because i never could seem to get that tactic down either :). if you have/want to, pump every once in a while to give your nipples a break but still be able to keep up milk supply and feed baby. also if youre worried about any sort of permanent damage my nipples healed fine with the help of liberal applications of the lanolin ointment.  another thing i found helpful was readjusting the latch. as one site said when looking up this very topic: baby cant bite if properly latched on (i had been doing it wrong for 7 months). last but not least....... RELAX. i know its hard because you are antipating pain but baby can feel that. try using a nursing necklace, singing to him or lay on your back in a way where he can watch tv (not all at once obviously). best of luck to you :) if i remember anything else i tried i will post again