Biting strategies (9 month old)

ReeceFamily

Predictably, my 9 month old likes to chew on everything.  Unfortunately this includes me - not only when she's nursing.  She'll frequently clamp down on my leg or my clavicle or my finger - not in anger or emotion, but just as if she's using me as a teether.   What is the gentlest and most age-appropriate way to discourage/correct this behavior?  

ivy_leaf85

I'm in the same boat. It will be nice to see what advice you get. When my boy bites, I generally frown at him, sternly say "no biting", and put my index finger on his lips ( like when you say "shhhhh"). Not sure if this works though. He's been teething fiercely the past week, so biting is actually up.

aglenn

I would start by handing her a teether or something else that is OK to chew and tell her this is for biting and Mommy is not.  That worked pretty well for my kids at this age.  In the toddler stage DS is biting some as a boundaries-testing thing, which is different, but infants are not doing it on purpose.  If biting during nursing is a problem I used to just stop the nursing session at that point and say no biting, that hurts Mommy.  I'd have them take a little break and then try again.