Genuinely how does this happen?

[Confusedebf]

I’ve seen anecdotes on Instagram about people’s babies / toddlers twiddling the other nip while they feed and that being annoying or sore. My MIL also delights in telling me about this happening with her son, my DH (don’t get me started).

I literally don’t understand how this happens. I am ebf, I get one boob out of the bra, son feeds on that, I put it away, I get second boob out and swap over. Same with when I’m in a vest, lift up one side, etc.

genuinely what are people doing that means they’re getting their nips twisted by the baby?

I mean this lightheartedly , I’m honestly bemused not annoyed, I just find it so funny as a concept

Omg!!!! Noooooooooo!!!

This didn’t happen to me but I only breastfed to six months. I guess it may be one of the pitfalls of breastfeeding an older baby or child?

Gosh I’m sorry! I’d find that hard! Can I ask how old?

My daugter sometimes plays with the other nip. Always swat her hand away. She thinks its hilarious

I think it's a bit weird. I have extended bf six kids and none of them ever did this, nor would they have been given access to do this. I think that would be really uncomfortable. We did co-sleep too. I do have long hair though and they used to play with that. I never minded if they were hanging onto a braid or something.

Yeah interesting, that makes sense , easier to let it happen maybe. I still find it really off putting! I don’t know how long I’d want to keep breastfeeding if mine started this

I bf my son until about 2. He didn't ever do this (thankfully!) but what he did do was twirl one hand in my hair while he fed. He would wrap my hair all the way up to my scalp and tug on it, it became a sleep association.

Like you say about bodily autonomy etc I shouldn't have 'let' him. But I was knackered, he woke every hour until he was nearly 3, absolutely shocking sleeper. I just desperately needed him to go to sleep so I used to grin and bear it some nights because I knew when he was hair twirling he would drop off!

The decisions we make as mothers of babies in the middle of the night aren't always the decisions we'd make with our heads fully on straight. And the urge to just keep babies happy is a powerful one!

Trust me, I didn't and still don't enjoy having my nipples pulled about! I move her hands away EVERY time she tries and yet she still manages to shove one in a done up bra!

100% I get this! Anything for sleep!

I would have hated that would make me cringe. Never happened to me

My daughter did it. I didn’t care to stop her as it was clearly a comfort thing as she did it for a couple of years after she stopped feeding.

Just happens with some babies.

I breastfed both mine for over a year but never got both boobs out at the same time as that would have driven me crazy!

I bf 2 babies until 18 months. Never had this issue.
I did get bitten by my youngest though!

Yeah I did try but it was a way of him soothing himself and they all have their little quirks when it comes to comfort so I just got over it. I just have to keep his nails short or else it is painful and I don’t let him do it if it’s hurting me

This!!!!! Anything that gets that baby back to sleep a bit quicker when they’re waking through the night still

Okay now that’s weird. With your own mother fair enough… relatively common amongst breastfeeding mums but yeh not with grandma 😂

Me to!! I can’t get my head around this at all

I think some people don’t mind it but I’d hate it, I’ve always moved their hands away if they did try to do this while feeding.

My 2.5 year old has been weaned off for 6 months now but he still constantly tries to shove his hand down my top and for a while he would only go to sleep while touching a boob! I have to barricade his hand from getting as far as my nipple every time! He’s persistent in a way that my first never was!

Honestly so many posters thought it was completely acceptable. Most bizarre thing I’ve ever read really. If I remember correctly, I think the sil brought up that it was inappropriate and was shot down by family. Posters were saying it’s fine as it was the child’s way to be comforted when his mum wasn’t there. Apparently grandma would try to let them do it discreetly, therefore acknowledging it wasn’t really on, but still allowed it to happen.

I breastfed dc2 until she was almost 4 and co-slept with no bra, so the other nipple was just easy for her to access. It wasn't painful or annoying for me so I just let her get on with it, I saw no reason not to allow it. I don't think my nipples are as sensitive as other mums because I always read about women stopping bfing early because it hurt so much, and I never found it painful at any stage and found bfing really easy and intuitive.