Urgent! HELP Biting While Nursing

When my kids began biting me while nursing, it was their way of telling me they were done nursing. At that age, they know it's not ok to bite, so I think he is telling you he wants to stop nursing. Even if he's not trying to tell you that, I assume he has teeth, so eventually you will get an infection if he breaks the skin. I agree with the other mom who said to try and give him his milk in a sippy cup. If he's hungry/thirsty, he'll drink.

I'll be watching for the suggestions that come in. My 10 month old bit me 3 times last night and has always been a biter. I don't know of anything to help and I am so sore today. Just thought I'd let you know I feel your pain. Really! Best wishes.

C.,

Try giving his milk in a sippy cup. Hold him and rock him and the put him down to sleep.

Blessings......

Hi,

I have experienced this as well. Its painful! What I did was immediately in a stern voice say "NO biting! Biting Hurts" remove your child from you and put them on the floor where they can see you but not reach you- enough of a separation where they know you are serious. They will mostly likely protest for a minute or two- when they are calm, start nursing again. If they bite again, repeat the steps. This will nip it in the bud quick and you can still continue nursing.

Good luck- Hang in there!

M.

Dear C. S,
Your little guy has been through an awful lot. So has your whole family. I agree that you should nurse as long as you can continue. My husband and I agreed we would start weening at 18 months, but I got really sick and had to quit at 15 months.
My mom always said that when a kid starts biting, it's time to quit nursing, but I didn't feel ready to give it up. I couldn't keep letting him bite me either....their little teeth are like razor blades and it hurts so bad!
Everytime my son bit, that was it. I took the breast away immediately and I gave him a teething ring to chomp on instead. It took several times, but they do get the idea that mommy's milk doesn't come out of something they can bite. Sometimes my son was perfectly happy chewing on the teething ring instead, other times he got mad because he wanted to nurse. I just let him be mad for a few minutes and then tried nursing again. If he bit me again, he got the teething ring back. It's hard, but stick with it. My son was quite a bit younger when he started biting and after a few days of taking the breast away each time he bit, he quit doing it all together and I happily nursed for 15 months.
Give it a try.

I send thoughts and best wishes to your family!

My daughter did this too, but quickly stopped because as soon as she did it, I flicked her nose (not hard enough to hurt but firm enough that it was not pleasant), and said NO BITING pretty loud. The trick is, no matter how much pain you are in you have to respond immediately so that they see that the reaction is automatic consequence of their biting. She stopped within a few days.
There is no reason to stop breastfeeding. It is normal exploration for them to try new things, and your job to teach them consequences. It does not mean he no longer wants or needs to nurse. That is a separate decision for you and him to make when the time is right.

Hello,
My son was nine months old when he bit me. My solution was no more nursing. I did use formulas when I wasn't producing enough. He didn't complain, nor he fussed about being broke from it. All kids are different. Its up to you. Good luck with that. G.

I nursed my kids in to toddlerhood and toddler biting really hurts! I can offer you three things. First is he biting while falling asleep? It is very common for toddlers to chomp down very hard while they are drifting off to sleep. The only solution for this is to either get them off the breast beofre this happens (this always woke my toddlers to a screaming fit) or what worked for me was to have my finger right by the corner of their motuh and be ready to insert it between thier jaws behind their teeth as soon as I knew they would bite. Second I would contact your local La Leche League (LLL) and see if they have a toddler meeting or several moms with toddlers who come to the regualr meetings. Support and understanding are so nice. Lastly I would see if you can find a lactation consultant that has experience with babies with Down's Syndrome. I too have a special needs child and I'm sur eyou know that it is really important for your specialists to truly understand your childs need sand capabilites.

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS for still breastfeeding and feeling so strongly about it! You're correct in your instinct that he still needs your milk, as well as needing the connection and comfort of the act of breastfeeding. Remember that your milk will grow, change and develop just as your son will continue to do!!!! It's always the perfect food!

Your situation is a little different from what some would call "normal" breastfeeding situations because your son has Down Syndrome. From what I understand, their thought patterns & processes don't follow the "normal" development of kids without DS, but they are by no means stupid or dumb. He'll still be able to make the connection, so try what other moms have suggested. I also recommend that when he bites down, gently pull his face against your breast. This will block his nose, and he'll have to release your breast to get a breath.

