To have stopped trying to feed my baby this morning?

[NomsQualityStreets]

DS who is 8mo has his 3rd tooth cutting through. He's having some solids and I'm also BF he has started been biting me before about 2 months ago but stopped straight away as soon as I removed the breast from his mouth and within a couple of days he stopped biting completely...

Well up until now that is for the past few days he has been biting me at the start of every feed, often multiple times and seems to be looking for my reaction. I have sort of loudly sucked my breath in a few times when he bit down particularly hard but generally I just remove the breast and let him feed after a few seconds this has worked up until this morning. This morning he bit me 6 times even though I've been removing the breast and stopping the feed, I let him try and feed again when he was showing he wanted but he was just continuing to bite and stare at me so I gave up and got him ready for the day and he had a bit of toast and water for breakfast as he refused baby cereal.

He's napping now and doesn't seem hungry but I feel really guilty about skipping the morning feed and don't know how to handle the biting...

AIBU to have skipped it and to be considering switching to formula because I don't want to be bitten?

Mine has started biting too! I’ve found he only does it when not bothered about feeding. When he’s hungry he’ll feel without biting. Perhaps your LO isn’t hungry enough and is therefore doing the same?

But you have fed him! Mine was a biter at that age, I weaned!

I agree, you have fed him.

My 8mo has taken to solid foods like a little happy piglet - and now refuses to be fobbed off with milk if he’s hungry. I’m still breast feeding a couple of times a day (and more at night to settle him ) - but I don’t think he sees it as food any more.

He’s yet to get any teeth - but if he was biting me I’d be even less fussed about regular milk feeds.

Switch to formula.

YANBU and you have fed him! My DD was the same at this age, couldn't get her to stop biting, so switched completely to formula. Result- happier baby and much happier mum. Should have done it sooner!

It might be he doesnt need a morning feed any more? He will reduce his breastfeeding as he eats more food.

Mine were bottle fed but the morning bottle was the first to go.

One of my SILs stopped bf when my nephew bit her a couple of times at about 7 months. He is now in his 20s, fit and healthy. He was also mixed fed from a few weeks old and loved his food as a baby.

Well he had a normal feed about 2 mins ago but bit me straight after

The night wakings are normal, especially as he's teething.

DS2 is cutting his molars and is feeding more frequently at night (he's 2) - I think it's comforting for him.

No advice about the biting, sorry!!

Food under one is just for fun - ie nutrionally milk is still the main source of nourishment, some babies adore food and take to it really well, others are slower and still love their milk. If he's still feeding normally and trying bits of food then I wouldn't worry. Maybe speak to the HV if you're worried though? No advice for the biting - have you got some teething jewellery or something he can bite on when he's nipping at you? I can only imagine the pain

Ds1 was a biter. It was a nightmare. He was always worse when teething. Number one rule is, take him off when he's had enough. Towards the end of a feed DS would come on and off having little extra bits. This is when he'd bite so as soon as he starts that, just stop the feed.

Also, keep any bite wounds really clean, and clean after each feed. You don't want an infection in your nipple bitter voice of experience

Maybe you can compromise by expressing and bottle feeding that?

Fortunately my DC's were late teethers but as soon as the biting started I stopped, I did however not stop altogether. expressing milk for a couple of bottles of breast milk a day and gave them formula in a sippy cup.

Kellymom.com has some advice on biting that helped me a lot.

This is the reason I stopped bf my second daughter. She bit so hard she drew blood (from both sides as I stupidly offered her the other side too...). I literally dropped BF that day. She was a little older, around 10 months. She wouldn’t take a bottle and didn’t like any other milk so she literally had no milk from that day. She’s fine!