My daughter has started biting during nursing--is it time to wean?

Question

She is nineteen months old. She hasn't bitten to hurt, only to frighten. She thinks it's funny to startle me, and since I've never had another reason to raise my voice at her, trying to startle her by sounding angry only facinates her and makes her smile.
I simply remove her from the breast that she's bitten, but that breast still has milk and since it isn't being emptied it will stop producing. Is this her intent? Is she trying to wean herself?

To nccollegegrad--I graduated from two NC colleges, with a BA and an MA, and I know that the World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until age two and as long as the child and mother enjoy it there-after, and that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding until at least age one and as long as the child and mother enjoy it there-after.

Thanks for helping everyone. I think I still haven't given enough details. She already drinks from a cup and only nurses 3 times a day: upon waking, naptime and bedtime. Those are the times she has started biting, and she isn't actually biting the nipple, she's biting outside the nipple, and she's not actually "biting," she's pretending to bite and smiling about it.
She has been eating food since 6 months of age.
Thanks again.

Answer 1

She's not trying to wean herself....it sounds like she's playing a game with you. If you have a big reaction and raise your voice to them, it can either 1. scare them or 2. become a funny game. She's amusing herself with this game.

Here's what I'd suggest.....

Pay attention to her nursing pattern. If she isn't actively nursing, take her off the breast for a while. If she isn't "getting down to business" then she's probably going to be more likely to play around and nip you.

Pay attention and see if you can determine a pattern to when she usually does this...beginning or end of feeding? When she is distracted? Never when she's tired? Keep your hand close by so you can take her off the breast before she gets a chance.

If she DOES bite down, pull her IN to your chest so she has to let go of the breast to breathe. Put her down and tell her firmly (w/o yelling) "NO."

You're not going to totally stop producing from ending a nursing session before she is done. Not unless you have some really serious supply problems already! (Like almost no milk left.) Besides, once you have both calmed down, you'll probably try to nurse again.

The link below is really helpful. Also, is there a La Leche League group in your area? The Leader may be able to offer some suggestions AND it might help you to talk to some other moms who have nursing toddlers. Continuing to nurse her is great! Congratulations to you on making it this far!

Answer 2

Yes, sounds like it's time to wean. I think you answered your own question. You said that nursing beyond a year is OK as long as mom and baby are still enjoying it. It doesn't sound like you are enjoying it anymore. My son did the same to me but he was like 6 months old. I quit nursing him at 8 1/2 months because he would bite at the beginning, middle, and end of feedings. He wasn't getting anything out of it and we were not enjoying it at all.

Answer 3

Lol yes, it's definitely time to start her on solids, she should be starting to want something more to eat now especially when she sees you eating and thinks that she might like some too, lol.
If she's playing with you and bites that's the time to take her off the breast, put her in her high chair with a piece of apple or something, but make sure that whatever you give her is large enough that when she puts it in her mouth that she won't choke.
Try her on very soft fruit and vegetables, maybe two or three teaspoons to start off with. Make sure there's no salt or sugar in the food so she doesn't develop the taste for them.
I hope I've helped a bit, love. Good luck.

Answer 4

It sounds like your daughter is already trying to wean herself. My daughter was weaned at 11 months. When she was ready, she did it. My daughter started biting me right before she was weaned and it all worked out. She bit me and then she was weaned. It's got to be a gradual process. You have to try and cut back one feeding at a time and try to distract her or start giving her a cup. Eventually she will be totally weaned. It sounds like you're almost there!

Answer 5

Not time to wean! Time to teach "nursing manners." I am a firm believer in child-led weaning. you can remove her fromthe breast say "no biting, that hurts mama" and re-latch her. Maybe you should ad another nursing session or two if you are worries about your supply.

