Breastfeeding

Baby biting and squeezing question

Hi everyone!

LO is teething really badly and has started to chomp down on me to the point where i can't help be yelp about half the time. None of his teeth have broken through yet but it's only a matter of time! Any advice?

I've tried unlatching him but that doesn't seem to help. He'll do it again a minute later. 
I'll try switching sides which sometimes help - I get the impression he does it once the milk slows and he's just playing around  but that doesn't always work and i'm pretty sure I have a clogged duct right now that i'm trying to get his help clearing!
I've tried giving him teething tablets and that seems to help a little but again, not always. 

I'm really worried he'll go on a nursing strike when his teeth really do break through and he bites me for real and i hit the ceiling! 

Also, he'll grip my breast and squeeze and twist. Why is he doing that? It really hurts and he has cut into me with his nails a few times. 

Any tips for stopping these habits he's developing?

Thanks!
Rachel (a.k.a. The Analytical Mommy.com and @analyticalmommy on IG)
I'm just trying to make sense of things :-) 

Re: Baby biting and squeezing question

  • I have no advice for the teething, we haven't gotten there yet but my daughter has been doing the squeezing thing. I kind if think she is just curious about where the milk is coming from. She kind of bats at my nipple and then she'll squeeze it.....I will say "ouch, you are hurting mommy" and she usually stops squeezing and goes back to nursing. Hopefully it's just a short phase they are going through! Good luck!
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  • Thanks for the replies! Casey78, how old is your LO? How long does she/he take to nurse on average?

    I'm beginning to wonder if LO is actually finished after just 3-4 minutes and i am encouraging him to nurse bc i think he isn't done or worried about supply, which is frustrating him. 
    Rachel (a.k.a. The Analytical Mommy.com and @analyticalmommy on IG)
    I'm just trying to make sense of things :-) 
  • I had a lot of trouble with DS biting.  The only thing that helped was to stop nursing.  I had to put him down and walk away for a minute.  (Put him in a safe place obviously.  I would often have DH hold him for a moment while I calmed down.)  When I returned to nursing after several minutes, he usually didn't bite again.  

    He seemed to understand that much better than me changing sides.  My LC always said to draw him toward my breast if he was biting.  Easier said than done.  
  • My LO has been biting me on and off lately, too.  I've noticed that he tends to bite when he's done with one side and I'm not paying attention.  Drawing him closer does help, that prompts him to stop biting and start sucking again.  I'm hoping this is a short phase...
  • Thanks for all the tips! I haven't been able to get on here for a bit so i'm sorry for the late reply. I'll have to try drawing him closer! That sounds reasonable,..... now the question is whether i'll remember to do it when all i want to do is hit the ceiling!
    Rachel (a.k.a. The Analytical Mommy.com and @analyticalmommy on IG)
    I'm just trying to make sense of things :-) 
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