From Nurser to Nibbler

I just experienced the same thing with my eight month old daughter. I was told to tell her "no" in a firm voice and remove her from the breast for a few minutes or so. This worked for me and she doesnt bite me anymore! Yea she got upset when I would remove her, but she got the point. I also supplement with a bottle so if she was still hungery I would give her that. Yes it is something they do when they are teething. I wish you the best of luck, and I know how painful that is!!!

It has been a number of years since I have breasfed but what I recall is that when the teeth are coming through they find relief in biting down... at least with mine. I have six children, five of whom I breafed. What I did was take away the breast. Soon enough the biting lessened and we went back to a normal feeding. Only one I had to stop all together and she was 10 mths old at the time.

Mone went through a nibbling phase too. I would remove her and say no biting, sometimes ending the session. It worked - it was only a few times that she did it. There were times she would do it by accident and then look at me with those 'I am sorry Mommy eyes too.' :)

I had this problem for awhile too. For me, the loud 'ouch' response that I first heard about really backfired. I think that my son found it amusing and therefore wanted to elicit it. He thought we were playing a game and didn't realize that I was upset.

What worked much better for us, was to quietly and firmly (although sometimes if it really hurts it is hard to stay quiet!) say 'No. Don't bite mommy. That hurts.' while removing him from the breast and covering back up. If it was the beginning of a nursing session and I knew he really needed to nurse then, I would just wait a moment before allowing him to nurse again. This worked well.

I do think that it is connected to teething pain. Another thing that helped was to give him a frozen washcloth for him to bite on and numb his gumsbefore starting to nurse.

I think the best thing I found online about this was on the kellymom site: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/biting.html . I hope this helps! My son is now 13 months and still nursing -- this problem stopped long ago.

Hello,
My daughter did this, and I think almost all baby's do this at one time or another. The method that worked the best was to flick her cheek while she was doing it. She learned after only two times that biting wasn't okay. Every other mom I've ever talked to about this subject also swears by the flicking method. She would cry for a few seconds and then start nursing again. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

A.

My son got his first tooth really early and bit down hard. When my son bit, I IMMEDIATELY put him on the floor in front of me until he registered it (startled look), then picked him up and started feeding again. I only had to do this twice and he never bit me again. Between the loss of milk and the loss of mommy holding for just a few seconds, he got the idea.

Although my youngest is now 6, I can clearly remember when he started biting down when nursing (at about 6 mo)--he actually nicked me. I felt desperate at the time and thought I might have to stop, but a call to the lactation consultant at my local hospital saved me. They told me that he couldn't bite and nurse at the same time and the biting happened when he stopped sucking. So for a few weeks I had to pay close attention when he was nursing and take him off the breast immediately when he stopped sucking. It didn't take long for him to stop biting and we went on to have many more months of bite free nursing. Good luck and don't give up.

I think most babies start this at about 6 months of age due to teething causing a desire to bite. I read good information on www.askdrsears.com about what to do. I remember doing two things when my son was this age. I yelled "OW!" when he bit to make sure he knew that it hurt (sometimes louder than the pain required to get my point across), took him off my breast and told him "No!" and then began nursing normally again. The other thing I did was pushed him into my breast so his breathing would be interrupted until stopped biting and unlatched.. (This was harder to do for me as it was counter-intuitive to draw a biter closer to the bitten body part.) I understand that most babies will be surprised by the yell and will not bite many times after hearing that. I guess that some babies may get so scared that they will not nurse again, but you probably have an idea of your son's constitution and personality (and it sounds like you are probably well attached since his is with you at home and at work) to know if he could handle the remedy. If he bites repeatedly, just stop nursing and do not give him attention (lay him down) so he doesn't mistake it for a game. I was surprised at how quickly my son learned, I can only remember having to respond to bites less than a handful of times.

The longer your breastfeed, research shows that your baby willl have a higher IQ and be better bonded to you so I hope you are able to get past this biting. Good luck!

teething! Not that they don't bite for other reasons, but that is mostly it. For both of my kids, the only thing that worked well, was GENTLY pressing their face into your breast when they bite- they let go immediately! They don't like it, so they stop doing it. Sometimes, as they get older, they chomp down in their sleep pretty hard, and this works then, too. It is immediate release, and is their instant reflex, it isn't like they are being smothered!