Answer 6

A baby who is latched on and nursing properly cannot bite the breast. If the nipple is positioned far back in her mouth, and her lips and gums are positioned about an inch behind the nipple on the areola, then her tongue will cover her gums, between her lower teeth and your breast. If she is actively nursing, she can’t bite – and if she is biting, she can’t be actively nursing at the same time. She should never really close his teeth on the breast while nursing, but her upper teeth will occasionally cause an imprint on the areola due to slight pressure exerted during feedings. This usually occurs with older babies, and is seldom painful. If it is uncomfortable, you can take her off and re-latch her. That will usually take care of the problem.

Here are some tips on what to do if your baby bites you:

You do not want to pull her off your breast, although that is your natural reaction. Instead, pull her close to you. Her nose will be pressed against your breast and she will open her mouth so she can breathe. This is better than pulling her off, because then the nipple is stretched out while she is clamping down on it, and you may cause more pain and damage to the tissue than the bite itself. You can also slip your finger in between her gums or teeth to get him to open her mouth and let go of the nipple.

Stop the feeding immediately if she bites you. Even a very young infant can learn that if she wants to nurse, she can’t bite. If she is teething, offer her something to teethe on, such a teething toy, a cold washcloth, a frozen bagel or banana (if she is eating solids), a breastmilk popsicle or a knuckle. Talk to your doctor before using the over the counter teething preparations. These products numb the gums and tongue, but only for a few seconds. Sometimes this numbing effect can make breastfeeding more difficult rather than easier. If she tends to bite at the beginning of a feeding, offer her a teething substitute before the feeding. Very young babies can learn that some things are appropriate to bite down on, but your nipple isn’t one of them.

If your baby continues to bite, you may want to tell her in a firm voice, “No, that hurts Mommy!” and set her down on the floor. She won’t like it, but she will quickly learn that if she wants to nurse, she can’t bite. Be sure to comfort her after a few seconds, but don’t continue to let her nurse if she bites.

Some older babies like to try to look around the room while they are nursing. This means that they turn their head while the nipple is clamped between their gums or teeth. Try to minimize distractions, but if she tries to turn his head while nursing, put your index finger in his mouth immediately. She will soon learn that when she turns away, she loses the nipple.

Sometimes older babies (Nine months or older) just decide to wean themselves. A baby who consistently bites every time you try to nurse him/her, in spite of trying all the above suggestions, may be telling you that he/she is done with nursing. Babies younger than nine months will rarely wean themselves. There is very little you can do if a baby decides to wean, because it is just about impossible to make a baby nurse if she really doesn’t want to. I suggest that with babies of any age, (but especially those twelve months or younger) you try to encourage them to continue breastfeeding because of the many nutritional, emotional, and immunological benefits. Sometimes a baby who is not feeling well, whose mouth is sore due to teething or thrush, or who is emotionally upset over something will temporarily wean (see article on “Nursing Strikes”) but this is rarely permanent. If, in spite of all your best efforts to keep her nursing, your baby decides to wean, you can feel good about the time she did nurse, and know that she chose to end the nursing relationship when she was ready to move on to the next developmental stage.

Answer 7

it particularly is probable her tooth. If she would be able to drink from a cup, why are you nonetheless giving her milk in a bottle? there is no longer something magic approximately bottles and milk. positioned her milk in the cup - far much less complicated to make the replace now, jointly as she's no longer taking area in the bottle besides! And it would be that sucking from the bottle hurts her tooth (or her ears - ear soreness is worry-unfastened jointly as teething).

Answer 8

1 year old you should stop breastfeeding... A year is the MINIMUM age to stop breast feeding. Quitting before that is NOT as healthy for the baby as continuing for a year. Any pediatrician ior medical organization will tell you that. Let the baby figure out when it is time to stop....slowly wean him whenever he seems ready, but NOT before a year is up.

Answer 9

I nursed for 13m with my first and 18m with my third. When they would bite I would press against their jaw joint enough to cause a small bit of pressure. It was enough to make them release. Also enough to get them to stop.

Answer 10

It depends if you want to wean her or not. She's old enough and it is as good as excuse as any. If she was under a year old, I would have advised you to get her to stop biting and continue breastfeeding.