[aguacates]

My 10 1/2 month old dd is going through a really bad biting phase right now. She still bfs a lot for nutrition, but I get bitten to the point of drawing blood at least once every nursing session, sometimes several times. I really really don't want to wean her. I am so committed to nursing her, but I am having a really hard time with this. And pretty much everyone I talk to irl tells me to wean. Even dp who is super pro bf, told me today, that I might have to just accept that I can't keep bfing. At which I broke down in tears. Please tell me that we will get past this. I have tried pretty much everything everyone has ever suggested, short of biting or otherwise hurting her when she bites, which I refuse to do for obvious reasons. I know that she is teething right now, and that is probably something to do with the especially bad biting, but my nipples are swollen and cut and I am so tense every time she nurses, finger poised trying to cut her off before she bites. Please, I need some support.

TIA, Abigail

 

[Sustainer]

How awful for you! I admire your determination to continue. Have you talked to a lactation consultant about this problem? A nipple shield might be an option.

 

[MamaAllNatural]

You sounds so frustrated. This will pass. It could be aggravated by teething but it also may be turning into a behavioral thing.

Don't let the baby latch on until her mouth is wide, wide open and make sure you put your breast far back in her mouth to where the nipple is towards the back of her throat. This is the most proper latch and it's extremely difficult for them to bite you when they're latched like this.

Do you set her down the moment she bites? I know she's still pretty young but this is a lot better than weaning. The moment she bites you, set her down and - well this sounds kind of mean but - ignore her for a few seconds. This has always worked for me when mine have tried biting and it is what LLL Leaders recommend too.

I hope this gets better soon. I'll post again if I think of anything else. Hang in there Mama.

 

[aguacates]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaAllNatural Don't let the baby latch on until her mouth is wide, wide open and make sure you put your breast far back in her mouth to where the nipple is towards the back of her throat. This is the most proper latch and it's extremely difficult for them to bite you when they're latched like this. Do you set her down the moment she bites? I know she's still pretty young but this is a lot better than weaning. The moment she bites you, set her down and - well this sounds kind of mean but - ignore her for a few seconds. This has always worked for me when mine have tried biting and it is what LLL Leaders recommend too.

Thanks for the responses. I have been trying to get ultra consistant about setting her down the minute she bites. The hard part is, when I know she needs to nurse, how long should I wait before trying again? Especially when she is a wreck because she wants to nurse?

I will try to pay more attention to her latch. She has never had a "deep" latch, but I never really thought about it in relation to her being able to bite me. I do pay a lot of attention to every little tensing of her jaw muscles, in case it precedes a bite.

And, after having such a hard day, dealing with this, (I almost hesitate to say this) she didn't bite me once when I was nursing her to sleep. I don't want to get hopeful, but it was amazing to not get bitten.

So, thanks for the support. I feel like I just need to hear that this is a stage that will pass, and that I will still be able to nurse my toddler....

 

[Messy Nessie]

my dd does this when she's about to cut a tooth. it usually lasts a day or two and during that time i get really panicked that it will never end... but it always does! (you would think after 8 teeth that i would learn!)

ita with mama allnatural's advice. the best thing to do is to get the deep latch and take her off when she bites.

to you. that is great that you are so dedicated, this won't last forever!

 

[TiredX2]

If it was me, I would wait at least a couple minutes before trying again. Say something like, "biting hurts mommy" (whatever) and then try again. If she bites again I would set her down for longer (15ish minutes).

That said, with DD her teeth really hurt and she wanted to bite. I'd give her one of those teethers (from the freezer) and that would help a lot. You have to be careful then, because they gums are icy cold (brrr for you) and they can't tell if they are biting you.

Good luck!

Kay

 

[aguacates]

Well, I have to say somewhat cautiously that things seem to be somewhat better. DD only bit me once tonight when I was putting her to bed. It took 1 1/2 hrs to get her to sleep, but only one little bite. Thanks for all the suggestions. Also, any thoughts on how to encourage a deeper latch in a 10.5 mo old? I try to get more of the nipple in her mouth, but she just moves back to where she always is. Anyway, I'm feeling a lot less frustrated today, and that this is only a phase that will end soon.

 

[MamaAllNatural]

Thanks for the update. I'm so glad to hear things are going better.

Regarding the deeper latch, I would just keep trying with not putting your breast into her mouth until it's wide open (and then put your breast in fast before she can shut her mouth too much). That's actually pretty funny that she takes it and then moves it to where she's used to. :LOL (well, probably not funny to you...sorry

). Clever girl.

