Biting While Breastfeeding - Please Help!

1) Check with La Leche League.

2) Is she biting not while actively sucking but later on,
after she's already taken in a significant amount of milk?
She's experimenting.

3) When my son -- many many years ago --
would bite when nursing, I would (kinda) YELP
and immediately take him off the breast.
It happened only a couple of times and then never again.

S.

What I do is grab my little dudes cheeks like with my thumb on one side an my first finger on the other and squeeze a little, not hard, just enough to break his suction and get his attention. Or I stick my pinky in the side of his cheek and break the latch. Then I just let him re-latch and see if he will just suck. If he keeps biting then I assume he is not actually hungry anymore and I just finish the feeding. I might burp him and then try on the other breast if I get a good burp out of him. If he is on his second breast, then I just end the nursing session. I don't tell him no or get stern or anything bc in my opinion at this age babies just don't do anything out of rebellion or misbehavior. They do get cause and effect though and if every time they bite down, you interrupt them with the very light cheek squeeze, break the latch with your pinky or end your nursing time they stop bc that action doesn't yield favorable results. Both my boys have been very aggressive little nursers and this has worked really well with them. My seven month just cut his first tooth and I have already done this successfully. I really don't think you will have to give up nursing, it is just something that happens when they teeth and of course they have no idea they are hurting you. Just takes some training:) Good luck and hang in there!!

I agree with the idea of breaking their latch with your little finger in the side of her mouth...and if they are at the end of their nursing session it may just be a signal that they are done eating and getting ready to "play". I cant still remember the less than pleasant trick that my oldest daughter had when she was about your daughters age..she would but her little hands on my chest....get a good firm grip and then SHOVE herself away from me!!! The first time it happened I almost passed out...but I quickly learned to anticipate it and put my hand firmly on the back of her head to stop the shove before it started!!!
Don't think that you have to quit nursing..this too shall pass....my oldest daughter is still nursing her 32 month old son and he is in the process of cutting his 2 year molars...so they learn NOT to bite..it just takes love and patience on your part!!

Hi K., your 8 month old is way over the age to be able to use a cup. Why is she not on a cup?

i called that my kids' first lesson in "NO" ... immediately and not too gently take her off, pinkie in her mouth to be sure she doesnt try to clamp back on as you are taking her off. a stern NO right in her face and put her down very quickly, dramatically cover your breast and walk away. end of nursing session. a yelp is kind of funny, when you think about it. not for you, i know! but she might like being able to cause that noise. also, you need to be as proactive as you can. my kids used to bite as they were falling asleep and losing their latch, or if something startled them or if i shifted position too quickly. be aware of these things and avoid it as much as you can.

It will stop. Don't worry. They all do this.

It could also be because she is teething...

Every time she bites, say loudly and sternly while looking at her sternly say "NO." Then immediately take her off your breast.

Biting like this is developmental and they all do this. For me, it is NOT a reason to stop breastfeeding... it is just one of those things, for which a baby does stop and it being a phase.
My kids, when I did what I mentioned above, did stop. They learned.
Sure it hurts. But so you take her OFF your breast. Say NO. And everytime she does bite, repeat that.

all the best,
Susan

Take her off, say a firm NO BITING, and try to start nursing. If she does it again, plop her on the floor and go do the dishes. Go back to try nursing as normal your next session. At 8 months she does get cause and effect. Any other reaction will be a positive reponse. It is not mean, it is what you need to do to keep nursing a pleasant an dongoign experience fo rboth of you. My older daughter did this twice when an infant and this is how I responded and she nursed for 13 months. It was probably the firs ttime I ever "disciplined" her :) And I totally remember tha tcoy little smile, why mommy , why did you make that noise?

As horrible as it sounds, when she bites you should push her face into your chest where she needs to release. And say - no, that hurts. My girlfriend gave me this tip, and once I did it on my son, he never bit again (but now he bites his friends at age 2 - LOL!!)

my dd did that too. but she was really in tune w/ my feelings so it did not last long. TRY not to yelp: I know right! what works is you do one of two things: unlatch them w/ your finger or gently press them close so they unlatch (they cant breath so unlacth so i never did that I liek teh first one better personally). then state calmly and firmly that : you bite mommy that hurts if you bite me again you will not get anymore milk. let them latch again and if they do stick to what you said. my DD caught on quick as she did not want the session to end. I also found that wearing a nursing necklace is helpful bc they will play w/ it and focus on that. I got one at mom4life, but they have them other places as well. I am still nursing at 20 mo so it worked for me! xo