Is It the End of Nursing ?Story Continue and More Questions

I got bit a couple of times and I had great support from nursing mothers around me. It was brief and we went on to long term and tandem nursing. I was so grateful that this chapter in my life was not cut short. I remember asking about it and someone suggested that I flick her cheek when it would happen and press her into the breast, not pull away. It only took once to make her understand, that if we wanted this relationship to last, she had to hold up her end of the bargain. Hang in there and do have faith. I also was told that when she was done nursing and started to play, that was when it was likely to happen and to get her off the breast as soon as she was starting to not be serious about eating. Soon this phase was over and we were back to on demand nursing, which is what we both liked the most.
I hope this helps, Good luck and hang in there!
J.

I think that at 18 months you could try the flicking (my son was too young, in my opinion when he first bit), or unlatch, set him down and walk away. Kind of like a time out for biting?
I did have my share of biting, but knowing that it was teething helped me be a little more understanding. I have a teething ring of some sort near by - you bite this, not mommy - unlatch and put the teething ring in.
I also had damaged nipples throughout my entire 14.5 months of nursing, but it was really bad for about the first year. To deal with the pain that I knew was coming, I would try to get into a calm, relaxing location, take deep breaths, and think happy thoughts - I know, stupid, huh? But it worked for me. I did hypnobirthing, so I took some of those skills into nursing with me. Make sure that you are focusing on him only for the next few times so that you can stop this behavior before it gets out of hand.
You can also try a local lactation consultant. They either have appointments or sometimes have classes with other nursing moms that can give you more support. Good luck.

It is a phase N., I have sat and cried with the pain of being bitten more than once & lke you, felt very uneasy to nurse afterwards.
If you can get to a LaLeche League meeting, they will be able to give you some tips - I heard that pulling baby in closer is more effective than unlatching - but I was too busy yelping to try it myself!
You may need to change position slightly as new teeth come through, but the good news is that my son & I went on to nurse well past his second birthday, with my nipples intact!

Hang in there, N.!
I've been nipped a few times over my many years of breastfeeding experience--once I remember in particular feeling very suspicious and (dare I say it?) even angry at my little nursling for inflicting such awful, unexpected pain!
But, I got over it.
It took a few days, but eventually things were OK again.
A very wise friend with more children than I have told me she thinks breastfeeding is a mother's first opportunity to teach her child to have good manners. When my babies get big enough and old enough to start wiggling around and possibly exposing me, I tell them I have to keep my hand on the edge of my shirt, right by their face. That just becomes part of the nursing experience, mainly so I can pull my shirt down if I need to, but it's kind of sweet when my baby will put his hand on mine while he's nursing. After that one bad bite, I made a point to keep my hand nearby even closer to my nipple, just in case I started to feel any clamping, so I could quickly un-latch. I never did, but having my hand there reasurred me for the few days I was tense about breastfeeding.
Babies cannot nurse and bite at the same time, as breastfeeding is a tongue action and the tongue must extend over the bottom gumline/teeth. Most babies will not bite again once they realize it causes problems and abruptly ends an otherwise pleasant nursing session.
Use breastfeeding as a baby-occupier while you check email, etc., sparingly, so baby does not feel compelled to get your attention in unpleasant ways! It's OK to do this, of course, but interact with baby enough that he doesn't feel like you're gone from the neck up.
Non-nutritive sucking at the breast is healthy and normal. As he relaxes after a meal or snack, his sucking pattern changes and becomes lighter, but it is still soothing and developmentally appropriate for him. If you are confortable snuggling him, you don't have to stop this unless you want to. However, if he would like interaction and direct attention, and you are passively nursing him, he might be more likely to try to get your attention. This is when it's nice to have your hand nearby.
Consider contacting your local La Leche League group. Their meetings are fun and informative and you'll gain tons of insight into nursing a baby with teeth. You can find your local group at www.lllusa.org. They have saved my sanity many times!
Congratulations on your breastfeeding relationship, and best wishes!