11 month old biting - nay, ripping - when breastfeeding... aaaaargh!

[Flingmoo]

It's not just biting, it's ripping! You know, as if he's trying to tear off a bite of tough steak...

I take him off and cover up my boob but then he's trying to take my hand/shirt/duvet back out of the way again so he can go back for more milk. It's actually really sad because it might mean the end of us breastfeeding if he keeps biting, I can't just sit there and take it or I'll have no nipples left! He does genuinely seem to want milk, he just wants to rip my nipple off every minute or so as well

Any advice?

No advice I'm afraid, but watching with interest. My DD is 8 mo and has started to bite, then smiles up at me thinking it is the funniest joke ever! I find she does it more when she is not that hungry and I am comfort feeding her or when she is distracted. She drew blood the other day, agony.

Hopefully someone will be along with some advice soon....

I'm currently using nipple shields with my 6 month old DS, because of many feeding problems to start, I wonder if they will help when his teeth come through?? But my HV said when his teeth do come through, make sure he is really wanting milk before putting him on..

I got a good trick from somewhere (possibly a Sears book), anyway...

When baby bites, hug them tighter to you so their nose is buried in your breast. They won't be able to breathe and will unlatch. It's much quicker than trying to unlatch them with a finger.

At that point, I went with "Ow!" and a pause. Second time got a louder "Ow" and a longer pause. Third time I swore and decided that was the end of the feed. Next feed I had to do it once, but after that she seemed to learn that if she bit the milk went away.

Is he teething op?

My DS has gone through three of four seperate periods of doing this.

A loud no the first time then if there's a second time no again and putting him on the floor for a minute. He would either start crying at this point in which case after 30 seconds or so we'd try again or he'd crawl off and play!

My sympathies... It hurts sooo much! I thought it was the end for us a couple of times but he did stop within a few days each time.