Baby biting VERY hard

[monkeytrousers]

I b/feed my 11 month old once a day at bedtime (although more if he's ill and off his food) but recently he's taken to biting me. I don't just mean the off cheeky nip, he's been doing that for months, but clamping down hard and pulling so his (12) teeth scape over the nipple. No blood yet, but I've just had to give up and hand over to DP with a cup of formula as it was getting very close.

I'm wondering if this is the start of self weaning? Or if it's just a phase?

He was teething very badly last week and so I was feeding him alot but went back down to one feed this week. As a consequence I'm also feeling a bit down as my supply has diminished. It's making me very paranoid too..sigh..

Mine started doing this at about the time he was losing interest (at about 8-9 months ).

I think they do it to get a reaction as well though. Ds is still a bit of a gnasher to my chagrin.

Why are you paranoid mt?

My dd has just got her first tooth (will be 8 months on wednesday) and has started biting a bit. She's also showing less and less interest in b/f so I was wondering if she might be self-weaning too. She's always been hugely distractable and quite frankly a pain in the bum to b/f unless she's really tired.

MT - I think you've done fantastically well to b/f this long, especially if he's been nibbling for a while now.
Are you really wanting to continue or would you feel ok if this is him self-weaning?

I was hoping to carry on a bit longer but I think if dd starts doing what your ds is doing it won't be long before I give up. Good luck with it.

Hi Mooney

I think I'm just hitting a low patch. I'm on ad's for PND and they generally make me feel..well like don't have PND actually but I've been exhaused these past few days and was trying to reduce the dosage (what a stupid idea!) but think I've jumped the gun a bit. I've only been on them a couple of months.

Paranoia is just comes with my particular package IYSWIM. Only slightly paranoid but once I realise this it gives me a 'heads up' and I can try to head it off at the pass.

I'm going for a record for mixing metaphors, have you noticced?

Aw, thanks Magscat. This is what I'm feeling all mixed up about, I don't know if I want to continue or not.

About 4-5 months ago me and DS went through a really rough patch when he reverted to feeding like a newborn. I think it was connected to him staring to crawl and all the other behavioural thresholds that come thick and fast after 6 months.

He was up 5-6 times a night and I was just truly exhausted. (It was around this time that I started to think I was developing PND, BTW) At that time I was like you and just felt like I really wanted it to stop b'feeding. He settled down in the next couple of months and during that that time I'd gotten him down to only one feed a day, at bedtime, as now.

THEN I started feeling all romantic about b'feeding, and thinking I'd miss it or that I'd lose the special bond only I had with him (this paranoia Moondog!) - I mean I know it's just silly but I blame the hormones...(I always do)

Good for you too BTW.

I know what you mean.One minute b/feeding is frankly a pita,the next it's the most lovely special thing in the world. Reckon we all feel like that sometimes.
Relax and go with the flow.

Same here Monkey! Ds is 9 months and has 8 teeth. At one point I was scared of BFing him as I knew he would bite. I stopped BFing him for a while and gave him milk but I could feel the milk in my breasts. He kept trying to BF and so I gave in. I bf him in the morning and evening and so far he hasnt bitten me again for a while.

i really dont want to give up but if it starts again i will as it REALLY hurts.

i'm not feeding but my ds is sitting here biting me on my hand (and the dog???)with only three teeth (11months) and god does it hurt.

MT - If you are really keen to continue b/f could you express while he's going through this biting phase ?

That way you'd keep your supply up and he'd still get breast milk.

Maybe then you could try b/f again and see if it really is a phase or if he's still biting.

I don't know if that would work - just a guess.

Personally, I wouldn't give yourself a hard time if you wanted to stop b/f. I'm all for b/f but 11 months is really good work and you deserve to give yourself a break and not feel guilty if it's come to a reasonable time to stop.

Haha! That's why I'm still breastfeeding. Breastmilk from a bottle! DS don't approve!!

Thanks, girls. I'm just a bit out of sorts this week. Thanks for understanding. xx

Forgot to say! When ds bit me,I would hold his nose.He couldn't breathe so had to let go (and found it funny!) That stoppped it pdq.