biting... what to do? Is this the end of bf for me?

[happynappies]

My dd is 13 months now, and has dropped down to 2 bf a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Since July when she was teething, she started biting. To begin with it was at the end of a feed, then I figured that she was losing interest a bit (which was when I dropped the feeds during the day), then it got better a bit (in that it was sporadic rather than every feed)... but tonight she bit me so hard before she'd even taken any milk, I was quite shocked. When she bites she clamps down and won't let go, so I literally have to hold her nose to get her to release. I've tried not to make a 'fuss' as it were - although sometimes I feel like screaming. I say no, and ask dh to take her, and although she was upset to begin with, she seems quite ok about it now. I'm not though!!

I have been quite patient with her as I've been bf for 7 years, dd is my fourth and last baby. I've tandem fed twice, and fed through three pregnancies, and each of my previous children have self-weaned but never this early. I know each one is different, but I really don't want to call time on bf if there is a chance I can carry on. I am really, really tired and wonder how much of it is down to having four to look after, and whether any part of the tiredness is down to the breastfeeding. I try to look on the positive side, but do find it so hard to take in that this could be the end. Does anyone have any experience with biters? I've tried putting teething gel on her gums before the feed, I don't really know what else to do.

can you tell when she is about to bite? ds2 used to do it towards the end of a feed and he would stop feeding and then bite, so i just started taking him off once he stopped actually feeding.

if not then personally i'd carry on doing as you are and just stop the feed whenever she bites. oh and tell her no, in a firm voice.

I genuinely can't tell. She has always had a 'funny' latch. She had a tt removed early on, but developed bad habits, and since she has had teeth she seems to almost latch using her teeth, so she sort of clamps down unexpectedly, I can't see her take an intake of breath, no obvious clues... I will try to carry on, but am getting so emotional about this. I take it quite personally when it hurts so much, and it feels like she is rejecting me... Need to toughen up!!

DS was a biter, I used to break his latch with my little finger between his gums, say "no biting", and put him down for a minute. He sometimes became a bit upset, which I didn't like doing to him, but it did generally stop the biting for a while. I would guess that was somewhere around 9 months onwards, and we fed until he was nearly 2.

I would say No in a very firm voice, put her safely down, no eye contact and if you can, walk away a little.

It worked really well with ds1 at the same age. I do think it was teeth but even so it's not very nice.

I'm not proud of it but I shouted "OW!" ( involuntarily!) when DS bit me... Not every time but quite a few times. And put him down when he bit. He stopped after a few weeks.