Take him off the breast and don't offer it for a few minutes. Then, put him back to the breast, and if he bites again, pull him to your breast or say ouch and take him off. Do this EVERY time he bites, and he'll make the connection that he can't bite. I hope it works quickly because getting bit is no fun!

Take him off your breast as soon as he bites and say "NO Bite!" and sit him on the floor a little away from you - don't make eye contact for at least a minute so he knows you're not playing a game. Try again in a few mintues - if he keep biting keep stopping the food supply. He figure it out after a few "Time Outs". Boys don't like having their meal interrupted - he'll make the connection and adjust his behavior.

I would push down on my daughters cheek with my thumb. Just enough pressure to make it uncomfortable and she would release. I would then give her a stern no and after a little while she stopped doing it. Hope you find you solution. My first had quite a few surgeries and I nursed her for a while too. It is good for them. Sounds like your kids have amazing parents!! Good luck.

Hi there,

I pulled my son close the breast so he couldn't breathe as easily then he'd pull away and we'd go back to breast feeding. It took a few tries but eventually he did associate biting with not being able to breathe easily and stopped. I don't know anything about DS so I don't know if this type of thing would work with your son or not but I much preferred it to the "NO BITE" which usually elicited a giggle anyway.

Best wishes,
T.

p.s.
maybe he's cutting a tooth?

p.p.s.
I agree with foregoing a bottle all together, just start a soft nipple sippy cup. Try filling it with water and let him play around with it until he gets the idea that if you suck, you get a liquid then start putting milk into it.

This is so hard! Much harder for you with extra worries of a special needs baby.

A couple of thoughts. You've already received great advice on helping your son to learn that biting is not ok, so I won't restate them, but one thing to note is it will take at least couple of days for him to stop biting. Since his processing is slower than an average baby, it may take him an extra day or so, but please stick with it and be SUPER consistant. It will work. Try not to worry too much about his calorie intake during this training time. I know that is very hard. We have four kids in my imediate family with special needs (including one born at just 27 weeks), so I really get the stress of trying to get enough food down an uncooperative kid! :o)

As for getting him to take a bottle, I would just skip it. Go straight to a sippy cup. He may still bite it at first, but with a DS kid sometimes you just have to let them explore things in their own way. Once his fascination with biting it has run its course, he will figure out drinking from it is pretty fun too!

Last thing, please try to relax as much as possible. There are so many things with kids (average or not) that cause us stress, that we really need to figure out what we can chill out about. Enjoy the adventure!

What I found worked best for me when my kids did that was to simply put my forefinger and thumb between the breast and the child's face and when they bit, I pressed lightly on the mouth. The little discomfort they got from that caused them to release their hold on the breast. I told them, as I pressed "no biting" so they got the verbal connection and eventually I was able to use just the words to make them stop biting. The child doesn't realize he's biting and hurting you. He's just absorbed in what he's getting from your breast and gets overly aggressive.

I do want to mention, since your boy is 14 months, you may get a lot of negative reaction about continuing breast feeding, but ignore people's opinions. I applaud you for continuing as it sounds like your son needs it... and I also have to admit to a bit of a jealous feeling because I was one of those women who had to fight my body to be able to keep on breast feeding until my kids were about seven or eight months old... then had to finally give in to formula. Enjoy the fact that you are able to supply your own milk to your boy.

Hi C. S,

You can put your finger in his mouth and release the suction and say "OW! Biting hurts mommy!"

Or you can do something that was passed down in my family...
Every time he bites, hold his nose and he will de-latch himself and then say the same phrase as above.

Regardless of which one you decide to do afterward put him back on the breast and as soon as he bites again repeat the same action until he stops.

Good Luck!

Call a La Leche League leader. You can get info from searching online for someone in your area. Keep nursing...sounds like you want to based on your little one's past history. Check some breastfeeding books out from the library. I'm guessing you've already tried saying "No. Owie. That hurts Mommy." and putting him down. If you haven't already tried, instead of pulling him away, hug him towards you tightly when he bites.

I'm no help for getting him to take a bottle. He likes you. Isn't Mommy Milk the best for getting kids to sleep?

Best wishes!