Bruised and Battered

[iwantasecondone]

DS, nearly 6 months, is teething horribly and wont eat anything but breastmilk. Fine. Problem is that he really wants to rub his gums while feeding but knows he wont get food, so settles on grabbing two handfuls of boob and squeezing. I have tried just prying him off, necklace, different tops and giving him things to hold. Nothing takes the place of squeezing and pinching me. I have little fingermark bruises everywhere, and that coupled with no sleep is making me very sad. Any ideas?
Have also triedevery teething remedy. Nothing works but Nurofen(and that only just) and you cant give that very often.

Anyone? Is it ok to use arnica on breasts while BF btw?

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Don't really have any advice but bumping for you. Pretty sure you can use arnica, I took the tablets for a couple of days after dd was born while bf

I was told to take arnica in the last weeks of pregnancy and for 2 weeks following the birth so I think the tablets are ok for breastfeeding mums, won't use the cream though.

Our Lo only gets relief from teething pain with alternating doses of calpol and calprofen and anbesol liquid rubbed onto his gums. Maybe you need to combine treatments for him. He's older now and has his eye teeth coming through, he only gets relief from the mixed meds and chewing on one of those gum massager sticks that you can get for little babies.

Comfort feeding just to use you as a teether must be awful. I gave up BFing when DS became fussy and starting biting and really regretted it so I hope someone can help you.

You should be able to give ibroprofen the midway between the ibroprofen doses, give paracetamol.

Speak to your DR or a chemist to confirm as we started this when DS was a bit older than your LO

Iwant - v sorry to hear you're having such a tough time, and can't be helping the sleep either.
Apart from pain relief suggested, could you hold him differently when you feed to minimise the pinching? My DD has always had to pinch something when feeding. I feed her lying across my lap with her lower arm under her body. I rest her head in the crook of the arm next to the breast she's feeding from and then let her hold my free hand and pinch that.
Not sure if that's much help bit maybe worth a try?

Hope he feels better soon!

Hadeda-Luckily he doesn't do it at night!
I have tried every way I can think of of holding him. He just pulls off if he can't pinch me. He only does this while teething, so I guess it will stop soon. I hope!

fingers not good enough, btw...has to be a nice fleshy bit. Breast tissue is the fave, but neck and my side are runners up.

You do have a bit of a dilemma don't you. It would be a shame if you couldn't sort this and had to give up feeding.

What about making him some mittens to wear while feeding. Putting them on him as soon as he pinches so he associates his behaviour with losing his freedom

Couldn't be bothered to make mittens, but did try socks. DS thought it very funny and flat-out refused to feed. Ho hum. The bruising is only really visible when I'm naked and I'm too tired to be seen naked these days!

btw...am far too stubborn and have too high a pain threshold to give up BF now!

Ds went through a stage of pinching me at around that age, he has grown out of it now though (9 months). Now he just tries to bite my nipple off