10mo drives me crazy while nursing... modify behavior?

[wafflefish]

I feel like it just keeps getting harder instead of easier. I'm guessing some things are typical for her age but they are making me frustrated and feeling stressed. Breastfeeding is no fun at the moment. It was never this painful in the beginning.

She only falls asleep at the boob. She like the stay latched on for long periods of time (sometimes the whole nap). Occasionally she tights her teeth around my nipple and just want to hold her jaw clinched like this the whole time she sleeps. When I take her off she immediatly wakes up and is upset and refuses to settle down until she is latched on again and it will often just repeat.

She has four upper teeth and often latches on with a CHOMP. Particularly when upset. 

She will rip off suddenly, dragging all those teeth across my nipple.

But by far the most common is the nursing acrobatics. I know for most people watching it is cute and something to laugh at. Coupled with the hand under the shirt pinching and scratching at my breast this causes me a lot of stress. Sometimes to much touch can become painful for me. Is it too early or cruel if I try to modify this behaviour by putting her on the floor when she does it? Am I extreme if I don't want to tolerate my daughter nursing while trying to stand on my lap?

[seraf]

I think nursing is a relationship and you don't have to let anyone hurt you. She needs to eat but she is old enough to work on manners.

Babies like to suck even in their sleep. My 12 month old would nurse all night long if I didn't unlatch him. Sometimes he is insistent that he isn't done and I nurse him for a few minutes and unlatch him again. There are different ways to unlatch a baby that might be more effective for you.

Latching on with a chomp usually goes with teething in my experience. I usually try to calm my guy before latching because I don't like that chomp, either.

Ripping off the nipple (ouch) might be prevented by paying attention when she nurses like she's getting bored and distractible and unlatching her before she has a chance to do it. It could also be teething, and end soon. Our littlest guy has been doing a slow sideways pull lately and we are pretty sure it's teeth.

I also think the baby yoga while nursing is cute so I have never really tried to stop that one. I don't allow pinching, scratching or nipple twiddling. I either cover the other breast with my hand or hold his hand gently. I don't really think its cruel to sit them on the floor for a couple of seconds when they get acrobatic. I can assure you that my 12 month old doesn't do it anymore despite my laughing it off so it's a relatively short phase.

Good luck. You sound frustrated. These aren't issues I would wean over. They are pretty short lived and will soon be a thing of the past if you work on them.