My 5 1/2 month old has recently started jerking his head back with my nipple still stuck in his mouth, painfully sucking off. Then, he tries going back for more and doing the same thing over and over again. I've tried putting my hand behind his head so at least he can't pull back as far along and have just taken him off altogether, while telling him that it hurts Mommy - but I think he believe that it's a game. Any suggestions of how to get him to stop this annoying - and painful - behavior?
Firmly say: "No, we do not bite/hurt mommy", and skip that feeding right there until the next one. This is what I did with my daughter when she was about 9 months old, I don't know if it works with a younger infant.
It seems harsh but it worked. They think it's a fun game and they can't empathize with other people's feelings yet.
This was my daughter's favorite game about two months ago. She'd jerk her head back and around to see what daddy or sister was doing, thought it was fun, and do it over and over again. Ouch!
It probably feels good to him as he's working his teeth in! When he does it, put him down and tell him "No Bite!" and then don't nurse again for awhile. He'll learn real fast that when he does it, he loses his chance to nurse and he'll stop. Those little ones are so much smarter than we realize, and they love to test us!
:-) H.
Yes, my 5 1/2 MO is doing the same thing. I started looking at my nursing position and that maybe that was why she was doing that. The only way she will nurse now is with me laying down and her laying in front of me nursing. It is a lot more relaxed for both of us and she has gotten better with the pulling off. I do believe it is a game though. I give her 3 chances and if she does not stop, then I do!
Good Luck and it will get better.
My son did this at about your baby's age too... all with a big smile on his face! I firmly would hold his head down until I could break suction with my finger, and then I would nurse again. If he did it a second time, I quit nursing him. Baby's this age don't understand "no", so I just did this and about 2 weeks later, he quit doing it altogether. Now, he's 8 1/2 months old, and we are still nursing without any problems (except him trying to stand or roll around on my lap! It's always something isn't it! If that doesn't work, you could always try distracting him with a nursing necklace. Google it, or a brand called "booby beads". They are on ebay too.
Mine started the same thing with me around 5 or 6 months. Especially to look around & see what daddy or the dog was doing. I would tell her "no maam", give her another attempt, then take her off immediatly (when she did it again) - so that she would understand it was being taken away because of what she was doing. I did notice that side laying to feed her would help a lot, but you can't always have that option. I think it just helps them and you relax and be more focused on the task at hand.
By 8 months my little girl turned me down. Just one day turned her head & wouldn't take my breast. I was sad because I had planned to go until she was 1 yr., but everyone told me that at least I didn't have to wean her & have the whole hurt feelings because "mommy was taking away babies food source!"