Hopefully if you just keep at it you can get her used to it. The important thing is that the biting is stopping.

:

 

[crysmomofthree]

I am glad things seem to be going better for you

When my son when through this phase, something I found effective was instead of pulling him off when he bit, I would pull his face in closer kind of a smushh. It was really effective he would stop biting immediately and it didn't cause any hurt feelings (my ds is super sensitive to loud quick movements, the first time he bit I screamed in pain and he went on a nursing strike for 48 hours

) The biting is definately a phase but sometimes it can resurface again so it is always good to have a few tips under your sleeve, good luck
crystal

 

[JessicaS]

Biting is heck to get through and there are a few different solutions.

The "no bite" thing doesn't work for everyone. Some kids (mine) find it hysterical some also find "biting hurts mommy" with sad face very funny (mine)

Now here is what I was told by sister, it sounds evil at first glance, but it works.

WHen the baby bites pull them into your breast for a moment so it covers their nose so they have to unlatch to breath. Works like a charm, since my own child thought the other options were so hysterical this is what worked for me and it only took a few tries.

 

[wendy1221]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abimommy Biting is heck to get through and there are a few different solutions. The "no bite" thing doesn't work for everyone. Some kids (mine) find it hysterical some also find "biting hurts mommy" with sad face very funny (mine) Now here is what I was told by sister, it sounds evil at first glance, but it works. WHen the baby bites pull them into your breast for a moment so it covers their nose so they have to unlatch to breath. Works like a charm, since my own child thought the other options were so hysterical this is what worked for me and it only took a few tries.

That's what my mom told me to do. Pull them in while saying NO (except I usually screech--Can't help it) then put them down and turn your back to them for a few seconds. They shriek like the world's ending, but I only did this once to ds 1 and he never bit me again. Believe me, they understand what it's about. Babies aren't completely clueless like so many people seem to believe. Ds 2 I haven't tried it on. Hopefully I won't have to. Right now, he only has 1 tooth and he's only bitten me at the end of a feeding when he's trying to get up and I'm trying to encourage him to nurse a little longer (he's at that distracted stage and only nurses for like 30 seconds at a time. Ugh!)

 

[Mommy To Baby Roni]

You've already received some great advice. I would, for lack of a better word, shove my nipple further into her mouth when I thought she was about to bite. It didn't stope her breathing & cause her to let go, but to take a deeper latch. You also may want to give your baby a little Baby Orajel right before a nursing session. If her mouth doesn't hurt she may be less likely to bite. Good luck & hang in there!

 

[TigerTail]

yelling 'owwww!' (not as punishment, but because that's what i do when someone bites off the tip of my nipple!) & smooshing into the breast, saying, 'no bite mama! it hurts!', all the same advice you've been getting... (obviously, when my dd bit as a reflex while asleep was different, she didn't know what she was doing- i just got better about pulling away from a sleeping baby, lol.) it's a rough stage, no doubt, but they'll get over it when their beloved breast needs to recover before they can suck again. babies are pretty damned smart. (and yes, on the teething advice. orajel worked wonders.)

 

[guestmama9924]

ouch, I had a blood-drawing biter too. It did pass, but it seemed like eternity. Also, discourage biting on any food/comfort related item. Spoons, cups, bottles, binkies, or even your fingers if she chews on them. Disassociate biting on non-toys!
Also, jaw massage right before nursing, releases tension. Biting is a tension release, so a little massage may help too.

 

[aguacates]

Thanks for all the great advice! An update: Things are a lot better right now, however she bit me really badly on the 4th, and I am still not really nursing on that side. I'll latch her on if she is sleeping, just to drain it a little, but I have to bite something so I don't scream. She really took a chunk out of it. I don't know, I think she kind of understands that if she bites, mama won't nurse. But she is definitely one of those babies who thinks any response is funny. As for the pulling her in closer thing, that worked well when she was biting at seven months, but now when I try it, she just clamps down harder and breathes somehow around the edges. I have also been pumping her full of teething tablets and homeopathics to take the edge off. I just hope that this phase is almost over. Thank you all so much for the support! Now I can actually make it to Extended BFing.

 

[momoen1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by missbliss I am still not really nursing on that side. I'll latch her on if she is sleeping, just to drain it a little, but I have to bite something so I don't scream.

I've found that putting a little baby orajel right on your nipple will help numb it so it doesn't hurt quite as badly while the baby is latched on.

HTH
Mona