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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Breastfeeding and teeth...

11 replies

Seablueeyes · 14/12/2019 23:30

My 7 month old son has grown his two bottom teeth.
I’m breastfeeding but he has bitten a couple of times, breaking the skin. It’s so painful, like the first weeks of breastfeeding before my nipples ‘hardened up’.
I’m applying lansinoh liberally and have skipped a feed today (gave him an expressed bottle from freezer store) to give my right nipple a break.
However, if he continues to bite, I’m going to have to stop breastfeeding due to the pain, which would be a real shame at this point- I had planned to reach 1 year once I’d establish breastfeeding and knew it worked for us.

Any advice on the biting please?!

Obviously I know he’s only 7 months and not trying to hurt me or misbehave- he’s just trying to relieve his teething pain but inflicting it on me!

Thank you.

OP posts:

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Cheeseboardcriminal · 14/12/2019 23:37

I remember getting a nasty bite once when DS fell asleep and I couldn't get him off. Ouch.

I think the recommended way to stop it is to just stop the feed every time until they learn that biting means the feed stops.

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INeedNewShoes · 14/12/2019 23:42

With DD I stopped the feed. They need to make a connection between biting and the boob disappearing.

Before DD got teeth I would sometimes take her off if the latch was uncomfortable for me and always said 'you're hurting mummy' as I took her off. This meant that by the time she got teeth and could really hurt me that she probably understood that when I took her off that it was because there was a problem. It got to the point that around 8-9m all I had to say was 'you're hurting mummy' and she'd unlatch herself. I remember being amazed at having this level of communication at such a young age but I really think they understand a lot.

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Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 14/12/2019 23:47

Insert your pinkie to break the seal & stop the feed immediately. Or if it’s so bad you unintentionally scream that works too but often leads to a nursing strike & huge mummy guilt

If baby is biting as they fall asleep you need to watch very very carefully for them starting to fall asleep & remove nipple while pressing up Gently under their jaw.

Much sympathy it really is excruciating

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Ilady · 15/12/2019 00:19

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Illeana · 15/12/2019 00:35

When your babies get teeth it's time to get them off your boobs
Mine got teeth at ten weeks old. So I should have stopped feeding even though he was too young to eat anything except milk?

OP I yelled Ouch! loudly if my baby bit me and removed him from the breast by breaking the seal with my finger. He soon got the message that biting resulted in no more milk. It’s impossible for them to bite when they’re actively feeding because their tongue is in the way, it tends to be when they’re messing around at the beginning or end and not properly feeding. So if my baby wasn’t properly feeding I removed him from the breast to avoid biting.

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Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 15/12/2019 01:16

Ilady

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Harrysmummy246 · 15/12/2019 22:12

Seems counterintuitive but push baby into breast further if they bite- makes them open up more

At 7 months they are not deliberately biting to cause discomfort, it is probably accidental due to teething pain. Try different feeding positions and make sure they have a big wide mouth before they latch- go back to basics

By skipping feeds, you're risking mastitis

(I kept going through several biting/ or slightly tooth rubbing phases to 21 mo. How's that for smug @Ilady )

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gamerchick · 15/12/2019 22:17

The advice was to push the face into the breast so they would come off. A scream and ending the feed/put them down is another. I used to poke firmly but not enough to hurt in the cheek with a no biting. Eventually I learned the sign it was about to happen (he would stop sucking and get a glint in his eye) and give a stern you dare! and he'd do a little wiggle and carry on nursing.

I definitely agree with going back to the start and make sure the latch is right. Tummy to tummy job.

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gamerchick · 15/12/2019 22:18

Dry up llady, you're talking out your arse

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pastabest · 15/12/2019 22:29

Your only brest feeding them for notice after this point.

Only my DP knows I still feeding DC2 (18mo). It's not do something that comes up in conversation either others and she only has it at bedtime.

That's means going out at night, having a few drinks, having sex with your partner and not making the baby the whole of your life.

You can do all those things whilst breastfeeding.

In answer to the OP I've found a good yelp and stoping the feed usually works. Not had any nursing strikes or traumatised children so far.

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Seablueeyes · 16/12/2019 00:17

Good ideas- I’ll make sure I take him off whenever he bites so he associates biting with loss of boob!

I know the skipping feeds is risking mastitis (I had it at 2 months post partum and really don’t want it again) but was just desperate yesterday for a few hours relief for my nipples. The lansinoh seems to have kicked in now- phew- so feeding as normal today. And there’s been no biting! I do feel like each feed is a gamble though, haha.