My oldest (now 3 yr old) son did the same thing! He probably bit me a couple hundred times throughout the almost one year that I nursed him. I tried everything to get him to stop (I flicked him, yelled ouch, ended his feeding, etc, but he just was a biter.) I noticed he mouthed and bit EVERYTHING, though, it wasn't just me. He aslo was a pacifier user. I think some of it had to do with teething, but he was just a "oral gratificiation" baby, one that loved feeling things in between his teeth and gums. Ha ha. He also ate for a long time began playing around when he would start to bite me. When he was really drinking I don't remember him biting. So, I had to really pay attention and try to watch for the signs he was about to do it! Then we would end the feeding done or not! This probably is not much help to you, but I hope to at least let you know you are not alone. I didn't end my nursing relationship because of the biting but every time he did it, I let him know I didn't appreciate it.

My younger one (now 21 mos) bit a lot too, but he always cried when I informed him he just hurt me. His was clearly due to teething, and he didn't use a pacifier or really use his mouth to "mouth" things as much. He also ate very quickly (pretty much less than 2 minutes on each side). He was all business. But, as soon as he was done, if I didn't get him off, CHOMP! And, if my milk didn't let down right away, CHOMP!

Good luck with your precious baby! :o)

Usually it happens because they have had enough and begin to play. They learn quickly that it pains you just by a simple squeal or pained ouch or the way your body pulls back. My milk ran low with my second son at about 6 months to my dismay(I had nursed my first son for 18 months. So it was his way of telling me I'm not getting anything..and maybe if I bite I will.

hello R.,
I have a nearly 4-month-old and have not had the pleasure yet of extreme biting - yet. She does crane her neck around, taking nipple with it frequently now. One thing I read about biting is that if they do that, pull the baby in very close to you, so his nose is smashed against the breast. He won't be able to breathe (for a second while you hold him). A few times and they get the idea. I'm curious to know if this will work....
Good luck,
A.

Hi R,
I had that problem with both my babies, who are now 12 and almost 10. When it started happening w/ my first everyone said, "well, it looks like it's time to stop breastfeeding."
I REALLY didn't want to so this is what I did. It worked and I breastfed my son til he was 2ish and the same for my daughter. First I used a surprised, hurt, louder tone of voice. That would usually scare them off. If that didn't work, I would (VERY GENTLY) flick their cheek. Just enough to get their attention. If the first didn't work the 2nd usually did. Once they realized there was a consequence, everytime!!, they stopped rather quickly. So I say, hang in there! I'm so close to my children and my son is the most loving, sweet considerate boy and tho some of that is his born temperment, I really believe much of it is from NOT turning him away from nursing until he was ready.
Good Luck
B.

Hi I have a 18 month old boy (still nursing at night) and he has never been sick. If you can work through the nibbling phase it does get better. I am trying to ween him now but he went through the same stage at about that age and I am so glad I worked through it. Not sure if this is a good way to do it or if it works for anyone other than me but when he would bite I would yell OUCH because that was my natural reaction. He would be starled and let go. He learned quickly the cause and reaction and stopped. That was just my experience, I am writing more to encourage you to work with through it. The results are worth it! Good luck!

My son did that and I just yelled, "ouch" -well, I loudly said it and he eventually stopped doing it. You'd be surprised how quickly they learn even at 6 mos. I would not just say ouch but remove the baby from the breast for a bit. Your baby will get the idea that if they bite, their food source goes away. I breast fed all 3 of my kids for one year and I think they each did it at one point or another. Good for you!

i don't know about everyone else but i just couldn't do the smothering thing with my breast when i got bitten because my first reaction is to pull them off and exclaiming 'ouch!'. this usually upset my daughter but it didn't really seem to deter her. she kept doing it and i put up with it. my coworker suggested the flick and i tried not to do it until one night, i'd just had enough and i did. she, of course, was shocked but never did it again.

My older daughter (now 27 months and still nursing!) started nipping right after getting her first teeth - right at 6 months old. I kept my finger next to her mouth to be ready when she did it ('cause it HURT!) to break the suction immediately and remove her from my breast. I would then have her wait just until my breast stopped really hurting (from 10 seconds to a few minutes) so the harder she bit, the longer she waited.

She, rather quickly, learned that biting meant that she didn't get any milk for a bit and she stopped. This happened consistently about 1-2 weeks after she would get a new tooth (or set of teeth, in her case, since they all came in two at a time), but after 2-4 times of popping her off my breast immediately she would stop until the next set of teeth had been in for a week or two.

