OUCH teeth!

[Montsterma]

Could anyone offer advice please? My LO (8 months) now has 7 teeth. The 4 at the top, particularly the middle 2 seem to have reached a size where he isn't quite sure what to do with them when bf. He isn't biting me but they seem to be causing friction when he is feeding, which has resulted in a tiny but very tender graze on my right areola. I'm not sure if his latch is slightly different on the left breast as no problem there (hope that continues to be the case!). I tried a rugby ball hold on the right this morning to try and give the graze a rest and now have a bruised area on the other side although thankfully the skin hasn't broken. He isn't eating much food at the moment as we are BLW and he is leading the way very slowly! I would like to continue bf until he self weans if possible. I have tried some Lansinoh in the hope that will speed up healing of the broken area, are there any other magic potions I could apply? I wondered if I should get a breast shield to try or as a last resort, pump from that side until it heals as long as the pump does cause friction too. Any words of wisdom / reassurance that he'll get the hang of his teeth very soon would be much appreciated.

no advice but am watching with interest. DS2 is 5 months and BF and i would also like to go down the BLW route this time.

Ah, have just found this thread on Aitch's fab BLW site. Any additional advice would be appreciated.

Hi - I have the exact same problem, except mine is 11 months and has 4 teeth! You have more to cope with! I also have a graze on one side, although the other is beginning to get sore now. It started to get better a week ago but is back to sore again now. Kellymom suggested that this problem decreases after the teeth have grown a little. Mine doesn't bite (often) but this seems to be an involuntary thing: however, I've noticed his latch has become very casual and lazy. I try to stuff as much boob in as possible and that helps a lot.

It bloody hurts though. YOu have my sympathy!

When I had a really grazed area on my nipple someone told me to apply a little breast milk to it regularly and hey presto it cleared up like magic. I did this a couple of times and it always worked - including on a deep scratch on my breast when ds was a little over enthusiastic during one feed. I feel your pain - my ds is nearly 6 months and has had 2 teeth for nearly 2 months but has just taken today to biting me every time I feed him. It really hurts.

Thanks for the tips MamaHG and PPP, will try the 'stuff it all in' method and breast milk on my wounds! I think more teeth might be coming as he's biting mad today, nearly nipped a hole in the sleeve of my jumper this afternoon; I'll be in a high state of vigilance for bedtime feed shortly! I've found that a wooden spoon seems to be his favourite thing to gnaw on when he gets the frantic biting mood on him, might have one on standby for myself too! Hope your little nippers are less bitey very soon

A quick up date on our biting -I have just found the reason for my ds sudden biting - a tommee tippee cup we introduced last week that he has to bite on the little spout bit to get the water out. Explains why he was doing it on the breast with the slow let down.I suppose he thought it might speed things up. I removed the cup and it stopped within 2 days. Doh.

Your DS learns quickly then, sounds like he's mastered cause and effect! We seem to be comfortably feeding again and the breast milk worked a treat on the now healed graze - magic stuff, thanks for the tip. Tooth number 8 appeared this morning, so biting frenzy over for now fingers crossed, will make sure to avoid bitey Tommee Tippee cups at all costs.