6 month old clamping down and pulling! It really hurts. :(

[4FoxAche]

But how do I get him to stop?

I keep taking him off and saying a firm No, but he's 6months old, he doesn't understand.

Then when I put him back on he does it again. And again.

I've just had to put him down for a minute crying to write this because I'm in tears myself.

I'm going back in now to try again. But any idea's on how to stop it because if he doesn't he won't be getting any more BM and he WILL have to take a bottle whether he likes it or not. (more not at the moment)

Please........

Bumping as my 17 week old thinks it's a good game to play too

Have you called one of the hepllines? BFN are good. Is it at the start of a feed? Or during? Maybe try him on the other side? He might be doing it while frustrated waiting for the letdown? Just guessing here!

There's no pattern to it.

Tonight it was at the beginning of the feed. Sometimes he does it when he's finished and sometimes just because I think.

When I tell him No and take him off, he looks up at me with the most amazing smile but I'd rather not see that smile if it keeps my nipples intact and pain free.

I don't know if it's to do with letdown. I really don't feel my letdown unless I'm really full which is rarely now a days.

I do want to keep BF him but need to know how to stop this.

Actually, I might actually show my face at my local Latch On next week. See if anyone has any ideas or experience.

This used to happen with DS around a similar age - I thought it might be teething.

Best thing to do is pull baby towards your boob very quickly as makes them let go - sounds mean but it's advice I got on here. I did that and said no but carried on. It stopped after a few days.

I have heard the advice that you should try not to react at all, ie try not to shout or even say no as babies sometimes find any reaction amusing, its similar to them dropping food from highchairs they enjoy discovering about cause and effect. I have also heard that if you get a bite you should stop the feed and attempt later so they understand that if they bite end of feed.

My DD started to bite when I had reached the point when she would no longer feed to sleep at night and I kept trying to put her back on as I was desperate for her to sleep, I figured she was bored and not hungry.

It's totally upsetting, painful and can make you anxious about feeding so you should def get some advice from a breast feeding consellor. I am sure it's a phase that will pass, well done on the six months !

ds used to do this about this age but it was just a short phase.

Because now he's got teeth and has the odd nip now and then (bet you wanted to hear that!)

Try Calgel or something on the gums before a feed. DS and I went through this around the same time and I reckon it was teething. I'm not convinced these gels do much for teething but it did seem to numb him enough to not want to munch me! I ended up feeding him for well over 2 years so there's hope :)

PS DD is just about to turn 6 months so I'll probably be trying this again myself soon!

Mine's doing this too - he drew blood the other day. I've tried saying no and putting him down, which seemed to encourage him to bite me at every feed to show he'd finished. Tried pushing him into the breast - broke the latch but didn't stop him doing it again. My cousin, who has BF'd 7 babies swears by giving their hair a firm but not painful tug. What is currently working for me is watching his mouth like a hawk and sticking my finger in it if it looks like he's about to bite. He's still trying though.

Thank-you for all your replies.

I think I'll give the hair tugging a miss for the minute bit will definitely try pushing him towards the breast and trying calgel/bonjella on his gums first.

I hope we find something because I'm doing so well with BF this time round that I don't really want to stop yet.