19m old biting during breastfeeds.

[fishandlilacs]

So I haven't been able to complete a breastfeed for 2 days now because of biting, he comes up to me asks for boob, then immediately bites, not as hard as he could but hard enough. I say no biting and put him down, he cries, we cuddle, I distract, later he does it again. He's also coming up to me showing his teeth, going nangnangnang, which is his language for bite and shaking his head, he knows it's wrong.

It's like the biting has become a game. Any advice? I really don't trust him at the moment, it's every single time.

Have you looked at the biting info on kellymom? It might help to call one of the Bfing Helplines in the morning too. I had a problem with biting and thought I might have to give up Bfing but called a BFC and her suggestions really helped.

Yes I have had this problem with my 21 MO, usually worse when teething .. I have a finger ready to scoop in and detach him before he really sinks, I just keep doing this and tell him no milk if you bite. It has improved and now hardly ever bites except when he's drifting off to sleep and his jaw closes and i do the same.. Info on Kellymon was useful and these things are usually a phase. He went through a phase at about 9-10 months and then stopped and started again at about 18MO and has recently stopped.

He only asked once today and I told him to be gentle before the feed, we never got any further than that, he made the bite sign and shook his head, burst into tears and then wandered off.

I have been thinking about it on and off all day. I feel so sad about it. I really want to feed him, i'm not ready to let go of it yet.

Have you called one of the helplines lilacs?

If it is any consolation they do stop once the teething ends (I appreciate you may only have one nipple by then). Have you tried making sure he has a lot of your boob in his mouth (makes it harder for him to close his jaw) or if he starts to bite pulling him in close so he has to let go to breathe?

When DD bit I got to the point of saying 'no!' sternly and putting her on the floor and turning my back for a minute, she really cried and I felt horrible but it seemed to work.

Sorry maybe a bit late, but like Safmellow I have found on latch-on really pushing as much of the boob in as possible and holding in him as close as possible has helped.. Also do you have a local breastfeeding support group, might be worth going and talking to a counselor..I feel for you, I hope you can get this sorted...

I cant even get him to feed at all now, he points at my boobs as if he's asking, then points at his teeth and shakes his head.

I'm experiencing real grief at the moment, i'm finding this so hard. I just expressed some but he's more interesting in playing with the pump than having the milk.

Possible teething, painful for him and a nursing strike (maybe brought on by the discomfort)..
Lots of information & links on Kellymom about this. I don't think this will be permanent doesn't sound like self weaning as is a bit abrupt..
Kellymom advises to express regularly while they are not feeding to keep your supply up.
Not sure whether this is for you, but could try Calpol just to see whether it makes a difference (not that I suggest you drug him if up just to get him to feed) but may help get to the bottom of it..

way to make a mama feel rejected, i just offered him pumped milk in a cup, he took one sip and went "yeach" (a favourite noise of his) and picked up his cup of juice from earlier and had that instead.

Strangely enough it made me laugh and i feel better about it all now. If it is the end then cest la vie I suppose.

Oh no :( maybe try either when he is sleepy by cuddling him then offering a feed when he is unawares, or else when he has just woken up? I co-slept with DD and she often latched on her sleep without really thinking about it!