2 yo bf DS no longer allows me to release his suck using my finger and instead clamps on with his teeth!! [shock] any one else have experience of this??

[hoosyermama]

DS is devoted to the breast and whilst I hadn't planned on feeding for this long I am happy to. However in the last few months he hasn't allowed me to release his suck using my finger and instead grips on with his teeth!!! A v delicate situation! I find myself telling him "enough" and "done" and even "please" until he lets go! Anyone else have experience of this and any cunning tricks to try?! I am looking to wind down bf and try to get him to stay in his own bed and bought the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers with high hopes after it came recommended and with great customer reviews. I'm disheartened to see though that it all hinges on controlling / reducing how long they nurse. I can't do this as he basically is controlling the situation. I'm very tired and close to the end of my tether with it all!! Any thoughts / suggestions or sharing is very welcome!

[Shellington]

Distraction, asking him something he has to answer verbally to, offering a toy/biscuit/book or something like a trumpet or whistle or bubble blower that he will have to unlatch for? Failing that, a quick tickle or two to get the giggles going? Then take the chance to whip your boob away and show him something ever so engrossing, move position, look out the window together etc

[HungryClocksGoBackFourSeconds]

Do you wet your finger first?

[willyoulistentome]

Careful tickling. I would imagine that might make me grit my teeth. If its not working for you any more perhaps it's time to wind it up. You have done amazingly well.

[NotAnotherPackedLunch]

Hold his nose (gently) so he has to breathe through his mouth. Worked for my second one when he started this trick.

[hoosyermama]

Thanks! Some great ideas to try, distraction has worked some of the time, I need to try some props too and up my game on this shellington. No I don't wet my finger Hungry, does that make a difference?! Willyou - tickling is risky! Thanks I agree that the time is now to take more control. Notanother, I'll try the gentle nose holding, reassuring to hear there are other buggers rascals who have tried this trick

[EauRouge]

Yes, the nose-holding works. Failing that, a crowbar I've got a little pit bull too.

I haven't read the toddler version of NCSS but I wasn't a fan of the baby one at all. I can see it as a happy middle ground for parents that would otherwise be reluctantly sleep-training but there was a lot of stuff in there like not creating a feed-to-sleep association and only holding your baby while she sleeps on special occasions that made me a bit If there's something in the book you don't like the sound of then don't do it! There are so many ways to encourage a child to sleep, just take the bits you like and forget the rest.

One thing I tried with DD1 was singing a song to her while she fed. Then she grew to associate that song with going to sleep and I was able to just feed her and then cuddle her to sleep while singing. Make sure it's a song you like, you'll be singing it a lot

I'm sure others will give you more ideas, you could also look on some gentle parenting sites.

[HungryClocksGoBackFourSeconds]

Yes I find it much easier with a wet finger.
I also say, 'come on then, pop off' and wait for her to do it. I'm not sure why but 'pop off' is the only phrase that has worked.

[megandraper]

I do '3..2..1...blast off!' with my 22 month old! I used to pull her off at the blast off bit, but now she does it herself. Also, sometimes I think of something she wants and suggest it, and she pops off herself - like 'Do you want an apricot? or Do you want to go and see Daddy?'

[Wallace]

I usually go for "AAARGGHHHHHHHH!!! OWWWWW!!!! You're hurting me!!!"

[hoosyermama]

Lol Wallace! Indeed! I'll try the wet finger Hungry! What a reasonable baby you have to respond to "pop off"! I love it! I can be practically begging mine to stop and he won't let go! I love 3-2-1 Blast Off too bedhopper! He has rockets zooming on a wall in his bedroom so he might respond to that! Distraction definitely is the tactic that I find works best but helps when I'm not so dog tired! Tried the gently holding nose tonight and he (probably naturally) flinched with his teeth still gripping so that was a no no! :-o I'll try it again perhaps more surreptitiously next time! Some really good points Eau thank you (we were on the same pregnancy thread - I was going under the name of Earlgreyismynectar back then!). Not had the time or energy to make a proper start on the b

[hoosyermama]

Ooops darned phone... To make a proper start on the book but will definitely only do what feels right to me. I know I'm going to find it so hard to take a hard line on this so will probably end up caving but I do feel at the same time, that I have to begin the process soon. I have planned a trip to London with my 6yo DD in July for 3 nights, really looking forward to the break and quality time with DD but this will be first time away from DS. Not sure how he'll cope but will have to go cold turkey. I thought that will prob be the end to bf (though confess to considering expressing in order to maintain supply). I'm dealing with some negative comments also about feeding at this age but have tried not to let them influence me as I know this is a good thing. It's when I feel exhausted that I question it all. Anyway, thanks so much for your feedback - v helpful :)

[hoosyermama]

Oh and singing is a lovely idea! I sing to him at bed time when he's sleepy and feeding but never thought of singing for feeding alone! Having said that he does love to press his fingers to my mouth almost to say "oh no not the singing again"! It makes him giggle :)

[HungryClocksGoBackFourSeconds]

Doesn't have to be the end even without expressing OP, a friend of mine got separated from her DD (also 2) for a week due to heavy snowfall and was unable to express. Milk was still there and feeding went back to normal. She did have sore boobs though!

[hoosyermama]

Really HungryClocks? That's amazing! What a revelation! I suppose it possibly depends on how much milk you produce and I always think that my supply isn't that great but then he seems to get plenty out of it! Yes I bet her boobs were sore! I'd better take a supportive bra with me!!

[EauRouge]

Aha, I remember you from the pregnancy thread! Seems like a lifetime ago doesn't it?

Don't know if you remember my birth story with DD2, but DD1 was at my mum's house for 2 nights and went right back to BF as soon as she got back. You can take a couple of days break and your supply will be fine so you don't have to stop BF if you don't want to. You might want to practice hand expression so you can relieve any engorgement.

[hoosyermama]

Right Eau! Now you mention it I do remember that. Really good to know that it needn't necessarily be the end! He has slept till 5am in his own bed these past two nights so I'm feeling better for getting more sleep! I'd be happy to continue in this way! Yes Eau seems a lifetime ago! It's a shame that after being so involved in that thread I lost touch with everyone, we moved house 4 weeks after DS was born and it's all a bit of a blur!

[EauRouge]

You moved with a 4 week old? You brave woman!

I didn't really go on the Feb 2011 threads much so lost touch with everyone as well. I think it's harder to keep up when you've got an older one as well.