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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

a different type of biting and not feeding - very worried

8 replies

Unrulysun · 23/03/2011 09:24

Dd is 10 mo and has been ebf to 5 months and then mostly finger food since. Appetite for food waxes and wanes but she has always breastfed well and on demand. In particular she likes to feed in her sleep for much of the night (we cosleep) latching on to feed gently for 20 mins at a time several times in the night.

She has bitten me on and off but I have taken her off and said 'no' and we've done something else. She recently started doing this again - always accompanied by a cheeky grin.

Since Monday though we've had a different kind of biting. She literally goes on for a second, then bites, then when I take her off cries and screams, it's as though she just wants to bite.

On Monday she started this at 1pm and finally went to sleep (haing eaten some solids but not fed from me) at 9pm when I was able to then feed her in her sleep. Yesterday she was fine until 1pm again when she had a long sleep and was then fine until the evening. Last night she would hardly sleep at all and was up screaming half the night. She has had solids this morning but no milk and I have just got her off to sleep again with a back rub and a cuddle - her screaming the whole time. I can't stress how unusual this crying is for her - she has probably cried for no more than 5 minutes at a time since she was born.

She is OK in herself at other times and it does seem to be mixed in with sleeping. I also think it's behavioural not physical, I have plenty of milk and she feeds between times. But I am very worried - does anyone have any advice or experience of this rather than the usual cheeky biting?

OP posts:
NoWittyName · 23/03/2011 10:14

Could it be the pain of teething?

Unrulysun · 23/03/2011 10:19

Hi NoWittyName.

Yes I think it could. I don't really understand why that would stop her from feeding though? And she doesn't always want something to chew. I just feel awful because I'm a very 'no cry' person and I feel as though I could give her something to stop her crying straight away (my breast) but actually she just bites and doesn't feed. :(

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NoWittyName · 23/03/2011 10:26

I think that sometimes the pain of teething means they think they want to feed (ie. have something in their mouth) but then find that it doesn't help so they bear down which gets the obvious pain reaction (OUCH!!!) and they just don't know what they want to do with themselves. Very difficult. :(

Have you tried any teething pain remedies? Calpol, bonjela, teething powder from boots, frozen banana?

Unrulysun · 23/03/2011 10:35

I have bonjela. Have tried to get it in there. It doesn't seem to cure the biting problem but it could behaving an effect on her - that's the problem with babies isn't it? They can't tell you. She does only have two lower teeth so we'll be expecting the upper ones soon.

You speak a lot of sense. I'm just worried that I'll fixate on one idea - teething - and actually it's something else entirely. :(

OP posts:
NoWittyName · 23/03/2011 10:57

I know - babies have a habit of making you doubt all of your own thoughts. Confused

Obviously if it continues to a point where you think she's not taking in enough milk then don't hesitate to speak to your HV or GP.

Hope it doesn't continue for too long. xxx

Unrulysun · 23/03/2011 11:05

Thanks :)

You're right of course re babies.

Not sure what not enough milk would be at this stage. Although I have expressed milk in bottles and sippy cups coming at her left right and centre so she has lots of opportunity for it. And she's eating solids really well...

:(

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VeronicaCake · 23/03/2011 11:07

DD did this a few weeks ago and it turned out she had hand foot and mouth disease which causes painful blisters in the mouth. It cleared up in a few days. Although she was fussy and irritable and upset during feeds she didn't have a fever at all which is why I initially thought it must be teething that was upsetting her.

If it was this you'd probably have spotted the little blisters around her chin and on her hands by now but it is just another possible hypothesis.

Unrulysun · 23/03/2011 19:43

Thanks :)

applying Bonjela directly before a feed seems to be working at the moment so it might well be teething. Was going a bit mad this morning (in the manner of a person with a baby who won't feed and cries :) )

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