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

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

Infant feeding

fear of losing nipple to little biter!

17 replies

john3sixteen · 25/05/2009 10:17

Hi there I have been b'feeding my DS for almost 9 months now. He has grown 2 razor like teeth and has taken to biting me approx once a day during a feed- totally put me off b'feeding- i do feel guilty at thought of stopping tho as fed DD till she was 1yr. Please can anyone advise if they have been in similar situation- what did you do?
Also can anyone hand on heart recommend a particular type of formula as if I decide to stop I will need to start using formula- also what kind of bottles?
DD only had expressed milk and doidy cup!
MANY THANKS!!

OP posts:

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Jennylee · 25/05/2009 10:45

any formula you fancy really, they are much the same, i am using the tommee tippee closer to nature bottle, dd takes about an ounce a day but i keep trying, i like aptamil and hipp organic, but is entirely based on packaging they all seeem the same, am suffering with biting and tooth indentations which really hurt

WhatWouldtheGoatDo · 25/05/2009 10:48

when dd was bitting i gave her teething powders before each feed which seemed to calm the whole biting down. also contrary to popular advice i did yell and shriek and dd was fairly alarmed but she did stop biting.

good luck

john3sixteen · 25/05/2009 11:06

I have been yelling out loud too! mostly as it really takes me by surprise!
Not heard of teething powder before...so Jennylee are you weaning on to the bottle at the mo?
thanks ladies!

OP posts:

Laugs · 25/05/2009 11:08

Hi,
DD bit me a few times with each new front tooth. It is bloody painful! The worst day ever she bit me about 8 times during the course of one feed. That was the closest I came to giving up.

She did get better after that point though. I think she had to test each tooth out before she realised what they did and that was not going to work. I also got used to getting my little finger in very quickly to get my nipple out of there!

If it doesn't get, he's probably not to young to move on to a doidy, is he? You could keep on expressing and the amount of milk he needs will be reducing around now as his diet increases.

I don't know about formula milk, but I'm sure someone else will be along to help.

Laugs · 25/05/2009 11:09

get better I meant

Jennylee · 25/05/2009 19:27

yes as it hurts im trying to get her to have formula, but an ounce a day is not very inspiring, so its not really happening with the weaning onto bottle, but it gives me hope when i'm in pain feeding her, none of the latching advice seems to help, it still hurts.

monkeysmama · 26/05/2009 09:37

It's the first time I have been on the bfing thread but came on for this reason - I have a little nipper too. DD is 12 months and recently bites me once during every feed. It is towards the end and if I pay attention I can feel the change in her mouth just before she bites - she stops sucking and gets ready to nip. I respond with a sharp intake of breath and put her down for a second. She usually cries and knows she has done something that hurt me and wants to cuddle me straight after (I pick her back up after about 30 seconds though usually she's finished feeding by then). I have decided to try and work through it - what is hurting me most is the teeth (top and bottom ones) rubbing against my nipple as she sucks.

lowrib · 26/05/2009 09:56

What about silicone nipple shields (you can get them at large boots). Soes anyone know if they'd be good for this?

john3sixteen · 27/05/2009 14:30

It really does hurt being bitten but well done for persevering- thanks to the encouragement you ladies have given me I have carried on through the biting for a while- at least for now!! Monkeysmama think I will try your approach
I have tried nipple shields when I had DS1 and I couldn't get positioning right and got blisters- the only thing was his suck was so strong my nipple started to come out of the little holes at the end which was excruciating!!!
Might work well for someone else though- I think I probably have odd boobs!! Anything to bring a barrier from the teeth worth a try!

OP posts:

Jennylee · 27/05/2009 22:32

I am still bf too, I keep forgetting to offer the bottle every single day and she has a cold so needs the comfort, and has stopped eating, so lots of bf, biting and indentations and tenderness, but still want to get to a year if poss but if not is okay, she is 10 month old in a few days.I hate how breastfeeding for me always starts and ends with pain though.

john3sixteen · 28/05/2009 19:49

I totally respect you for keeping on and putting her first, what a good mum you are!

OP posts:

MrsHD · 29/05/2009 21:21

I'm having this problem too. DS is only five months but has had two teeth for several weeks now, and judging by his demeanour this afternoon more aren't far away. I've been bitted quite a few times and although I have no intention of stopping BF, I have begun to use EBM more with the odd Aptamil feed. I wince watching him chew the spout on his non-spill cup! I yell and jump too when he does it, he cries, we have a cuddle then we carry on, with one of us extremely nervous!

Hmm, maybe that could be why my letdown's been ropey recently?

Jennylee · 29/05/2009 21:52

it is hard, but some days it does not hurt and thats what keeps me off the formula for now. Also formula seems really inconvenient

Jennylee · 29/05/2009 21:55

also she doesn't drink more than an ounce or two, so haven't much choice

titferbrains · 30/05/2009 11:49

Had this problem from 6-7 months. At first I used to yell. Now I take her off nipple and say NO in a very stern serious voice and I push her nose down. Not hard enough to hurt, just to make it uncomfortable and to ensure that she is paying attention.

she has mostly stopped now.

mollynp · 06/06/2009 20:21

i have a biter too. my problem is that she seems to latch on with her teeth on one boob only. i have changed positions to try and let the cracks heal where she has broken the skin, but now i have three cracks. i've just sent husband out for some nipple shields so hopefully they are the answer! i don't understand why i'm having this problem as she is my third child and didn't have this problem with my first two.

mumtojohn · 11/06/2009 21:41

I have also had biting problems and have been ready to give up, as the biting, accompanied by the squirming and fidgeting that comes with an almost 6 month old, is trying my patience!

I really want to do a full year though so it is good to hear that it often sorts itself out.

Good tip on the teething powder (do you mean Nelsons?). Will try that. The stern 'NO' hasn't been working as DS just grins and giggles!

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