Biting during nursing :'(

Nickioch · February 2016

I know this is fairly common, but tonight was especially bad for me. My almost 10 mo had bit during nursing just a few times over the past month or two (not a lot of teeth yet just two bottom) to which I said no or no biting and took him off for a minute, and he stopped. And those times I could tell it was because he was done eating and was bored or frustrated that the milk was done. But tonight, he latched on and immediately bit--and yanked--as soon as he got on. It startled me and hurt like hell! I took him off, said no! Put him back on, he did it again 4x and by then I was in tears. I decided to give him a bottle because he was being so feisty and not stopping. Needless to say he was a screaming mess while we warmed the bottle since he was hungry and this was way out of the usual routine. I always nurse him at bedtime and hold him as he falls asleep. He drank the bottle fast and furious and also bit and tugged the bottle nipple, to which I also tried to stop him from doing. I tried to top him off with a comfort nurse on the other breast which was ok for about 15 seconds then the biting continued so I took him off for good. He cried and cried and looked at me with such frustration. I wound up giving him some Tylenol because I think it's stemming from teething pain, he kept doing it to his pacifier too. It was just heartbreaking and frustrating and I'm really emotional hoping that this isn't going to continue and cut our breastfeeding plans short. I want to go to a year and more if we can. I love our time together during breastfeeding and would be so sad to have it end, especially since it's how he goes to sleep peacefully. Has anyone out there had this experience? is it a phase or did it put an end to your breastfeeding? I'm also hoping not to get thrush (I've had it twice) from the bite damage

(Posted also in 9-12 board sorry for dup)

shotzie · February 2016

My second LO bit me a few times, but it was when she was at the end of a feeding and had gotten bored. It was a short phase, and she nursed for 26 months. Your situation definitely sounds teething related.

Here's some great info and tips from Kellymom on biting:
https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/biting/

Nickioch · February 2016

Thank you! Glad to hear it can be moved past and nursing continues! I forgot about Kellymom thanks

SierraGood · March 2016

It sounds crazy but my 2 month old has started biting/tugging during feedings as well.... It hurts so bad I ended up pumping and giving her a bottle for a bit while I healed

Juliebird8307 · March 2016

I'm having this issue with my 8 month old. She started biting a few days after she got her two bottom teeth, which was right around when you posted this. I read you post and started following the guide from Kellymom. It hasn't worked for us. She bites me 95% of the time that she BF. I just tried to BF for the first time in two days (I was so frustrated that I've just been doing a bottle). And she bit me again. So now I'm pumping. I'm so afraid that this will be the end. We made it through so many other times that I thought we wouldn't (mastitis twice, nursing strikes, etc). It's too hard for me to pump and give a bottle when I'm home alone most of the time with a toddler and infant. I hope you're doing better than we are right now, but I would love to hear from anyone else on this too on if they got through it!

Nickioch · March 2016

I'm so sorry to hear you're going through this too!! It has gotten better in my end, he still tries sometimes but I think he's learning by me saying no and taking him off the breast. Ther were times that were BAD and I was in tears, he also started to really grip on and not let go so I couldn't break the bite which was scary and awful. But, like I said it's gotten better over the past few weeks. I'm learning the patterns, seems to do it a) when he's teething badly, so I'll give him some hylands tabs right before; b) when he's not hungry, sometimes his dinner feeding is too close to bedtime feeding so he's just bored I think. I'd take him off completely those times because I knew he wasn't going to go to bed hungry. But yeah he still tries a little here and there but even the bites are softer now, like he knows he shouldn't but will try, and lets go quicker.

My my supply has also taken a dramatic plunge lately so I'm wondering if all of it is related and maybe he's weaning himself by taking less, too, which is so sad to me (I'm with you, I made it through two rounds of thrush and didn't stop, so I'm determined to keep it up!) but who knows, maybe he's deciding this for us...??

good of luck I hope it gets better. Mines sprouting about 4 uppers right now do I'm bracing myself in case it starts back up ..hopefully not two steps back!!!

Juliebird8307 · March 2016

Thanks! I hope it's going well for you. I think I've decided tonight that I'm done

Biting during nursing :'(

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