To be frustrated that my DD is biting me while feeding.

[Poliomolio2]

My DD is 6 months, recently been biting at nearky every feed.

I've tried everything I can think of to get her to stop and I'm at my witts end.

I really really don't want to stop BFing but I'm so anxious about every single feed and I'm sure she is picking up on it.

My partner was just like 'stop feeding her and we will do formula' it was him and his family that basically said 'BM or nothing, you have to try, she will benefit more from it' which I know is true, so now for him to just dismiss and want me to go seto formula is taking its toll.

Im so confused on what to do and my mum guilt is at an all time high, it's really getting me down.

I love my DD so much and I want to continue BFing but I'm literally in tears writing this because I'm unsure what to do.

Has anyone had any luck with nipple shields and biting? Does this help? I don't want to mess up her latch or think she can bite on that.

All my babies had a phase of this. It is agony.Take her straight off and say no quite firmly.
She will quickly learn that she no longer gets the comfort of feeding.
It's important not to make it a big deal with her or she might get to like the kerfuffle!
It would be a great shame to stop breast feeding not to mention you would have to go through all the pumping palaver While your milk supply reduced. Partners want to help by making decisions but it isn't that helpful ime.

@Dozer I'm sure it will! I don't want to finish BFing if I can, help it, I guess I'll just ride through! I'm sure if I take her round with formula as she will be doing our childcare when I return to work she will mention it though, hard one to skip past! X

@yikesanotherbooboo no definitely, all this time, love and bond to just throw it away. I really don't want to add any formula at all if I can help it! And I can't seem to pump any real amount out for her so it would have to be a mix and like you say that's all a hassle I don't want to have to do! Yes I'll definitely continue taking her off, this morning I just had to cry though, i just didn't know what to do! I probably scared her a bit doing that

I couldn't pump either op, and my dd refused every bottle I tried her on so I stuck with bf. You are not a failure if you don't though - honestly once my dd was over 6 months old I was one of the only mum's I knew at playgroups etc who still bf, most had switched to formula by that stage or were already using it. It isn't a sign of failure in the slightest. If you want to try a bit more then take it a day at a time. Maybe buy some of those premade bottles of formula so you know that the option is there when you want it. It is not a bad thing to do. Don't be hard on yourself. I know every little thing can feel stressful and like a huge deal when it comes to your baby, but it honestly does pass and you start to wonder why you were ever so worried.

My son is the same age. What works is giving him a time out after he bites. I say no biting then turn him with his back to me for 30s. He will cry hysterically but when I put him back he doesn’t bite that feed. If he does I stop the feed. Babies are really clever and manipulative so you have to be firm about not feeding them if they keep biting - they will eventually learn.

Sometimes it's very hard to stop biting. I stopped it easily with both my younger ones just by putting them down etc. But my tongue tied one seemed to actually latch the nipple with his gums, that was his feeding technique. Nothing stopped him biting once the teeth were there, so he was BF until six months and then bottle fed. Whatever you do, don't beat yourself up. And yes your MIL should keep her views to herself. If my own mother thinks twice about telling me what to do, your MIL certainly can.

Hi OP. The thing about biting, is that they can only do it when not properly feeding, because when they are actively feeding, they use their tongue to work the breast tissue and it is above their teeth in the lower jaw. So the biting only happens when they stop actively feeding or before they've started. Have you noticed at what point during a feed she starts to do it? There may be a pattern that you can then start to preempt. Other than that, there has been good advice on here about how to deal with it. It's often just a phase. Try taking her off when she bites and offering her a teether. A bit of patience and things should improve.

Order some nipple guards. They help.

Urgh biting. So common and so annoying. DD has phases of this especially when teething. I second @missmousey suggestion. When DC bites push them into the breast, they can't breathe so release and don't damage you when you take them off.

