In need of support

[Camellia]

My Dd is 8 months old, 30lbs and 29 inches and has always nursed very frequently. She is currently getting in 4 top teeth and is arnory. Until this week I don't think she has ever fallen asleep without nursing.

Here is where I am needing some support/advice.

Lately she has been biting me alot. *every* time she latches on I cringe. I try very hard to relax so she can relax, but omg it hurts to be bitten. Up until recently I would always nurse her at the slightest sign of distress. Now, I am putting her off more and more. This concerns me. I don't want to do this. However, I am simply scared to nurse her. Now, I make sure she is hungry before I nurse her. I comfort her in other ways ( putting her in the sling and dancing, reading to her, playing etc...).

Will I enjoy nursing her again? Its been so long since I nursed Ds that I need to hear from some btdt mama's that this will pass. I love to just nurse her freely and not be scared. It seems like such a functional thing recently more than the pleasurable experience its always been.

Also, I'm concerned that she's not eating as much as she should be. She doesn't do solids. We do try them every other day or so but she's still gagging on them. She will drink water from a sippy cup. Last night she didn't even wet her diaper. She's only done that 2 other times.

I can't even give her tylenol for the teething pain because she throws it right back up. I want to nurse her for comfort, but she bites. I've tried a pacifier and she just throws it at me. She likes a frozen wash cloth, but it doesn't keep her happy for long.

Sorry this has turned into a rant. I'm just concerned. I want to enjoy nursing again. I knew there would be challenges along the way. I'm just ready for this one to pass.

Thanks for listening Mama's

[LoveMyLil'B]

My ds did this while his teeth were coming in (he just has the bottom 2, but the tops are on their way), and it was much better once they were all the way in. I just found that I had to pay close attention when he latched on to make sure my nipple was all the way in, and then as soon as he started popping off ( he likes to pop off and on when he's through), I'd end the feeding so he wouldn't start chewing. I am not looking forward to these top teeth coming in. I had just gotten so comfortable with him latching on without me paying attention, but when you add teeth, it's a whole different ball game!
So, I'd try to just watch to make sure your nipple is all the way in until you let her latch on, and try to anticipate when it's about to happen (for ds, that was when he was very alert and playful, or there was not much milk).
Good luck, and just know that she won't be teething forever!

[Pynki]

Hi Lindsay..

Have you tried the Hylands teething tablets?? They carry them just about everywhere now.. Even the dreaded Wal-Mart..

As for the biting.. I put Liam down.. He bites while nursing he gets a nursing time out.. One minute.. I will hold him if he is crying, but there is no nursing for a minute.. I would unlatch him and say OUCH!! Very loudly and tell him, "Mommy doesn't like being bitten.. No nanas when you bite.." Then off for one full minute.. I will hold him and love him if he is crying, but not nurse until the minute is up.. If he does it again I do the same thing, but then it's 5 minutes..

Make sure you are nursing plenty still.. But not nursing for biting is a natural consequense to me..

Warm Squishy Feelings,

Dyan

[marisa724]

nak

ds also throws up tylenol but infant motrin stays down -- and seems to help on those nights when nothing else does.

[foreverinbluejeans]

There is info about biting at www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/biting.html

[annettemarie]

Hugs to you! My first almost bit my nipple right off- he had fallen asleep, and it wasn't intentional, but boy, was I scared to nurse!
Here are some of my tried-and-true tips...

-Keep your finger at the ready to pop her off if she starts to bite down

- If you feel she is intentionally biting, try this. Look her in the eye and very seriously say "No bite. Hurts Mama." If she does it again, look her in the eye and say "No bite. Hurts Mama" and then set her on the floor. You might even get up and move away. My son was so attached that even this little detachment worked.

- Tylenol suppositories. She can't throw those up : ) and they work really quick

- Teething tablets and teething gel (I actually had more success with the gel)

- Get a carrier massage oil (like sweet almond oil) and add just a drop of chamomile, and rub it around her jaw. It relaxes and soothes.

- Make sure your whole nipple is in her mouth, and that you have good position and latch. These things tend to go by the wayside as Baby gets older.

- Yummy cold teething ring of frozen/fridgerated washloth before nursing.

Don't stress about solids- she won't be nursing in college (probably not even in middle school!)

Annette

[Gidget]

My son did this for a while. There was a point I thought he would never stop biting. ANd he used to do the same thing as yours with Tylenol.It, and anything he ate, would come right back up. I think it was an oversensitive gag reflex. Iwish I had tips for you, but all I could do was wait it out. He did quit and we are still nursing.Good luck and I hope you get relief soon.

[captain optimism]

Wow, thirty pounds at eight months, that's just fantastic!

My son bit during nursing at the exact same age. I took him off the breast each time he did it. It was a royal pain! Eventually, and it took about two months (?) he stopped doing it. I had a lot of support from my dh.

He never bites while nursing now. He bites me other times and on other parts of the body though! I still enjoy nursing him. I don't think he's made it up to 30 lbs. yet! He eats solids very well--he is careful about chewing and eats many different kinds of food, including a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. The first thing he ate that he liked was baked mashed sweet potatoes.

[velcromom]

I kept my finger at ds's mouth for a month or two during that phase. If I felt his latch change in preparation to bite I'd unlatch him. It got to the point where I could not only feel a change in his latch when he was about to bite, but I could also feel a certain tension in his body or maybe it was a certain way he held his head... it just felt different and I could slip in a finger and unlatch him. If he did catch me by surprise I'd put him down and step away for a minute, telling him biting hurts, don't bite mama. The worst of it was about 3 weeks long then he gradually started getting better about it.

[Camellia]

Thank-you everyone. Your posts have helped me very much. Its helpful just to hear that this stage has passed for others.

I looked under my nipple last night (where her two razor teeth are), and there are little vampire looking red marks - like 10 of them under my right nipple, and 6 under my left. I hope she doesn't do any permanent damage.

I will be trying some of your suggestions for sure.

Thanks again Mama's

[Greaseball]

Have you tried frozen breastmilk pops?

I had a huge struggle with Linda and biting, and I think it's what led to early weaning (well, slightly before age 2! :LOL) But she bit every day for about 6 months and I was just dreading having to feed her and cutting out all the feedings I could.

Andrea has one tooth and occasionally has bitten and when she does I detach her, put her on the floor and walk away. I do this when she pulls hair too. I've heard this recommended, and I hope it works.