How important is BFing for the next three months?

[MrsTerryPratchett]

DD is almost 9 months old. She has been BF with the odd FF since birth. She has taken to solids like a duck to water and seems very healthy. I was planning to BF until a year (back to work then and I want my breasts back ). The problem is she has starting biting me with her razor blades new teeth. She drew blood this morning. I have done the "NO" and off the breast. She either cries or looks bemused. It doesn't stop her, though. She does it at the end of feeds but I can't catch her in time to head her off.

So, how important are the next three months? We made it this far and I feel good that she got the BM in. Is it really crucial that she is BF rather than FF for the next three months. Because she has the odd FF, I know about making up bottle (PITA) and sterilising. It is more of a faff but at least it doesn't actually hurt. I could do the first feed as a BF (and any night feeds) because she seems really hungry and less inclined to bite then. Would my supply hold up?

Should I just give up now and be happy that we got through the living hell that was the first six weeks and made it this far?

How about just do the morning first and night feeds and see? Every bf counts but it's no good if it hurts you. Even if your supply dries up, you will stillgive more breast milk then you give up now.

I did bf just morning & night with dd1 from 6 months ish and plan to do the same with dd2. Supply was fine.

Don't feel guilty if you reduce bf at 9 months. You've done a great job but if it isn't working, it is ok to move on.

I think shell grow out of it (I know painful for you). The teeth are new to her and she wont realise it hurts. Dont react when she does it take her off the breast and put her down for a minute and then carry on the feed if she wants more or stop entirely for that feed she then learns that that behaviour will get her 'ignored' much more effective then no to a child that age IMO.

I know it's hard for her to understand because she bites literally everything else. Feeding from the bitten/bleeding side was agony (still, better than the first six weeks). It was a reminder of how hard it was in the early days when I really resented feeding her in pain all the time.

I know that every feed is important and I will try to cut back gradually. That way, I avoid mastitis and, if she learns to leave well alone, I can BF a bit longer.

I really hope you're right Daisy and she learns quickly.

Here are some tips on how to prevent biting. Hopefully you'll find something that works for you :)

Thank you. She hasn't bitten the last few feeds but one side is still hurting from the last bite. She really did me some damage!

at that stage i found biting worse if he wasn't that hungry. He's older now but going through another biting phase and so i offer him an apple or something when it happens and he usually tucks in to it.

Hope you find a solution that works for you.

Is she getting some new teeth, I've found with both of mind that new teeth often cause a day or two of biting. It does pass they need to learn not to bit, after all biting doesn't get any milk out. Try only feeding when she's really hungery, I found that help.

The best way to get them off when they do it is to pull them into the breast, they then can't breath through there nose and instictivly open the mouth, sounds a bit crule but works really well.

And every BF does count for you and her.

This is the problem with all the different issues. I do feed her when she may not be that hungry. Reason being that I was told she would sleep better if she filled up in the day. So, I try to feed her BM 2 hours after solids. Solids have to be one hour before BM because otherwise she will fill up on solids and not drink enough milk. So, she is not very hungry for milk. I think she is bored, not very hungry and has new(ish) teeth which bother her. She sucks at them and makes faces so she doesn't really know what they are for.

Anyway, she hasn't bitten me the last few feeds so hopefully it was a phase. I couldn't being myself to cut her off anyway. I dropped a sum total of one feed (wimp).

DS1 bit me so hard the wound got infected and I had to go on antib's! Kept BFing though as expressing was even more painful. I would say past 9 months if it's not pleasant for you, then the negatives outweigh the positive, though. Do you put on bonjela before feeding? I always found that to help. I always unashamedly dose them up on calpol if they are teething badly too.

There are lots of good reasion to carry on Breastfeeding, for your health as well as your DD www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html

At this age it should be milk before solids, maybe about an hour before if she won't eat anything straigh after. If she's filling up to much on solids then she may wake more during the night for milk. Worth a try.

I just wanted to come back on this thread and thank everyone who helped me months ago. DD and I did manage to curb the biting (with your tips) and get to over a year. We finally stopped BFing when I went back to work at about 14 months. That is 5 extra months so thank you so much! DD is thriving and happy.

That's great news, well done.
DS has just started to get teeth along the top so I read this with interest.