Don't feel bad. Sometimes babies do it just to see what happens. A calm no and stopping feeding soon gets the message across. You can do this

I had this with my daughter, I ended up really sore to the point of bleeding. I bought some nipple shields similar to these www.tommeetippee.com/en-gb/product/nipple-shields?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0YTBvbSa6gIViaztCh3yUw5oEAQYBCABEgIt2fD_BwE
and they worked, she still bit but it didn't hurt anymore and my nipples were able to recover.

@missymousey

BF consultant gave me a tip when my DS got teeth about that age and started biting: immediately and firmly pull her in tight to you, she will unlatch. Say no. If repeated, switch breasts. If repeated on the other side, stop feeding and try again later. I had thought I would have to stop breastfeeding, but this changed the behaviour in just a few feeds.

This works.

Cradle her head and gently and briefly push her towards your breast rather than pull away/unlatch. Instinct will make her open her mouth. It works immediately - I used this for all of mine. I didn't have to unlatch or tell them no, it's instinct and works immediately.

I also expressed milk for DC2 who had tongue tie. We managed to feed this way, with only the very odd bottle of formula, (maybe one or two a week), from when he was 4mo till he was almost 1yo.

Obviously, try and sort out the bfing first though, if you're enjoying it otherwise. But if you can't stop the biting but also don't want to ff completely, it might be a good compromise.

You are not in any way a failure btw, however you end up feeding .

Poor you OP, my DD once took an actual chunk out of me like a baby shark. Shields didn't help me and I dreaded every feed. The technique of pushing her towards the breast, firmly, then repeating, 'no' (in as much of a montone as you can manage) really works though. It's hard to suppress the instinct to scream and pull them off but if you can, the biting will stop. Good luck - you doing bloody amazing btw so even if you do decide to stop breastfeeding now you are in no possible way a failure!

If you stop you can express feeds and feed breastmilk from a bottle so no need to jump to formula specifically. I don’t think a nipple shield messes up latch really.

Try expressing a little -just a tiny bit - before you feed. Sometimes they bite to stop an abrupt let down. Alternatively, she migjt ne frustrated and trying to encourage more milk - so worth switching sides. Mine has just gone through a 2 week bitey phase but seems to be stopping now. The other thing (apart from unlatch and "no') is pressing her into your breast. There's a really good KellyMom article about it

@Poliomolio2 cannot give you better advice , you’ve tried everything I could think of, just wanted to send you a virtual 💐 then some 🍫🍰🧁

I hope you find whatever works best with your little one. First and foremost she needs a happy mummy ☺️

Thank you all for your amazing advice! After this she had only bitten me once! And has been super gentle, I've been stern when she did but given her lots of praise and loving when she was gentle when feeding. I'm sure she will bite again but yesterday when I posted it was 5 times she had and every feed! We went 4 feeds with no biting and only one when she was playing about.

Really appreciate all your advice and tips! Hopefully BFing can continue for as long as she wants it too!

But now realise I'm not a failure either way if I do decide to stop and I've done an amazing job EBF for this long after all your lovely words!

@letmethinkaboutitfornow that's so sweet ❤️😘

Yay! Great news op

Yay well done!

I did the pull them in closer trick and that did work after a few feeds.

I think to start with they are just getting used to having teeth too.

But now realise I'm not a failure either way if I do decide to stop and I've done an amazing job EBF for this long after all your lovely words!

She will be just fine. Patience is a virtue! (She will push her and your boundaries) but do whatever you thinks is best for her and you ❤️

My youngest did this with every feed at that age, it was horrible and like yours, didn't help to remove etc - it turned out to be the emergence of teeth, and did pass.

I’m surprised nobody has said about blowing in their face when they bite. It worked for me.
I guess it’s the same technique as with pulling them closer, as it affects the breathing through their nose. You know, when you get sudden gusts of wind in your face and have to gasp for air? Like that.
After first 3-4 times she didn’t do it again apart from couple of times she was falling asleep.

My DS was 8 months when he first bit me. It happened one more time and I switched to formula in a feeding cup [he never took to bottles. dummies etc]. Twice was enough! LOL.