I'm tandem-nursing her and her baby sister (now 7 months - still toothless and not biting yet) and I would NOT be still nursing a toddler who bit, so my method was very successful in her case.

I hope that will help and that you've gotten other suggestions that will help as well! :)

~B

Dear R.,

Babies are smart! They know what they are doing and biting definitely gets our attention, but more than that it shows us that they are determined to get the milk that they want. It's kind of their version of tipping the ketchup bottom upside down and slapping on the end of it to get it to come out faster.

I had this problem when my baby boy was seven months old. He started biting very hard and even drew blood. After two weeks of sleep deprivation and much stress I would wake up with bruised and very sore nipples, but I figured out what was happening and we having continued to nurse for almost a year.

Hope was not lost because I realized that stress in my life was preventing my milk from dropping and my little guy was impatient because he was hungry. I stopped working outside the home and concentrated on him. Every morning and afternoon I drank a cup of Mother's Milk Tea which is available in most health food stores and we started napping together. Within a couple of days I had more than enough milk for him and we were getting two two-hour naps a day!

The other thing that helped was removing him from the breast when he started biting. I would make him wait while I massaged my breast to help the milk flow. After a few attempts he knew that biting would stop nursing time. Waiting also meant that when nursing time came around he'd get right down to business and drank heartily!

Today, he is almost a year old and a great nurser.

A little about me:
42 YO mother of two and freelance portrait photographer running out of wall space for photos of my boys.

With my second baby (who is ultra sensitive), I just yelled. The first time was quite loud and it startled her. The second time, I let myself truly express the pain, and that really bothered her. She cried, and she never bit me again.

With my first baby though, I had read that I should pinch her or lightly bite her back. I know it freaks some people out to hear it, but that's what I did and it worked. I didn't bite enough to even make a mark on her skin but enough so she felt the pinch and she cried and then never bit me again. You have to make sure you do it right away. As soon as she bit me (and she had teeth at four months) I just pick up her arm and gave her a little nip. She complained with a cry, went back to nursing and we were fine until she weined at about age 2.

When my son first bit me, I was so suprised I yelled and he cried. The whole day he wouldn't nurse. That was distressing, but he finally did and everything was fine. He may have tried to bite one more time but if I told him NO he wouldn't. My mom
had 7 kids and she would give their hair a little tug. She said biting didn't last long at all. Chomping is a little different but sometimes just as painful. I think it's just experimenting with their changing mouth. It could feel good on their gums. Who knows!
Good luck and happy nursing!

R.,

My son, now 4 1/2 did the same thing. Taking my cue from one of my sister-in-law's when he'd bite me, I'd flick his cheek and tell him "no bite". If he did it again I'd take it away for a few seconds. It lasted about a week or less and he stopped biting me. With my son, the biting started when he started teething. The flick was always just enough to get him to stop biting me, it never left a mark. He would fuss at me the first few times because it surprised him, but he learned quickly.

Hope this helps.

Hi - My son who is now 1, used to do that same thing to me. I think it was due to teething because he would go through a spell where he would do it a lot, and then would go for awhile and not bite me. I finally gave up nursing at 9 months because of it though. I just couldn't take the pain anymore. He did it at the end of the feedings with me. It was very painful and frustrating! I was really sad when I quit nursing because of that. I have been told that you are supposed to pull them off and very sternly say "NO BITING" and keep them off for a few minutes so they understand that they dont get fed if they bite. You might try that....my son would end up crying for a few seconds when I did that so be prepared for that.
Good luck!

I remember my second child turning into a biter, right around when he got teeth. It only happened a couple of times, because when he bit down, I pulled him off and sat him on the ground. He learned quickly!

People were telling me to flick their nose or poke their cheek. I tried the cheek thing to not much avail. Make sure you try not to scream or overreact, that just makes them laugh because they got your attention and a reaction. What worked for me was ending the feeding as soon as she bit me. I'd stop and hand her a teething toy. If they are still hungry they will get the message! And my daughter stopped biting altogether after three or so times with this method. Works like everything else, ignore the attention getting behavior and it goes away!

Hi,
I have had more than one child do this. With one it worked to flick his face and say no loudly. With my latest lovebug he thought it was funny when I screamed. I held on for two months of this and something happened that I want to make sure you are wary of.

