I dont want to stop bfeeding but 6mth old's biting gets worse.Help please?

[mrsnoah]

Ds 6months really bites me with 2 sharp teeth.
No pattern to it, either at start or end.

Have tried everything I can think of and this has been going on for 6 weeks. (He teethed early)
Making me a nervous wreck.

This morning I decided he would have to go on bottle and he has refused it all day.

Really wanted to carry on bf mornings and bedtime but just dont see how.

Sobbed himself to sleep tonight and I am heart broken.

poor you, I know how this feels, my DD was the same.
I used to take her off straight away if she bit, and say 'no' (probably you've already tried this?)
Its took a while but she did stop and I was able to continue feeding.
You could perhaps try a nipple sheild (didn't work for me)
Could you try taking him off before he gets a chance to bite? I know, hard to predict, but you said 'at the end', so perhaps the milk slows and he gets bored? Maybe take him off as soon as he slows down?
Or, if he takes a cup, could you express for a few days to see if he breaks the habit?
I hope you find something that helps, but if you don't you should still feel proud of yourself for feeding him for 6 months - hes got a great start.

bumping for you

Thank you Astrophe.
I have said no and stopped feeding. But I dont think he even realises sometimes that he has done it.
Sometimes he has bitten- I shriek- he grins.
I always watch and as soon as he finishes I pull him off quick.
But this morning it was before he had even started.
Have expressed all day til I work out what to do.

Its like Russian Roulette.

I had the same problem when DD was 8 months so I had to express for a while til I slowly started him on formula. Formula milk isn't as sweet as breast milk so most babies refuse it. It's hard trying to move BF babies onto bottles and my DD wouldn't take the bottle either. Don't know if you know of them but NUK teats worked for him as they are easier for BF babies to suck from than other teats. I used the Medela electric pump (Mothercare sell them) because it's much quicker at expressing than other pumps and the NUK teats worked a treat. Let me know if you want to give these a try and I'll dig out the website I got them from as they aren't that easy to find on the shops though Boots may do them. Hope this helps and don't worry, if worst comes to worse and you have to stop BF, 6 months is a great start so well done.

That would be great. Thanks TwickenhamMamma.
Just feel so sad.
Probably my last baby and I was unsuccessful at feeding the other 2. Dont want to stop.

Oh, I feel your pain!
Here a good weblink:
www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/biting.html
Have to say I had different experiences with the biting...with ds2 it caused me to stop him, as nothing helped to make him stop and it got to a point where I jsut could not cope anymore!
With ds3 I had a few issues, that would be easily resolved and then he went into a Nursing strike that never ended at 13+ month...but until then the usual tricks did work!
Ds2 was one of those that would first feed nicely, then when finished or almost full anyway, he start biting and would just laugh and he jsut couldn't care less if it hurt or not...lil beggar!
Do you use dummys or cups, btw...apparnelty that can sometimes cause the biting!

Have you tried a differnet feeding position. I've had some reduction in bites with sitting ds (aslo 6mo) next to me facing my shoulder and leting him feed there, hes just the right height for boob to be at mouth height. As his teeth are growing he seems to have problems knowing "where" they are, at teh beginning of a feed I'll take him off sit him up and then try again, at teh end or in middle I take him off and finish.

Yesterday he fasted all day. And moaned tearfully at me. Little love. This am Dh fed him bottle of EM and he wolfed it no arguments. He also took a bottle of formula at bedtime! A complete first.
Will carry on expressing for now I think til I can pluck up courage to statrt again.
Thank you so much.
3andnomore I cant seem to get that link. I dont use dummies (wouldnt accept one) but he does aggresively chew the ear on a soft toy rabbit. While doing that I do watch him and wince!!!!
Unisarah I think that I will try to sit him up, although I am v.nervous about bf again now. Top teeth seem to be coming.

Sorry for delay, the website I got the NUK teats from was www.pharmacy2u.co.uk. I felt really sad when I stopped BF so what I was the one who gave his bottle feeds pretty much all the time to keep that "just us" bond. Good luck x

Mistype, ignore the word "what" in my last post (it's late and I'm tired!)

Thanks twickenhamMama. I am pleased to say we had another successful bottle feeding day here. Am using the Tommy tippee ones that look like a boob.

He doesnt even seem to mind now.
In fact I am quite enjoying the way he now looks up at me when I feed him. He never did that before. So all round relief I think.
Thank you so much for your kind words and support.

Hm, not sure why that link doesn't work like that...probably something I did wrong!
here is the link again, just copy and paste into your browser:
www.kellymom.com/bf/older-baby/biting.html
but shall try one more time as a link:
link
love Kerstin

good article, very helpful.Thanks very much.