8 month old biting and scratching when breast feeding

[Thenemesisofthevole]

Was wondering if anyone had any advice? My 8 month old ds has started biting and scratching me when feeding. He will pull at my face and nose and eyes too. I've tried removing him and saying no; I've also tried giving him a toy to distract him. He is teething at the moment.

I attend a breast feeding group but my ds is one of the oldest there, so they don't have much advice and the hv/breast feeding coordinator was quite dismissive; they implied that as he is 8 months old it wouldn't be the end of the world if I switched him to formula, which I really don't want to do.

I really want to continue to breast feed, but equally don't want to continue being bitten and scratched. Any suggestions?

[eagle2010]

Hmm, my 9.5mo DS has gone through all sorts of phases like this - hair pulling, sticking finger up my nose, trying to flick my eyelashes.

I try to hold his hand as much as possible or give him something soft and fluffy to play with. You can buy necklaces that you wear and he can fiddle with. DS loves zips s

If you Google "nursing manners" there may be some good suggestions on there too.

[Thenemesisofthevole]

Thanks, will give some of those a try.

[CityDweller]

DD still does this (she's 15 mo!). I try to hold her hands or give her a finger to squeeze instead, but mostly she just wants to pinch my collar bone really fucking hard. I guess I've just got used to it, and as she only feeds first and last thing it's not too much to endure. I never got a bf necklace as I thought it'd be a phase she'd get through, but in hindsight I wish I had tried one.