Biting While Breastfeeding - Bellflower,CA

I'm having trouble breastfeeding my 11 month old daughter. Every time she nurses, she bites down hard and rips away. She has two sharp teeth on the top and bottom, so this hurts quite a bit! I know a lot of moms ween their babies at this point, but I was hoping to nurse longer. My first daughter nursed until she was 2 1/2, and from research that I've read, this is very healthy for children. Does anyone have advice about getting their babies to stop biting?

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So What Happened?™

Thanks for all your advice! I had already tried the trick of pulling baby into my breast when she bites. It worked well for my first one, but this one just thinks that its funny. She laughs at me! I've been trying your suggestions though and she's starting to lighten up a bit; but I'm still pretty sore :-(. Thanks again!

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K.T. answers from Los Angeles on July 26, 2007

One trick a friend of mine came up with was to cut off the topmost part of a baby bottle nipple, and stick it over her areola. Her daughter could still suckle and get milk, but when she bit down the bottle nipple took the damage, and it cushioned her boobs a bit.

Hope that helps!

1 mom found this helpful

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L.D. answers from Salt Lake City on July 26, 2007

E.,
I feel your pain. My 11 month old daughter now has 8 teeth and I still breast feed her. When she first started biting, my yelps startled her enough to get the point that biting equals no boob. But, what I have learned is that she mostly bites when there is a distraction. So I feed her in another room or away from just about anything that could get her attetion. Of course this is much easier now that she doesn't nurse as often as she used to (just twice a day now).
Good luck!

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J.A. answers from Los Angeles on July 25, 2007

Check the post from Sandra D. a month or so ago. http://www.mamasource.com/request/6140284202316201985
One of the moms (I think her name was Heather) gave a great idea. Instead of jumping away from the bite and allowing her to YANK away, hug her INTO your breast, covering her nose and mouth with your breast tissue until she opens her mouth to cry. Then relax your hug and CALMLY say something to the effect of "Oh, I'm so sorry. You were really hurting Mommy. Are you still thirsty?" Then offer her your breast again. If she bites again, I'd hug her into the breast a 2nd time and when she realeases, say "Oh, I guess you're all done." Then close up shop, so to say, for a few minutes. She SHOULD quickly learn that biting isn't fun for either of you.

I hope it helps, and congrats on your desire to keep nursing~ J.

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S.W. answers from Los Angeles on July 26, 2007

Awesome advice from the other moms already.........and just wanted to give you a pat on the back for continuing.
I have a 2.5 yr. old and a newborn and have actually let my little girl start nursing again once a day. She would go back to 2 or 3 times a day if i let her.........but good for you for wanting to do what is best for your kids! It's so hard to carry on with breastfeeding when so many people have the attitude of "when are you going to stop that" so YEAH for you!!
Keep up the great work!
:)
S.
A fellow nursing mama
:)