Teething 9mo has bitten through my nipples ... plse help or I will have to give up b/f ...

[inSanityClaus]

My dd (9m) has always had a good latch and I have never had sore nipples ... until the last few weeks. She has four top teeth, two bottom teeth, and another FOUR bottom teeth coming through. Hence for the last few weeks she has been gnawing on everything, including my nips. Her latch starts off ok, then slips down the aureola until she has a good hold on the stalk and tries to make her teeth meet through it. I don't mean the occasional nip (no pun intended), I mean ALL THE TIME - constant gnawing. She can't be getting much milk, and I can't bear the pain. I have tried everything I've seen on here - pressing her face further into the breast so she relaxes her latch, saying 'no' in a deep voice that she can't mistake for a 'play' tone, and taking her off immediately. Nothing helps, and I now have slits on each side of my nipples, infected on one side.

I have persevered for a few weeks because I really don't want to give up b/f, and I hoped that when these new teeth cut through she would revert to a proper latch. But I really can't carry on as things are - I ducked out of feeding her this morning (she had had a night time feed) because I just couldn't face it.

I suppose after 9 months of the good stuff, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I gave up - but i can't get her to take formula or bm out of a bottle or cup. Probably she would take it eventually but I will have gone mad by then. The only thing she will drink is a bit of ordinary milk out of a cup because she is used to having whatever is left from her cereal or a dunked rice cake or rusk.

What to do, ladies? Any quick fixes out there, please please please? The only thing I haven't tried is teething gel a few minutes before a feed, and will do so today.

[EdieMcredie]

InSanityClaus-Just wanted to say- YOU POOR THING!

Sounds awful-I have no advice but anyone mother who is going through this much pain and discomfort and still wants to keep going deserves a medal.

You have done so well to get this far.

Try the teething gel, and good luck

[milkmonster]

I'm still b/f at 8 months. Mine has 2 bottom teeth and 2 top, all razor sharp, yet I've only been bitten 3 times.

I find she only bites at the end of a feed when she's had enough and starts 'fussing' (usually she falls asleep after every feed, no matter what time of day or night).

Supporting her head so that she can't 'slip down'?

Teething gel sounds like a good idea of course.

Sorry I don't have any other ideas, but I'm in sympathy! Nature's way of telling us it's time to wind down the breastfeeding when the teeth come through! Although I know someone's who's still b/f at 18 months old, so perhaps this is just a phase we have to grin/curse and bear!

[beanbearer]

Sounds horrible - poor you! When you say she slips down the aureola... could you test out alternative positions that make it less likely that she will draw her head away from you? Try lying on a bed or sofa with her across your tummy and chest so she's face down. No guarantees but worth a try?

[iMustBeMad]

teething powders work well too, although I'm not the best person to ask as I started a very similar thread to this yesterday!

thankfully ds2 has decided not to continue on the biting path.