Twiddling...

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Ok, I know this isn't really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it is driving me batty!

DS has no problems keeping his hands to himself if my other breast is covered, but if it is exposed, he MUST twiddle my nipple. It hurts and is so annoying that I am starting to dislike nursing when it happens. I love it otherwise, and he is only 8 months, so I have no intentions of stopping, but please tell me I can make it stop!

Pretty much the only time he does it is when we are side lying, so I don't want to wear my nursing necklace in case I fall asleep. I have a paranoia about wearing a necklace while I sleep. I am sure I would be fine, but I have visions of me strangling, or of the beads coming off and DS choking.

[twogreencars]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

Ok, I know this isn't really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it is driving me batty!

DS has no problems keeping his hands to himself if my other breast is covered, but if it is exposed, he MUST twiddle my nipple. It hurts and is so annoying that I am starting to dislike nursing when it happens. I love it otherwise, and he is only 8 months, so I have no intentions of stopping, but please tell me I can make it stop!

Pretty much the only time he does it is when we are side lying, so I don't want to wear my nursing necklace in case I fall asleep. I have a paranoia about wearing a necklace while I sleep. I am sure I would be fine, but I have visions of me strangling, or of the beads coming off and DS choking.

Is there a special toy your LO can twiddle instead at night? My DD loves holding her wooden donuts. I just ordered a bunch of wooden rings from the toymaking coop to satisfy her wooden ring obsession. Perhaps a soft knotted toy or blanket? That way he can twiddle it w/out annoying you.

[Lila]

Mine have all done that. My only solution is to wear a sleep bra.

[jenni22]

If dd can see it she will twiddle it! So when I nurse at night I just drape a recieving blanket over the exposed side (also catches my leaks) and then I put the blanket by my pillow when she's done so I can find it again in the dark!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

These are pretty much the answers I expected. I have tried to drape a blanket or the sheet over my exposed breast, but his little hand finds its way under pretty easily these days. I also have tried giving him a toy, but he flings it. Apparently my nipple is waaaayyyy more fun. : As for a sleep bra, I can't stand wearing a bra to bed. Even when he was a newborn and I was leaking all over everything and waking up in a lake of milk, I would rather change my sheets than wear a bra to bed. I hate wearing them during the day, and wearing one to bed is a sure way to not sleep well.

I do realize that the twiddling helps with letdown, although for the life of me, I can't figure that one out. How on earth can something that annoys the bejeezus out of me make me relax enough to letdown????

Sigh... I guess it will just have to be something that we work on as he gets old enough to understand "please don't do that".

[Vancouver Mommy]

apparently it's instinctive and it is supposed to help facilitate letdowns.