Breastfeeding violent toddler?

[teabagpleb]

After lots of problems, I managed to bf ds for 15 months, and from 6mo onwards it was easy, relaxing, and enjoyable.
With dd, it was much easier, fine until 8mo, when she started getting violent, swinging her fists into my face, trying to yank hair from one side of my neck then the other, even when it's tied back, and screaming if I try hanging onto her arm. She's mostly ok now during the day, but I bf before putting her to bed and when she wakes at night, which is a fair bit atm as she is getting her back molars (she's 18mo) and has a cold.

I would just give up bf but for the next few months I need to share a room with her, so keep feeling it must be the most-sleep solution, but I have to be hyper-alert when feeding or she gets me in the face. And I've twice had black eyes bad enough for people to ask if things are 'all right at home'.

Any ideas for either making bf easier or for giving up easily ?- if she would go back to sleeping through then it would be ok. Basically I need sleep!

Bump? Any tips for stopping getting thumped when bfing, other than stopping the bfing completely? Last night wasn't bad actually, then got thumped in the nose this morning. Still hurts...

Poor you :(

Have you tried offering her a chilled teether or ice lolly or something to gnaw on to calm her gums before you breastfeed.

Or offering some painkillers i.e. calpol five minutes before a feed.

Or offering her something soft to hold in her hand/s like a soft toy or blanket or a teething necklace (if you don't think she would hurt you with it)

Or delatching her and placing her gently on the floor, every time she gets violent. If you feel she is old enough to 'get' the connection between hitting out and no milk.

On the good news front, this new behaviour is very likely to be linked to her cold or teething and hopefully the behaviour will cease when she feels better.

Just thought of another thing to try. You could night wean, i.e. breastfeed her during the day including bedtime and offer water in a sippy cup at night. If she is waking up due to being thirsty it might help.

Jay Gordon has a plan for night weaning which caters for continuing to co-sleep. I'm not sure whether you're co-sleeping or whether she's in a separate cot/bed in the same room, but either way, it might be worth a look. I haven't tried his method myself, but I've seen others on here who have, and succeeded with it. Although hopefully she'll get over her cold, get her teeth through and go back to sleeping more in the near future anyway!

She's in a separate cot, except when I can't be bothered to put her back in it...
Thank you both for the suggestions - I can't believe I didn't think of putting something soft in her hands. Got her tangled up in my pyjamas and it was certainly better being thumped with padded hands. I'll try sleep training (roughly what I planned anyway) once ds starts school and I have a couple hours for sleep in the day. Hopefully we'll be back in separate rooms soon after - I'm sure my snoring is waking her!