Biting!!! Help!!!

some babies are very interactive, and find the firm "no!" or other reactions entertaining - they don't understand that they hurt you!

other babies are *very* sensitive (some can be both) and a flick on the cheek can be enough to send these babies into a nursing strike - not to mention it starts you down the road of "violence begets violence" rather than modeling for your child what you expect from an early age.

with these babies who laugh when told no, and really for all babies - my first recommendation for biting would be:

1) have a teething toy - the SAME one - that you *always* have with you when nursing.

2) watch your baby carefully to assess when the biting happens - is it to signify the end of a feeding? is it when you are distracted and it is an attempt to connect/engage with you? is it to illicit another milk ejection (let down)? is it because baby wants to switch sides? is it teething discomfort?

3) when you figure out the pattern (if there is one) then BE PROACTIVE - watch baby closely, especially during that point in the feeding, and when baby "slips" down to the nipple, or the jaw tenses, or position changes - or baby gets that playful "glint" in the eye, unlatch baby and hand the teething toy, saying - "bite this - this is for biting - not mama" or something like this.

4) if baby manages to bite you (you miss the cue) do the same thing with the toy.

consistency with this approach usually works quite quickly, and biting is usually a passing phase anyhow.

if you do set the baby down, do so without the loud "NO!" but i would suggest the above process instead of setting baby down - it is much more connected to the real need that baby is expressing - much more responsive, rather than punitive. baby isn't trying to hurt you!

When my daughter would do that to me, I was taught by my healthy start worker to just give the baby a tiny flick and take away the breast for a minute and that tey would learn. It is true. I did this with my daughter and she nursed for a year and a half

I did the setting down with my daugther and it worked. The first time she bit me I said no biting and unlatch her. The second time I set her down (she still didn't get it) the third time I set her down further away (on the ground) and turned away. She got it, cried a little -she hadn't done that before- and didn't bite me again. The advice you have received already is great.

Hi P.,
You can get him to stop biting by not only pulling him of, but firmly putting him down, walk away from him, (of course he must still be in your eye sight) and denying attention or further breastfeeding for a short time. The lack of attention from you will get his attention! He wants to please you and have your affection and attentions; denial of that will send him the right message in a productive and still loving way.

Congratulations to you for your determination to breastfeed at least a year. Your are doing him such a great service!

Hi there.. I can relate...I appreciate your determination..It does hurt. I have an 8 mo old ds and he has had 2 teeth since he was about 6 mo. He has only bitten a couple of times. I scold him and he smiled, I pulled him off and told him "you bit mommy and it hurts" and gave a frown. Then I waited about 10 min before I gave him some more, repeat as many times as needed. It only took 1 time with my 16 yo dd. I did nurse her for a year and 2 wks. at which time she started walking and didn't want to nurse anymore...boohoo....I was sad.Good luck.
Try letting them air out and if you have battle scars (scabs) I pumped on that side and nursed on the other for a couple of days so that it could heal. Pay close attention and thump him as he starts to bite. It works!

One of my babies went through a biting phase at 12.5 months. I was caught so unaware that I yelped and pulled him off the first time. The second time I thought I could control my yelp, but couldn't as it hurt soooo bad, and I lightly slapped his face and told him not to bite me. He had just gotten tuned into the B words (ball, bear, blanket) and was happy as heck to hear another B word (bite). I was so scared to nurse him with my bloody nipples cause everytime I did, he would bite again and then he actually went on nursing strike for almost 2 weeks which was its own hell as I did not want to wean him yet. Everyone said it was a strike, but I thought he was weaning. I kept pumping like mad and giving him the milk in a cup to drink (not a sippy cup, but a regular glass that held for him). I did all kinds of things to keep my milk supply up for him and also kept nursing his twin brother as usual. My nipples got infected from the bites and I used neosporin ointment to treat the infection, and just left lanisoh on after pumping once the infections had cleared. I spent a lot of time with my little biter loving him and talking to him and when my nipples were healed, I kept offering him the breast. Finally, started nursing again out of the blue--just when I had accepted he was probably done. I also learned to pull him into me rather than pull him off if he started to bite--he lets go when he can't breath with his nose buried in my breast. So far its been about a week since he started nursing again, and he is still as active as ever with the B words--My breasts are mama bamboo ba ba to him now. We have a running B word conversation all day. Yesterday he bit my on my shoulder while playing and I said ouch, don't bite! and he didn't do it again, even though he went on to say ba ba bamboo ba ba like it was funny or something. (It was, but I was serious with him). Its the hardest for me to follow the advice not to yelp in pain. It's just not possible with those razor sharp teeth to not be in total agony when they bite. When he nurses, I always keep my eyes on him, don't talk, don't watch tv, and just stay alert. So far so good. Well, good luck and hang in there.

I nursed my child until he was almost two years old and he would bite me all the time. I never really found a good way to show him how it hurt when he did that. But I did learn that if he really bites down hard instead of pulling him off (because we all know that makes the pain worse) slip your finger in his mouth to release suction, then pull him off. It's less painful that way. And use Lansinoh brand Lanolin. It helps with the pain afterwards and also helps with the healing.