Please help - b/f 6mo cutting first teeth and biting

[Rebelcountycailin]

My 6mo breastfed DS is cutting his first two bottom teeth. He's sometimes quite sore with the teeth so I am giving him pain relief when he needs it, however on the odd occasion he has started to bite me when I'm feeding him. Sometimes it's just a small little nip - it isn't too bad and often he does it slightly playfully, but intermittently he doesn't just bite but pulls his head back sharply too. That really hurts!

My husband wonders if he's trying to tell me he doesn't want to feed from me any more but I don't agree. DS is taking to solids very well - loves it - and has started to drop a couple of milk feeds a day, but still seems to love his milk feeds when he has them.

Has anyone any advice about what I can do please as I love feeding my DS and can't bear the thought of giving it up just yet?

Thanks very much!

I would ignore DH's perspective - well meant as I'm sure it is. Self-weaning at this age is so rare but biting on stuff because your gums hurt isn't - it just happens it's your breast (ouch) at the time.

Biting when teething is quite common and usually just a phase. There are a few ways to handle it. Some good suggestions here: www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/biting.html

If you are happy carrying on then look at the link, come up with a plan you are comfortable with and be confident that it will pass. You may want to show your DH the thread when it has some more comments...

Would love to know what other MNetters have done to get round biting as well. My 9 mo has cut 4 teeth successfully with just the occasional nip, but has started to chew almost every feed now there's another tooth (teeth?) on the way. It is very painful and I am getting cross with her and seriously contemplating giving up. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that every time she bites and I yelp and take her off the nipple with a firm "No", the little blighter giggles!

Yeah mine giggles too. Think its the face I pull rather than the word no that she finds quite so funny. Thankfully I assume I don't pull the face very often so she thinks its a funny one rather than a cross one...

She also does the head yank thing I notice when very tired. Much less so when hungry or just normally tired. I think she gets cranky when too tired and takes it out on my tit, she also sometimes pulls it away with her fist. Ive found the bottom teeth have settled after about 2wks or less. I notice them much less now at least.

If I could stop the arm pinching Id be more happy. She gets the side of your arm (batwing) and pinches and my heavens it hurts. Made my eyes water so she gets the cross voice/look and the giggles start again...

I try to keep the sense of humour, some feeds better than others! :0)

Marking place as DS3 has just cut his bottom 2 teeth, is biting, and is also doing the pinching thing. I've tried the 'stern' NO and taking him off, but he is still doing it. Also, most of the time, his tongue covers his teeth, but when he's really tired at bedtime, he is feeding properly, but that is his longest feed, and I'm finding his teeth are starting to 'rub' on my nipple by the end of the feed (30-50 mins feed, then 20-40 on other side). Any ideas on that one?

He is also doing the head yank thing when distracted by one of the older 3 dc, (OUCH WITH TOOTHIES), and the pinching thing - my arm is covered in little bruises. Never fed a baby this old (6mo, 4mo & 3mo for older dc). Need ideas on how to stop the pain!

They have a bit on there about teeth 'scraping', but it's all about the top teeth, not the bottom ones. I know the tongue is supposed to cover the teeth when feeding, but his doesn't always (due to getting into bad habits because his TT wasn't snipped until 10 wks. He's 27 wks now. It's always when he's most tired that this happens. Which wakes me right up !

So far as biting goes, you need to watch out for the point at which he is getting tired/bored and relaxes or shifts his latch a bit. Up to that point he can't bite, because his tongue will be covering his bottom teeth, but as soon as he moves his tongue he will probably bite sooner or later -- so as soon as you feel the latch shift you need to take him off. Top teeth are more tricky; with DS and DD1 I would take them off, say a firm "No" and then put them down and ignore them for 30 seconds, and they seemed to get the message, but I know babies do differ on that one. And the head-turning is trickier still; DD2 is doing that at the moment, at a much younger age than the other two did it, and it HURTS. I am still working on that one myself.

Loudlass, the only thing that occurs to me is to actually take him off and switch him between sides more often (so instead of 30-40 minutes side 1 and 20-40 minutes side 2, try 20 minutes side 1, 20 minutes side 2, 20 minutes side 1 again, 20 minutes side 2 again, then offer side 1 yet again)? That way you might not get the rubbing to the same degree.

Will try that. I find the time his teeth don't rub at all is when I lay down feeding. Not practical when his 'big long feed' coincides with me trying to get the older dc to bed. . I have learnt to brush older dc's teeth well one-handed though...think lying down might be a step too far though!

I have been through this a couple of times now with my one year old who now has 6 teeth. There have been two definate periods in the last 6 months where I have thought seriously about stopping feeding due to biting. However, just before I finally decide, it passes! Lasts 2-3 days each time, but I am getting good at spotting the signs and taking her off the breast promptly after a feed when she has been a bit nippy. Just make sure to watch for the change in latch and the slowing of the sucking/swallowing pattern
And I have to feed her in a quiet, low stimulus place now, otherwise she cannot concentrate and yanks all over.

So gone are the days of long feeds in costa watching the world go by... More a quick slurp in the car before hitting the shops! But it works for us.

Bit hard to feed in a quiet, low stimulus place when you're a single mum to 4 dc and it's the summer holidays though...

Just wanted to say thank you for your help and messages and I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner. I had typed a message and my iPod died and it disappeared. Since then DS has been in hospital for an op so I haven't had a chance to update.
Definitely agree with what everyone is saying here. I notice that we need to feed in peace or he gets easily distracted (hard as i also have DS1!) and I have paid attention to when his latch changes or he's no longer that interested in feeding but just staying on for the sake of it. He has bitten me since but I took him straight off and he hasn't done it since. Fingers crossed.
Thanks very much again!
Reb