biting- ready to throw in the towel. Please help!

chelseymat

LO is 8 months. Since his top and bottom teeth have come in we have struggled with biting. Every time he bites I take him off the breast and give him a break telling him "no biting" (I know he doesn't necessarily understand, its more for me to stay calm) Well, tonight he bit me so hard my nip was literally bleeding with teeth marks in it. I yelled "ow" so loud I scared him and he spent a couple minutes crying before I could calm him down. My nip still hurts 30 min later. I don't know what else to do. I'm ready to give up and use my freezer stash and hope it lasts 3 - 4 months (I think it will) The problem is the little bugger is so attached to nursing I think stopping cold turkey now would upset him and I know he's attached to the boob for comfort as well as food. But, I don't want to keep getting bit and its not a pleasant experience anymore. Does anyone have any other suggestions for getting him to stop?

 

ksulli

I wonder if scaring him with your 'ow' and then stopping may have taught him. My dd bit a few times, but never again since the time I told her 'no' with a little pain behind it and then left her in her crib for a minute. I think it upset her, which was hard on me, but it also taught her not to bite. 

chelseymat

Thanks. I just realized someone else asked the same question. 

kcl22

=o(  I'm sorry.  Is he actively nursing when he bites?  If you pay attention to his suck/swallow pattern you may notice he bites toward the end of the feeding when he isn't hungry anymore and is more nursing for comfort.  If that's the case I'd try to end the feeding when you notice he starts to slow down.

If he's biting during the feeding you're doing the right thing IMO; give him a quick verbal "reprimand" so to speak, stop the feeding for a few minutes, and try again.  Hopefully he'll get it sooner than later.  It can be common during teething.  I hope it passes!

sami1784

I know the feeling!  LO is almost 9 months and he's been biting for a couple weeks.  I've found that when he bites, it's after he's finished actively nursing.  When he starts just "playing with his food", he's more likely to bite. When you notice that LO has stopped actually nursing and is perhaps using you more for a pacifier than a bottle, take him off the breast - if he's not attached to the breast, he can't bite it. 

mabst196

We went through a few days of biting a month or so ago and I kept doing the same thing you did. He eventually got it and is now getting two more teeth and hasn't bit me this go round.

birdnerd2

I feel your pain, we're struggling with the same thing.