BFing question - fiddling at the breast?

homediva

Does anyone else's LO fiddle the opposite nip while nursing? Max has gotten COMPULSIVE about it and I want him to stop but he seems to find it very comforting. Do you let your little one do this? Give them something else? TIA!

twohniyt

Kendall stopped nurisng at 5 months, but when she has her bedtime bottle she always fiddles with my ear, nose or hair.  They must find it comforting.

quietlyexpecting

No, but then I usually only uncover one at feeding time. She does like to try to play with it after like she's trying to figure out what it is.  She is wiggly when feeding and loves to play with my eyes, nose, mouth cheek.  There is alot of pinching going on with my face but I've tried everything to just get her to chill out.  I even tried the quiet low-lit room with minimal distractions and sometimes she's literally crawling up my midsection as she is pulling my breast as far away as she can. Still does it. Sometimes I wait for her to just yank it off!  

We're currently dealing with biting!  So painful and bad that I've sadly had to start supplementing!  We're almost at 10 months so hoping I can make it through to the stretch of a year!  

Good luck!  I guess as long as he's still eating it may just be a soothing thing. Perhaps you could distract him with something else to fiddle with while he eats if it bothers you.   GL!

jlsimon56

It can help trigger a letdown, which he may have "learned" ?

tracyl0826

My LO does this also.  I have found that covering it and/or holding his hand and letting him play with my fingers instead helps.  Also, do you have a nursing necklace?  I got a nice wooden one from etsy.com.  It's safe for them to play with and bite while feeding - or really any other time you are holding them.  My LO started biting it when he was teething instead of biting me - that was great!

amdraza

My DS does this. I just let him. It doesn't really bother me, but I would think that giving him something else would help. If I am wearing a hoodie with a string he will sometimes play with that instead.

jaymiegerard

My son does this too!  When his nails aren't freshly cut it is really uncomfortable, so I don't usually let him do it.  Like PP, I keep the other one covered, in which case he gently pulls strands of my hair out and watches them fall.  I think the rhythmic motion soothes him..

camedowncrushing

My LO just started doing this recently.  She gets upset if the other breast isn't out, and will pull down at my bra.  I end up just letting her.  As long as her fingernails aren't sharp it is fine.