I LOVE breastfeeding my lovely, cuddly, 5 month old boy. Problem is--- he got teeth early... Now he has 3 fully grown teeth (two on bottom, one on top). A couple of days ago he bit me the first time. OUCH! It wasn't on purpose. He had fallen asleep at the boob and then my 3 year old made a loud noise and it scared him so he bit down. I nearly screamed but was able to squelch my pain. Since then, though, he's bitten me at least another 5 or 6 times. Now, I'm no stranger to pain. I had a 30 hour natural labor at home without so much as aspirin. And I've been shot. But being bitten on my nipple is not something I want to endure on a daily basis--- it hurts! I am starting to DREAD nursing him and am worried every time I am about to nurse him that he is going to bite me. I am beginning to be scared of my own sweet little baby! I was told to flick him on the cheek to get him to learn not to do it. I tried that once and he cried louder but he was already crying to begin with (over tired). My question is this: can you even teach a baby this young ANYTHING? Training them not to bite by flicking their cheek sounds like it would for sure work for an older baby, but not a five month old... I just feel like he can't possibly have enough cognitive understanding to know "biting = flick = pain".... Has anyone successfully taught a baby this young not to bite? I am contemplating stopping nursing---- and I was planning on extended breastfeeding! My other son didn't get teeth until about 8 months... and I had stopped nursing at 7 so this is new to me.
Has anyone successfully taught a baby this young? I now can't even count how many times I've been bitten---20 or more--- although EVERY time i have flicked his cheek (not hard) and pulled him off.... only to try again later and have him bite again! I have been offering teething rings and even gave him tylenol--- which I never do. We have still not successfully nursed today :( My husband says it's time to ween but I don't want to. I am so discouraged about this right now.
I loved breast feeding too! What worked for me was to slide my finger between her mouth and my nipple, breaking the suction - then I would take the nipple away for a moment. After a few times, baby will learn.
Just take the breast away. Lay your son down and offer something else he can bite on. When babies are teething, they don't know that they are hurting you. Much of the time they just want to chomp instead of eat anyway, so offer an alternative and try nursing again after a few minutes.
Keep repeating the procedure.
The first time my son bit me, I bled. I was ready to be done! I didn't want him near my boobs again. That was the pain talking.
And it DOES hurt.
Every time he bites, take the booby away. Trust me, they do learn.
I successfully breast fed for 15 months.
Best wishes to you!
When my son started the biting game, probably simmilar age, I would wet a washcloth and keep it in the freezer and pull it out when we sat to nurse. When he bit I removed him from my nipple - shoved the frozen washcloth in his mouth instead. I would not feed for at least 30 min, I fed on demand. It took two times and it never happened again.
I hear you; the biting hurts! The hard part is not to yell OW when it happens! All I did was detach, say firmly "no bite" (but not loud) and put him on the floor. I'd pick him up as soon as he started to fuss (almost immediately) and offer the breast again ONE TIME. If he bites again it's time to do something else. Took about a week with each son and they never bit me again. I breast fed one for 17 months and the other for almost 3 years. This works.
I agree that taking the breast away can be very effective. My son was about 5 months old when he started biting, and I think it took 3 times of immediately taking him off the breast and putting him down near me but not touching for him to stop biting.
Hello, My babies were a little older than five months when they started to bite. As soon as they bit me, I would close up shop and wait a few minutes and start again. Eventually, they got the idea. Cause and effect.
Good luck with your precious family.
K. K.
When he bites, firmly say NO. Take him off the breast and put him down away from you. Say--no biting, biting hurts! He may cry and want you to pick him up---do so and cuddle him and say that if he bites he will not breastfeed until he stops. Please don't give up on nursing!!! Only as a last resort....try it and see how it goes. GL!
M
My daughter was a little older when she started to bite and I was ready to give up breastfeeding. However, my lactation consultant recommended what so many have suggested below: when the baby bites immediately stop breastfeeding (detach) and firmly say "no". I only had to do this twice before my DD learned not to bite the breast anymore.
Try pulling him close to you like you are smothering him and tell him no bite. He won't like the feeling and if you tell him it hurts, he should get the idea. Yes, you can teach him. You have to be consistent.
I have 5 kids and they all bit me and i did this every time. They certainly don't like the feeling and they will pull away automatically.
Hope this works but keep it up if you can for the bonding - you can do it!!!
