what to do when you've become a human teeting ring?

[**Mia**]

DD is almost 10 months and her first two teeth came in on the day she turned 9 months. A couple of weeks before that she started clamping down and gnashing her gums on me. I let out a surprised yell the first time and she just looked at me, cracked up and then bit down again. The only thing that even slightly works has been trying to get a finger in her mouth to break the latch and then not allowing her to nurse for a couple of minutes. The thing is- she bites and then lets go immediately after usually, and now with teeth I'm getting little cuts. I never had this issue with DS, so I'm at a loss as to what to do. Unfortunately, it's still happening on a regular enough basis that I'm really needing some suggestions. What do you think mamas?

[GillisMama]

biting

My daughter did that for a while, and will still do it if she doesn't think she's getting all of the attention she wants while I am nursing. Instead of the knee-jerk response to try to get her off of the nipple, I was told to instead hold her a little closer, so that her nose gets smushed by my breast. Then, she pulls back to breathe better. It took a day or so of being really consistent, and she hardly ever bights anymore. My DD has the two bottom teeth too, so I'm very familiar with the little knicks. Try rubbing some breast milk on them and letting them air dry. That will heal them a little faster, and, you're not putting creams or ointments that the baby won't like the taste of.
Hope this helps!
Kristen :

[jennybean0722]

My DS did the same thing. Pulling him close to me didn't work at all (maybe it does for others though). What worked was pinching his nose shut so he would pull off. So far it has worked like a charm, I started doing it when he was "gumming" me. He has bitten me other places on my body but not the nipples (although I'm sure it will happen one day), so I believe he has gotten the picture.

[NotTheOnlyOne]

When my ds started this at 4.5 months (first two teeth came in at 5 months) I did pull his face into my breast so his nose would be covered. Only for a second.. just until he opens his mouth so he can breath and thus lets go of the nipple. After three or four times of this he rarely bites me anymore.... He does still occasionally though.

[**Mia**]

thanks so much for your responses, I had gotten busy and I forgot to check back. Sorry I tried the nose pinching thing but the thing is, she's quick- she bites and then immediately lets go, like she knows she's not supposed to do it! What's working best for me is the smushing her sort of, you know keeping her as close to me as possible when she's nursing, but she always pulls away and wants to be moving around, I seriously hope it's more of a phase than indicative of what the rest of our nursing relationship is going to be.

Please keep the suggestions rolling in, I definitely need them!

[mhr1406]

Maybe you can give some hylands teething tablets to help with the teething pain. Then next time she bites tell her calmly we don't bite. With my ds consistancy was key
when he was not hurting and he would clamp down anyway I would say no nursie if you bite and if you need to bite use this(i would offer a cool washcloth) It took a coupple of times of showing him that he could not nurse after biting and he stopped

hth

[**Mia**]

I think I might be introducing the washcloth idea when she nurses, she does get the teething tablets, but maybe I'll start giving them to her right before she nurses, thanks for the ideas.

[hipmama0721]

My son is 8.5 months and just cut his first tooth last weekend. It seems like everytime we nurse now...he bites me....ouch!!! I am going to try some of these methods and hopefully something will work. Hope one works for you as well. Best of luck to you mama!!!