6 month old with SIX teeth, fussing, scratching, biting

[StuntCroissant]

I'm approaching my wits end with DS (6 months). He cut his teeth fairly early and now has six - 4 on the top and 2 on the bottom. During feeds (7am, 3pm, 7pm) he screws up the skin on my chest, scratches my face, tries to force his hand in my mouth, pulls my hair and, worst of all, bites my nipple (usually when latching on).

In addition, I recently had mastitis and since then, he won't feed at all from the affected breast (it's fine now and supply is ok so I'm not sure why!). He just bites it when I try.

He's an enthusiastic eater (shuns purée for finger food) and has recently started accepting a dummy (he's still hit and miss with bottles).

I was hoping to BF until he was one but I don't know if I can do it much longer. When he does feed, it tends to be for a couple of minutes only. I'm so tense as I'm constantly waiting for him to bite.

I've read the advice on here and online in general about how to stop babies biting but this seems to be aimed at babies much older than DS and often over the age of 1. I'm not sure he will understand if I'm constantly taking him off the boob and saying "no".

Any advice from anyone in the same boat? I'm disappointed it's suddenly become difficult.

[birdybirdbird]

I have no advice but my nearly six month old is also going through a phase of fussing at me when feeding. He doesn’t bite (no teeth yet) but is constantly reaching up to claw the skin on my neck, jam his fingers up my nose, grabbing my lips etc etc. I remembered that a while ago he used to rake his hand across my chest and has stopped that now, so I’m hoping this is just another phase.
How have you managed to have such nicely spaced feeds?! Does he also have formula inbetween? My LO is combi fed but is still on 10-12 breastfeeds a day. Coupled with the grabbing, it’s making me want to give up...!

[Bowlofbabelfish]

Could you try some of those teething necklaces? The ones you wear, not the ones they do - they have big chunky fiddlable silicon or wooden beads on. Get him to use his hands on something else.

I found pulling mine in towards me when they bit stopped them biting far more effectively than taking them off. Basically gently but firmly squish them forward into the boob - they open their mouth wider and can’t bite.

Fellow mother of sharks here. All teeth bar a molar at the back by 12m. Or anything he claw and grasp that isn’t you.

[jusdepamplemousse]

Oh god OP this won’t be what you want to hear but I was in your shoes just over three months ago. Mine was and is a total bottle and cup refuser. I’m currently in agony as his biting has persevered and got worse and he’s left me with bruises, drawn blood etc.

My advice - if he will take a bottle at all, stop bf’ing and switch him over to bottles.

Genuinely. I bf my first to 15 months (also a bottle refuser but not a biter) and it was fine but this is misery. I’ve had to fight tears in public! And have turned the air blue in private. I don’t know why he does it but he seems to bloody love it!

Stop!

[StuntCroissant]

"How have you managed to have such nicely spaced feeds?! Does he also have formula inbetween? My LO is combi fed but is still on 10-12 breastfeeds a day"

I'm not sure...he's just sort of regulated himself. Since he started eating proper food he's wanted fewer feeds. He doesn't have any formula at the moment (bottle refuser) but I'm thinking of introducing a bottle in the afternoon.

But 10-12 a day?!?!

I've tried the teething necklace but he largely ignores it in favour of my face and skin.

I also do use that technique of schmooshing his face against my boob when he bites but because he does it in order to latch on, it becomes a bit of a pain.

We actually had a small improvement today - I decided to do the rugby ball hold I haven't done since he was a newborn and something about the new position meant he didn't bite and he even fed from my right boob! It was a bit awkward and not v relaxing but it worked quite well.

Thank you for all your advice!!