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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

bf baby biting

18 replies

tab1 · 09/05/2008 22:18

My DD has been solely bf for 10 months and has suddenly started biting, has had a tooth for months so I know she can bf without biting me. She cried if I take her off but then bites again. Help wanted

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Elasticwoman · 09/05/2008 22:25

You have to persevere taking her off until she learns not to bite. Mine bit at 10 months too and that's what I did.

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hester · 09/05/2008 22:31

I vote with Elasticwoman (hi EW - I'm stalking you!). Just take her off the breast immediately, say 'no biting' firmly but calmly. Try not to shriek or make a fuss (easier said than done, I know!) or she might get into biting just to see your entertaining reaction. You might also try giving her something to distract her, like wearing a colourful (and safe) necklace that she can fiddle with while feeding.

They do go through phases of this, but it's pretty easy to train them out of it. Good luck.

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tab1 · 09/05/2008 22:42

She only feeds 3 times a day and twice today she has kept biting until I have had to give up on the feed, she drinks plenty of water but I worry she won't get enough milk if she keeps this up.

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Elasticwoman · 09/05/2008 22:47

In the end her desire for milk will overcome her desire to bite, I think.

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Elasticwoman · 09/05/2008 22:49

BTW Hester, will you bf if you adopt a young enough child do you think? (It has been done!)

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tab1 · 10/05/2008 20:10

Thanks for advice, dd has fed better today and only tried a few nips but then got on with drinking so hopefully she is going to forget about biting.

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shouldweornot · 10/05/2008 23:36

I had the same problem with DS at about the same age - posted on here and got similar good advice. I found taking him off and saying no soon worked, but at the time it was v painful!! (is there an eyes watering emoticon?? )
he did it on a off every few weeks and still does now, but only very occasionally so I just repeat the same thing and he soon stops.

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hester · 11/05/2008 22:48

EW, we are being assessed for a child aged 0-2, but in practice the system means that children don't get placed before 1. Our social worker says the youngest child she has ever placed was 8 months, and it's usually more like 16-18 months, even when they were placed for adoption at birth.

So no, no bf I don't think. Though when we went to antenatal classes for dd1 the tutor asked my dp (also a woman) if she intended to bf as well and offered to help her do so. dp was horrified and muttered something like, "um, I thought I might just take her to baby massage instead".

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TinkerbellesMum · 11/05/2008 23:38

tab1, she is or has probably had a tooth come through. She doesn't know that her mouth has changed shape so you need to tell her that by doing what the others have posted. Don't get angry or upset because she doesn't know that she has hurt you. It won't take long to learn and with each tooth I found it got quicker, it was like "Oh, ok Mummy, I didn't realise, will stop now!"

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Elasticwoman · 12/05/2008 13:05

Hester, sounds like your dp was not the one to give birth. Can understand her reluctance, and in any case it must be hard to get bf going if you didn't give birth.
Good luck with your adoption. What a pity it takes so long if a baby is put up for adoption from birth.

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chipmonkey · 12/05/2008 13:24

One tip from Hunker that I found worked was that when the baby bit, that you pushed their nose into the breast, forcing their mouth open to breath! Sounds horrible but it did work, ds3 stopped biting after that!

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TinkerbellesMum · 12/05/2008 13:36

That's what we were told in the BF group I used to go to - they train South Birmingham - but my trainer was horrified at the suggestion and said it's "not the way we do it". It does work though

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TinkerbellesMum · 12/05/2008 13:36

That should have read:

they train South Birmingham and are very good at BFing so I do trust them.

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tab1 · 12/05/2008 21:11

seems dd has forgotten all about biting thankfully. Moved on to the next challenge of trying to crawl/stand on me while still feeding, ha ha. Just grabbing some peace while DP bathes dd.

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TinkerbellesMum · 12/05/2008 23:36

Aha, just wait till she won't lie still on your lap and has to be over your shoulder or standing on the floor! The only normal feed I get is first thing in the morning when we're in bed, althouth she will do things like lie on my left and try to get the right boob or something!

Glad she's stopped biting now. BTW does she use straws? I found at a similar age (and it took me ages to figure out) that she was biting me because that's how she controlled the flow from the straw. I started to pinch her straw and she stopped biting me.

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tab1 · 14/05/2008 16:42

Yes, she has a beaker with a soft spout that she bites to drink so you may be right.

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TinkerbellesMum · 14/05/2008 20:40

Try swapping to a hard spout (although a spout may not be best as she can bite it whatever it's like and may bite for fun), cup or a flask with a straw. I can't believe the difference it made to us to pinch her straw when she was drinking, I spent a few months crying, the BF group leaders even told me to wean! I could see she wanted it and she didn't understand why I was getting so cross with her.

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tab1 · 17/05/2008 11:51

dd has got her 2nd tooth now so i think it was her teething on me, ouch. Hopefully no more biting. Thanks for advice.