Biting While Nursing

Updated on July 04, 2007
S.A. asks from Grand Junction, CO
7 answers

I have a beautiful daughter who will be 10 months old next week. When she first got her 2 bottom teeth about 3 months ago, she gently bit a couple of times and I just delatched her, told her no, and then continued nursing. She stopped biting after a couple of feedings. But now, for the past two weeks she bites at every feeding. She drinks until the milk starts to slow down, and then she bites hard. I keep delatching her and telling her no, and then she wails for a minute until she is allowed to relatch. But then she nurses a bit more and then bites again. So I tell her no and switch sides. And we repeat the process. But it isn't working. It almost seems like the biting is her signal to me that she is done. She only has the bottom two front teeth and I dread when her top teeth come in. Is there any other way to get her to stop biting?

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K.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My daughter did the same thing a few times (even drew blood once) and when she did, I broke the latch, told her "NO!" and then ended the feeding completely. I did notice that she only bit me when it was the end of the feeding so that may be the same with your daughter. I think once my daughter understood that biting meant no more milk, she stopped. Like I said, it only happened a few times.

I hope it stops quickly because I know how painful it can be!

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C.B.

answers from Denver on

I broke my daughter of biting at 4 months! She bite me once really hard and it startled me as well as hurt me, without even thinking, I screeched and unlatched her! She never bite me after that! She would start to grip a little harder, but as soon as I said no, she never bite again! I think it scared her and by me telling her no every time I thought she was considering, it just reinforced that and she never bit hard again! My daughter had 6 teeth at 10 months! Be thankful yours currently only has 2!

I would suggest getting a soft teether, something that may resemble the feel of your breast, cause if she is teething, she may just like that texture, and then every time she starts biting, you can give her that and she will catch on that what she is doing isn't acceptable!

Good luck, I hope everything works out for you and your daughter's nursing experience!

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J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Are you planning to wean soon? Or at 12 months? The doctor may let you start with milk now, although normally they wait until 12 months. Breastmilk is best, but of course not if it is causing tension between you. If she only bites after a bit of time nursing, I would probably just stop at that point and either give her a bottle/sippy or let her go if she's getting enough nutrition. You could still express your milk and put it in the bottle. Weaning is kind of h*** o* both of you because it's a transition, so if she's initiating it, maybe you should take advantage of it--because in a few months you may not be able to get her to stop!! In any case, you could try to keep telling her no, firmly but gently, and that might work for the short term.

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A.O.

answers from Denver on

S.,

Ouch, I know how that feels! My daughter did it a couple of times and my pediatrician told me to flick her in the forehead. It seems mean, but it doesnt hurt them it is just more of an eye opener and used for the shock factor. It worked really well for me.

good luck!
A.

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S.L.

answers from Denver on

I read in a breast-feeding book that the first time they bite, you should scream loud as if in pain...not AT them, but just to startle them. I wasn't convinced and so I waited to try it until I was completely fed up. It only took once and my son never bit me again.

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J.T.

answers from Fort Collins on

I also have a 10 month old, and she has all four of her front teeth through. However, she started biting me after she got her first two. I figured out that when she starts biting me she is letting me know that she is in pain. So I started watching for other signs such as her biting her fingers more often, drooling more, or just plain cranky. If I didn't catch any signs and she bites me, I detach her and give her tylenol and then I occupy her for as long as I can (up to an hour) so I know the medicine is working. And then I let her finish eating. That seems to work for us. P.S. Four teeth does hurt more...LOL.

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C.L.

answers from Denver on

Dear S.,
My daughter started biting at about 1 year and what she was telling me was she was done being brest fed. I would suggest getting a cup or bottle and putting breatmilk in it. Are you still producing enough milk for her? I just had to respond as I knew for my baby she was ready to be weaned. I didn't want to quit but that was better than being bit. If nothing else is working then I truly would try changing to a cup or a bottle with your breastmilk in it. Let me know how trying that turns out. You can email me at ____@____.com and put Mamasource in the subject line so I know its from you. My hotmail only lets people in whom I've approved so I will find it in my junk mail but then make it so it can come into my approved mail. I would love to hear from you. I'll be praying for you. C.

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