Okay, this biting phase. How long does it go on for?

[Mossy]

Ds (six months) has started biting me when I let him fall asleep on my boob (which I'm not about to stop doing as frankly it's the easiest way to get him to sleep and I have so many other rods for my back one more isn't going to make a difference). If something startles him when he's falling asleep, down clamp his little jaws and OUCH!

I've tried little finger breaking suction off quickly saying "no biting" sternly (well, as sternly as I can, which probably isn't that stern tbh). I've also tried bonjella before feeds - seems to make no difference. I haven't tried screaming "ow ow ow ow!!" as I've heard that can lead to a nursing strike.

He only has two bottom teeth atm, but I imagine it won't be long before some more start growing.

What I want to know is, do babies grow out of this phase? Or do Mums just kind of get used to it?

(I didn't think I'd need the Lansinoh again but I was wrong!)

Anyone?

Oh dear, this doesn't bode well... I take it the biting phase continues forever then until you are done nursing?

hi there - my ds is 9 months and has 6 teeth and i still breastfeed. And yes i too feed him to get him to sleep at night which we both love as it's such a special time to bond after a busy day. Just like i co-slept for the first 6 months which again was lovely ( just pointing that out as a few people have said silly things like 'rod for own back' which is just a load of crap). Anyway to the issue - biting. DS did it a few times and I just pulled away and did say 'ow' and he is fine now. I think they bite when they forget it's the boob so i would advise that just keep to routine at night - i.e. away from everything else thats going on, quiet etc...hope that helps

My dd has just got her first tooth, she's just 7 months now. She's had a few bites and I'm doing the firm "no" thing but she just smiles at me.

I have a friend with an 8 month old dd and she bit for a month then stopped. She seems to do it when new teeth were coming, like a teething nipple.........nice....!!

Thanks ladies, atm I am not too bothered about it, I just want reassurance that it is a phase that does pass eventually, as all my current efforts seem to be doing nothing to make it stop!

Bloody hurts though, doesn't it? Then again I don't think anything can hurt as much as the cracked nipples I got due to poor latch in the first few weeks... this is a minor inconvenience in comparison!

Mossy, this is the advice I got on here when ds did this - push his head gently into your breast which will make him open his mouth. It really worked and he didn't seem bothered about it. I also got good at sensing when he was about to bite and unlatching him before he did it.

The good news it that it only seemed to happen for a fairly short while after new teeth came through and then was ok. It did tend to start up again when more came through but I knew how to deal with it so it wasn't so bad.

Thank you, I'd not heard of that one, will try that if it happens again, see if I've any luck. Those little peggies really are sharp!!