Baby is 7 months old and still breastfeeding. He's just cut his first 2 teeth and keeps biting while he feeds. OUCH!!
2006-06-23 00:18:11 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Baby is not ready to be weaned off breastfeeding and expressing won't work as it takes way too long!!!!!
2006-06-23 00:27:13 · update #1
Just to clarify. Formula feeding and expressing are not options that I am comfortable with.
2006-06-23 07:25:44 · update #2
Whatever you do, DO NOT SLAP YOUR CHILD!!! He is only 7 months old and can feel pain, and it's not right to do that to him. He's biting because his gums hurt and biting makes the pain better. When he nurses the sucking that he does makes the gums hurt more, so he bites to relieve the pain. When he does it, do not react in some big way. Otherwise he'll begin to think it's a game and he will laugh and keep doing it. You need to release him from sucking and put it away for awhile. He'll begin to understand that when he bites he won't get food. Don't wean him until you are ready. Yes he is old enough, but going to at least 1 year is best. Good Luck!
2006-06-23 03:53:31 · answer #1 · answered by photomom 2 · 21⤊ 3⤋
Please do not wean him, 7 months is still very young. I was fortunate to breastfeed my 3 till 17, 16 and 20 months respectively.
The baby is mature enough to begin to understand not to do something - all mine tried biting and I yelled, got upset, and took them off, telling them firmly not to do it again. Babies do not appreciate that kind of response so they tend to get the message not to bite.
Also the baby is probably teething more teeth and will have an urge to bite down to relieve the pain and pressure. Give teething rings, cold carrots etc (but watch for choking) to bite on, and try to teach what is acceptable to bite and what isnt. It may be that baby is going on the breast because they are cranky and want something to bite on 'cause their mouth is hurting - if they were actually hungry or thirsty they would suck.
A different thing is when babies with teeth fall asleep at the breast, they accidentally go floppy and bite without knowing. The solution is to get your clean finger in their mouth and gently get them off you.
2006-06-23 02:24:42 · answer #2 · answered by BusyMum 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is what a La Leche League leader told me to do - when your baby bites, gently push his face into your breast, covering his nose...he will HAVE to release the breast because he will need to breathe through his mouth. When he does this, look him in the eye and say "no bite" you can then continue your nursing session, if he does it again, repeat the process, if he does it a third time, discontinue nursing, he may cry a bit about this, but he will get the point after a few episodes. You can resume it later. Good luck! And hang in there - dont quit! You're doing great mommy!
2006-06-23 01:08:37 · answer #3 · answered by dixiechic 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
as soon as he bites take stop the feeding . if he is truely hungry he will keep to business. at 7 months is he eating baby food? if so start the feeding with the breast and once he bites remove the breast and finish the meal with some cereal , or canned baby food.
stopping him from biting is very hard to do and at that age a baby dont understand what he is doing is hurting .
2006-06-23 01:45:44 · answer #4 · answered by mick 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ouch!!!! been through that aswell.i suggest you try this evry time he bites pinch his nose then he will let go take him away from the breast and say do you want more milk then don`t bite mummy.try letting him feed again and if he does bite again repeat the process.Eventually he will want to feed and wont bite you.
i did this with my 2 sons worked extremely well.The midwife told me to do this.
Good luck and breastfeed for as long as you can best thing in the world for you and baby.
2006-06-23 13:09:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the baby bites, remove him from the breast and a firm no. Then wait a few minutes and allow him to suckle again, every time he bites remove him and issue a firm NO. He will ge the message.
You have to carry this on, sometimes it can take a while but it does work promise!
2006-06-23 11:16:23 · answer #6 · answered by Hannah 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If expressing and formula aren't an opiton, then you hae to deal with it...I weaned at 7 months because of the biting
2006-06-23 08:02:50 · answer #7 · answered by mommy_2_liam 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand this one. I got a nipple guard. it is small, smaller than a baby bottle lid. you get it damp and push on nipple and baby sucks and chews on the nipple guard, not you. Evenflo and Playtex and several others make them. Type in nipple guard in the web search and see who has them. Also use A&D ointment to keep the nipples from cracking by getting too dry. Usually that doesn't happen much with the guard. Then the little carnivor gets weaned off fresh meat.
2006-06-23 01:16:11 · answer #8 · answered by freedomread 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Say to him " NO" when he bites. If you can not express milk you may want to try a electric double pump. Or maybe you are not producing a lot of milk so he thinks he is at the breast to teeth.
2006-06-23 00:49:30 · answer #9 · answered by kcbrown1979 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I may not be the ideal person to answer this being a man but my wife found that a nipple shield was quite effective at this stage. You can get them fom any chemist and they just sit over the nipple.
Apart from that you probably need to hear from other people with firsthand experience of this.
2006-06-23 00:25:23 · answer #10 · answered by Git 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