XP: I really don't want to wean, but the teeth are killing me...

choirgirl

Help?

I really want to do extended BFing, at least once a day or maybe twice, and we're approaching the one year mark.

He has 8 teeth fully in, almost 9. He never seems to bite me while he is eating, but lately it seems he "forgets" and clamps down right as he's pulling off, so he ends up just smooshing and raking the bejeezus out of my nipple. Today it hurt so bad I cried out and it still hurt an hour later, pain radiated across both breasts. 

If I cry out and say, "ow, that hurts mommy!", he gets a look on his face that is truly horrified and remorseful, and sometimes he give me a kiss on the boobie right away and goes back to sucking gently.  Sometimes he does it right away again (he gets 2 more "mistakes," and then the boobie goes away for a rest), and I think it's related to the almost ninth tooth that's coming in, because if I give him Tylenol and distract him, 20 minutes later he will eat with no chomping.  He never bites while eating, and often he pulls off gently, with plenty of manners.  But first thing in the morning, and in the afternoon, he seems to do it the most, and the late afternoon is when his teething seems to ramp up, by the drooling, fussiness, and teether-chewing that happens at the same time.  So in the afternoon, I am managing to handle it through soothing the teething issue. But first thing in the am (probably the same issue), it's harder because I haven't had time to really wake up and figure out what's going on, or to manage his teething.

Do you have any good behavioral suggestions for stopping this (beyond the teething issue)? I am at wit's end, my nipples are so sore. Thanks!

a003vp

You could pump and give him a bottle for the times he's extra fussy with the teething and then give him boob once he calms down. I'm going through the beginning stages of this with no teeth. Sorry if this doesn't fully answer your question.

trinny

My DD had a biting problem when teething, but she'd usually do it before letdown.  She'd get bored/frustrated and bite and tug-- OUCH!

I figured out if I tap her back every couple seconds and then much more frequently when I'm letting down, she was more patient.  It was a way of communicating with her-- be patient (tap), Its Coming (tap... tap), THERE IT IS (tap tap tap tap tap!)!  

I also let her play with my hair or necklace or earings.  She seems much less likely to bite when she's distracted.  

GL-- I'm sure you'll get through this and your DS will go back to his well-mannered little self! 

tak2002

I obviously have NO experience in this so I'm sorry if my suggestion is annoying! I was just reading Ina May Gaskin's new book on breast feeding and she talked about this so I thought I'd share what she says.

Basically she said that you should scream/yelp to let him know it hurt and is not acceptable. Then you should put him down and not let him eat again for another 10-15 minutes so he gets the idea. She said you could comfort him if he's crying, but whatever you do, don't let him eat!

I'm sure this is nothing new to you...but I thought I'd add it