I got Mastitus that hit me hard and fast. The baby had been biting me through the week and had bitten me hard in the middle of the night. In the morning my breast was tender with a little pain. I have had Mastitus with previus children and know the various ways to take care of it. I had never had it like this though

But by 6pm I had 103 temp, I was dizzy and nauseous. I had no idea that it could get so bad so fast. After two and a half hours in urgent care I had an angry red line going up my chest. I had to stop breast feeding and take Sulfa for ten days. My husband did not want me to try nursing again because he didn't want me to go through this again.

I know that I am not you but please be careful and nip this in the bud quick and keep an eye out for those symptoms! Feeling run down, dizziness, then fever. It was a very scary for me to be so incapacitated so quickly.

Good luck!

J.

My baby was an avid nurser, really a champ! And I loved every minute with her. She also started to nibble, and when she did it, I would end the nursing session. She learned quickly, and we continued with our nursing relationship until she was 14 months old, & what a great 14 months it was.

I've nursed 8.5 yrs. straight three kiddos. 5 yrs prior Laleche helped support me to adoptive nurse our second adopted son for 5 months.

At Laleche back in the eighties they told how mother cats train there babes to not bite...a little "cuff", mother dogs will make it very clear with strong communication. We watch our mother goats when "kids" are to rough abruptly boot them off and leave them.
One mother said a little flick on the foot to get there attention with a quick look of disapproval. Who knows.

Advice for future - w/ a smile!
A book I read from Laleche told of a mother back in the old woodstove/log cabin days, and how she broke her 5 yr old son from nursing. It was funny...while out playing she unbuttoned her dress and rubbed soot from the stove on her
breasts. When he came in wanting his "drink" she opened up and shocked at the sight wanting to know what happened!?
she simply said "pigs got 'em." He was done with them after that. That may be helpful to some nursing mom -
or not...lol (I still smile)

We are completeing adoption of a 5.5 yr old we have had since she was 7 months. We are in our early 50's and she keeps us young! Been 32 yrs. married 6 children - 32 to 5!

If the biting is a new thing, then it should pass very quickly as long as you don't allow it. My son bit from birth and never quit (latch problems allowed him to bite and drink at the same time). Once he had teeth on top and bottom, I had to quit (6 months). Most babies though do not bite, but will take a nibble or two when they are teething. Their gums are very sore and swollen, and sometimes even a little itchy from healing. There are two things you can do. One is to startle him each time he bites and promptly remove him from your breast. You can say "OUCH!!! DON"T BITE MOMMY" or do something physical (but not painful). It really doesn't matter as long as you startle him. Second, you can make sure that he is not in pain by giving him Tylenol or Motrin. Motrin works best for teething pain, and if you don't like the idea of him being on medication so long, you can lower the dose too. If you are against the meds altogether, you can use a teething gel immediately before nursing (but they only work for a few minutes). Lastly, remove him when he is done... if you let him linger on your breast, he will get bored and bite.

I had that problem with my son at about the same age when I nursed him (which we did for 14 months). Here is what I did.

When he would bit down I would say "No" in a firm voice and then pack it all away and stop nursing. He would cry but I wouldn't give in and after 3 times he figured out that it didn't get him what he wanted and he stopped. Even after he got teeth he never bit down again.

Good luck!

Good Morning. My baby boy is now 13 but back when he was nursing (what happy memories) he did the same thing. I just would watch him to make sure he was busy nursing, if he would stop and play around I would take him off because that is when he would bite down. A baby can't bite when they are drinking I was told and I am sure that is right. It is only when they are messing around that they do that and mine would do it in his sleep, so if he was nursing while falling asleep he would bite down, of course not knowing what he was doing. It doesn't seem like it lasted much longer than a few months. This time in your life will be a time you will look back on as the one of the greatest times in your life, holding your baby close, enjoying his sweet, and funny little ways. Enjoy!!
M. (a teacher and wife mother of two)

Hi there R.! I am also a nursing mom of an 8 month old boy....what a wonderful thing nursing is!
As far as the biting.....your baby can't bite while he is actively nursing because of the way his mouth is....so if you notice him not nursing or starting to play around...just remove your breast from his mouth so he won't bite. Also,I do think it has alot to do with teething...they will chomp down on just about anything they can get ahold of! If he does get ahold of you, lots of times just shouting "Ouch" loudly will keep him from doing it again.
Good Luck!
C. S.