My son refuses a bottle and has now started biting me when I nurse him. I tell him "no" in a stern voice and put him down on the floor ending his nursing session each time he does it. Sometimes he cries and begs for more and sometimes he just goes back to playing but continues to bite. How can I get him to stop? He looks right at me when he does it like he is testing me.
I highly recommend a nipple shield! I never had to use them, but I have heard they work very well with the biters.
Oh S.,
I remember my daughter doing this with me. OUCH!! And she was born with her molars and 1 front tooth. I think my words for 3 weeks were "Ouch, NO, NO". and then I would break the latch with my finger. With my daughter, it seemed to be related to my "let down". Apparently she was biting me because she was not satisfied with my let down. I began to express my milk when she would do it and it seemed to do the trick for me. I think hind site too, it may have been distractions. I would BF her on my couch with TV on and activities coming in and out. I would always use a blanket over my shoulder. I noticed things ran much smoother and more efficient when I began BF her in her quite room in the rocker. I also think this helped her transition into her room as it was a failure place of BF, and then naps and then finally on her own at 6 months. There could be many reasons he is doing this. Have you tired the La Leche website? I found this site rather helpful when I was BF. I know if I did not have that site, I would have given up on BF many a times with her. But the info there and the people are great! http://www.llli.org/FAQ/bite.html
Try that article on biting. It may help you...
Good luck, hope you are able to find a solution soon.
Jenn
Mama to Bryce~9, Austin~6, Taylor~16 mnths
Step Mama to Nich~15, Christian~14
my son was a biter, too. have you heard of the nipple sheild? that's what i used. i got mine at the hospital. not sure where else to get one. good luck and use the nipple cream; it helps!
You may also want to think aobut your initial reaction when he bites. You might be making a face or saying "ouch" or something else that he thinks is fun to watch. My daughter is around your son's age and is always surprised when I tell her "no" when she bites.
My son did that. You are doing the right thing - immediately tell him no, then discontinue the nursing session. If he cries, tell him not to bite this time and let him back on. If he bites, take him off. It may take 20-30 times before he will "get it," but babies are smart. It took my son about 30 times of doing this and it was highly frustrating. It was the first time in his life I had to be "mean" to him but it HURT!! We got through it and went on to keep nursing, which was a great benefit to both of us.
Good luck!
A.
____@____.com
www.dreambirths.com
S.,
First of all.. ouch! My older one was a biter, and my little one now hasn't got enough teeth to really chomp me yet, but I can tell it's coming.
You are absolutely correct in stoping the session. As as so many other said, watch for your reaction because they delight in the reaction.
If you can, watch him carefully. I found that once the business aspect of nursing was over and he was more playful, that's when the jaws came out. I waited a bit longer between nursings, and watched him carefully after say, two minutes to see if I could catch that 'glint' in his eye. Sure enough, I was able to cut him off before he bit me.
Also, if he is teething, which was another problem for me at a different time, give him a cold teether before you nurse him. Makes a huge difference.
Oh, and if he begs for more... I'd suggest too bad so sad. Wait about twenty minutes until trying it again. When you feel like he is testing you, he is!
Good luck!
is it possible that he is getting some teeth? my son always seemed to bite when he was teething, but after the teeth came in he would stop... until the next time. i did what you do, in that when he did bite i would stop the session. i don't know if that helps at all!
You are doing the right thing by telling him no & ending the session. You said he will not take a bottle have you tried a sippy cup? I did not have a problem with my daughter not taking a bottle but my friend could not get her daughter to take a bottle at all but she was more than willing to take a sippy cup. She found it out at a play date when her daughter took another child's sippy cup & started drinking it.
