breastfeeding/teething question.........?

Question

Hi ! I breastfeed my daughter (she is 7 months old today!) and i would like to breastfeed her until she is 1 year old.
she cut her 2 bottom teeth about 2 weeks ago. she is starting to bite when she nurses...not all the time but sometimes she does. (ouch, those little teeth feel like they are razor sharp!)
i would love any suggestions on how to get her to not do that......

thank you!

thank you so much for all the great suggestions!

Answer 1

Kudos to you for choosing the best possible nutrition for you baby! And for keeping it up so long. Very few babies even get to breastfeed once they leave the hospital. Anyways, there's absolutely NO reason to wean her, and I'm surprised anyone would suggest it. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least 12 months, and for as long after as mom and baby desire. The best response is to do what some other posters said, give an immediate negative reaction. like "Ouch! Don't Bite mommy!" and pull her off. Unfortunatley you may just get bit a few more times before she catches on, but she will catch on that when she bites, she gets kicked off the breast.

Actually, when a baby is actively nursing, the position of your nipple (back of her mouth) and position of her tongue while nursing (over her gums) so by the time she bites, she's likely done eating anyways.

Answer 2

After breastfeeding four kids, I don't agree with what spaznskitz said. You can get your little one to stop biting. What I did with my first one was yell ouch, more from surprise than pain and removed her - that was the first and last time she bit although I continued to nurse her for about 5 more months. With my other two I just popped them off each time they bit for a minute or two, until they cried to be fed again, after about 5 times they learned not to bite me. I'm still nursing my fourth, and she doesn't have teeth yet, but I'll do the same with her.

Unless you just don't want to breastfeed your baby girl, there is no reason to pump and not offer the breast. It take some time, and a lot of patience but she'll get out of this stage soon enough. Consistency is the key here! Good luck and enjoy your little one!

Answer 3

First of all... don't wean her off. No need for that. Since she's only cut her bottom teeth, you're not really getting bit. You're probably feeling the pain only when she first latches on. She's probably almost sucking your nipple in to start feeding. Have her open wide so that she doesn't have a chance to gum you, compress your nipple between thumb and index finger, and insert it all the way up to the areola so that she doesn't have a chance at scraping your nipple (which is what's so sensitive). Your daughter has to have her tongue down over her teeth to nurse, so guide her to latch on properly. When you think she's done nursing, take her off so that she doesn't use your breast as a teething ring.
I nursed my son for13 months. He cut his bottom teeth at 8 months... and I thought he was biting too. Not the case! He had always kinda sucked me in like a vacuum and I never realized because there were no teeth. It wasn't until he got his upper teeth a month later that he bit me.. Ouch! I would calmly tell him "No biting" and try to work on the latching, but with him... it didn't work. I dealt with the pain and became numb to it... until he drew blood which was last week. That's when I weaned him (he was sort of weaning himself off anyway... since I'm 5 months prego and I think the taste of my milk is changing).
If the pain become too unbearable... you can try a nipple shield (though I didn't care for them). I think if you just bear with it for a bit, you'll get over the sensitivity.
Good luck.

Answer 4

My daughter got her first tooth around 6 months. She started biting me from the beginning. She was nursed an given pumped breast milk from birth because I work full time. Anyway, I tried everything, telling her "no bite mommy", crying out, biting my lip and taking it, taking her off the breast. Some things worked for the moment but nothing worked consistently. By the time she was 9 months, we were done nursing - but I still gave her pumped breast milk until she was 14 months. I talked with many professionals, pediatrician, lactation specialist and therapists and came to the conclusion that she wasn't interested in nursing for comfort anymore, she was just looking for nourishment. My point is, if you can't nurse anymore, you can still give her pumped breast milk. If you don't want to buy a pump, most hospitals rent the good ones on a monthly basis. Good luck!

Answer 5

I had a biter and nursed her until eventually she replaced into 3 years old...however the biting section replaced right into a component. a quick no longer common section, yet a component! The "respected" thank you to handle it rather is to end the nursing consultation and say firmly (yet no longer angrily) "ouch that hurts mommy" and then take a min or 2 to regroup earlier offering lower back. although, it rather is style of impossible to no longer scream while bitten. My daughter did no longer initiate biting until eventually she replaced into getting authentic the teeth besides. So...you have a quick at the same time as yet. I additionally got here across that she might chew while a clean the teeth replaced into reducing. as quickly because it broke via, not greater biting. while she hit approximately 15 months or so and can chew then i might do the entire "ouch that hurts" ingredient yet additionally positioned her down and walk away. in basic terms before that she wasn't rather at a place cognitively to make the relationship. We weathered via it and that i know plenty and many mothers who do. no longer each and every toddler bites. So attempt to no longer be nerve-racking over it. in basic terms see what happens. i'm particular you could cope with it...to procure via hard artwork remarkable?!?!? ;-) terrific desires!

Answer 6

I yelped out in pain and then took my daughter off immediately. She cried the first time, but after the 3rd time of this happening, she never bit me again. I nursed her for 12 months, and by then she had 7 teeth and I had no problems.

Answer 7

I think it's a matter of what does and doesn't work. Try these things:

1. I've read this in breastfeeding books--but I know it sounds harsh. If she bites you, push her face into your boob. She'll let go to breathe and she'll realize it's not fun for her when she does it.

2. If she bites you give her a reaction, but not a fun one! Pull her away from the boob and say in a low, stern voice, "DON'T BITE MOMMY." If you scream, she might think its a game.

3. Release her from the breast, set her down on the couch or floor and walk away from her. She'll realize that she doesn't get food when she does it.

Hope this helps!

Answer 8

It's a phase. My son did the same thing and it lasted for about a month. The key is to push her into your breast so she can't breathe and she will let go right away. Our natural tendancy is to pull them away because it' hurts, but that will just make it more painful. Hope this helps, it did for me.

Answer 9

I agree with Jinkies, I just made a noise like, "OUCH!" that startled my kids and they stopped biting pretty soon. It's just something that they have to learn not to do. Shouldn't last too long, though.

Answer 10

i nursed to a year and she didnt bite me but a couple times..i always jus made a noise like eh eh or something to where she knew it was something i didnt like. she caught on. good luck!