I really wanted to breastfeed my daughter until she was 2 years old, as per the WHO guidelines, or until she self-weaned. It was going really well but the last few days have been really upsetting.
Each time she starts to latch on, she clamps down hard with her teeth, refusing to let go. She doesn't take any milk at all, she just bites. In the past when she has teethed she has bitten me occasionally but I have always tried not to overreact and have calmly but firmly removed her and said "no biting". She has always then gone straight back on and fed. But this time she is just not letting go of me with her teeth - all 6 of them are clamping down as hard as she can and the pain is excrutiating. I have to resort to putting my fingers in her mouth to remove her which really upsets her. I'm doing everything in my willpower not to scream. I then try to put her back on but she cries hard and arches away from me. She ends up sobbing herself to sleep in my arms every nap time and night time without any milk. Its devastating.
This has gone on for nearly three days now and I just don't know what to do. Normally when she teethes she goes off her solids but she is eating more than ever. This is convincing my husband that she is letting me know she doesn't want my milk any more and is self-weaning. He thinks she can't be teething if she is so into her solids. He was never really keen on the idea of me feeding past a year and although he hates to see me upset I think he's quite pleased this has happened. Do you think he's right? Is it possible to self-wean so early?
If she really is self-weaning then I don't know what else to give her. She is severely allergic to cow's milk so can't have that or formula. Her dietician sent us some samples of neocate in the post but we never used it as it tasted vile and I was always happy just to breastfeed.
Please help me, I don't know what to do.