when they get teeth!......

[Helenemjay]

Do they bite? i breastfed my first two but not past 6 months - they lost interest ds1 at 3 months and ds2 at 6 months, im hoping to breastfeed dd alot longer but im worried about her knawing away my poor nipples once she gets teeth! she bites occasionally now at 7 weeks! My friends little girl sunk her teeth into her and drew blood! bbrrrr it makes me shudder!

[hunkermunker]

Sometimes they do. Usually when they're teething. It's often very solvable though!

[Frayedknot]

No! Well DS didn;t anyway.

[Miaou]

I've never fed and dealt with teeth yet either helen, but as ds is already teetghing at 13 weeks I suspect I'll be finding out soon! As I understand it they can't bite and feed as the tongue has to come out over the teeth in order to suck. If they do bite, therefore, they are not feeding. I intend to have a finger ready to break the latch if he bites in the hope that he will learn that biting means no milk!

[spidermama]

I've breastfed three into toddlerhood and am still bfing my 9-month old. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been bitten.
Just say 'No' very firmly and take them off. I find that does the trick.

[Miaou]

glad to hear it works, sm!

[hunkermunker]

I used to watch for DS's jaw moving back, then grabbed his chin. I'd tried saying no, unlatching him, pulling him into my boob, etc, etc.

He'd growl when he bit too - his was always teething related and he only did it a couple of times. Was like feeding an angry puppy

[Helenemjay]

I have to say i really dont want to stop bfeeding dd but im really worried about the prospect of getting my poor boobs chomped! its obviously not a problem at the moment but i know when i fed ds2 just before we stopped he was 6 months old and had very small teeth and i was terrified everytime i went to feed him - may have been why he refused me after that i think he must have sensed my intense terror and it put him off! poor ds! I would really love to feed dd until she is one, or longer! - for as long as she wants i suppose!

[sweetkitty]

I fed DD till 12 months and she started getting teeth at 6 months, wasn't really an issue a few times she had a chomp but I broke the latch relatched her and if she did it again I stopped feeding altogether. She never did it that often though, her thing was when she got older she would try and be nosy and turn around with my nipple in her mouth - ouch!

[fennel]

with my 3rd she did nip with teeth. every time she fed. for months. as a superhero mum i carried on feeding her but it was painful. but she never drew blood

dd1 had teeth but didn't bite. dd2 didnt' get teeth too late. no point worrying too much in advance, it was only a problem my 3rd time round.

for me, i always associate breastfeeding with discomfort and pain anyway, from the early weeks of agony with dd1. i think that's why the teeth nipping didn't deter me from breastfeeding! i always see it as a masochistic activity. nice for the baby but a pain for me.

[Helenemjay]

Awww bless your dd kama - stopping when she bit you! i think my boys would have just carried on chomping!

[Helenemjay]

Oh my poor friend said her dd really bit in and wouldnt let go! - she said she had blood coming out the side of her mouth and she had a black and blue nipple for about a week!! bbbrrrr

[hunkermunker]

That's pretty rare, HE - and honestly don't worry about it now. There are loads of things you can try if your baby gives you the occasional nip - DS did bite, but like I said, only a couple of times. It's the anticipation that's worse, I found!

[Helenemjay]

LOL hunkermunker! thats my problem - the anticiption! im a right old wimp! its good to know you managed to sort it though - it gives me more confidence about it!

[hunkermunker]

I fed DS till he self-weaned at nearly 17mo. He teethed at 24 weeks and had (I think) 12 by that time), so that was a long time with teeth

[Helenemjay]

Oh thats good to hear hunkermunker! i will give it my best shot thats for sure! - im a wimp but i dont give up easy

[hunkermunker]

Brilliant - good luck with it! Post here if you do get nipped - lots of things to try!

[eidsvold]

my dd2 ( 1 in about ten days) has eight teeth now and I have only been nipped by her a couple of times - her favourite more painful thing is to try and bend her head back when people are talking to me so she can see them - no wonder my boobs are nearly to my knees OR she is now trying to stand up when she has her last feed and we are both laying on the bed - she stands up and bends down to feed causing my nipple to go a weird shape... painful!!! So she is adjusted pretty quickly.

[Helenemjay]

Lol! - sounds like i should psyche myself up for all that too! - my poor boobs!