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Original poster

12 month old still feeds to sleep and he’s started biting so hard

43 replies

dreamerkr · 31/10/2023 22:11

Hey guys. Really worried over here. My 12 month old DS still feeds to sleep at night and also for his naps. However since the last few days, he’s been biting me a lot. Today, it’s been the worst. It’s so so painful that I feel like crying. I don’t want to tell him off, I said no to him once and he got upset. He doesn’t know how else to fall asleep and I don’t know what to do. As soon as he latches on, he bites me so hard. I’m in so much pain and he’s not falling asleep. He’s with my husband right now who’s trying to make him sleep but he won’t. Please help guys, this is making me really upset that he’s not falling asleep. He’s been awake since 3pm so it’s been 7 hours! And he’s just not falling asleep. I again tried feeding him to sleep 5 mins ago but he bit me so hard straight away and he does it purposely because he laughs after that. 😫 I don’t really want to stop breastfeeding him yet because he’s so used to it and it’s the only way he falls asleep (except for when he’s in the car). Please help 🥺

OP posts:
Original poster
dreamerkr · 02/11/2023 10:32

Bump 🥺

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 02/11/2023 11:11

Is he still eating food during the day?

Original poster
dreamerkr · 02/11/2023 12:02

APurpleSquirrel · 02/11/2023 11:11

Is he still eating food during the day?

Yes, he’s eating as normal

OP posts:

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Original poster
dreamerkr · 02/11/2023 12:38

I just had an appointment with my gp to get antibiotics as I have mastitis, they checked DS too and he has an ear infection. Could this be why he’s biting me and not feeding?

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 02/11/2023 16:41

Possibly. He'll be in some discomfort & sucking may make it worse.
If he's eating food normally, I wouldn't worry too much about him missing some feeds. It might also be why he's been so unsettled at night.
I really feel for you - mastitis is awful.

Original poster
dreamerkr · 02/11/2023 17:18

APurpleSquirrel · 02/11/2023 16:41

Possibly. He'll be in some discomfort & sucking may make it worse.
If he's eating food normally, I wouldn't worry too much about him missing some feeds. It might also be why he's been so unsettled at night.
I really feel for you - mastitis is awful.

Thank you so much. I’m just so worried and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I should stop breastfeeding if he doesn’t want it anymore, or if I should somehow continue. I don’t want to stop just yet tbh, but I don’t know what to do. I feel so helpless. Every time I pick him up and try to feed him, he arches his back and starts crying and he moves his face away 🥺

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APurpleSquirrel · 02/11/2023 18:06

If you think you don't want to stop breastfeeding yet & that he may come back to it soon (maybe once he's over his ear infection) the best thing would be to express milk to maintain your supply.
You can attempt to give him the expressed milk as a drink or mixed into food (cereal etc) so he is still getting some.
Your supply may dip if he's not feeding, as you probably won't be able to express as much as he can feed.

Original poster
dreamerkr · 02/11/2023 19:20

APurpleSquirrel · 02/11/2023 18:06

If you think you don't want to stop breastfeeding yet & that he may come back to it soon (maybe once he's over his ear infection) the best thing would be to express milk to maintain your supply.
You can attempt to give him the expressed milk as a drink or mixed into food (cereal etc) so he is still getting some.
Your supply may dip if he's not feeding, as you probably won't be able to express as much as he can feed.

Thank you so much

OP posts:
Original poster
dreamerkr · 02/11/2023 20:14

He wanted to feed it seems, he was getting really irritated but I’m so scared 🥺 I want him to feed but I know that he’s going to bite me again. I don’t know what to do

OP posts:
Moonshine160 · 02/11/2023 20:26

@dreamerkr if he’s got an ear infection it might be hurting him to swallow so he’s struggling to feed. When my DS is teething he also clamps down rather than sucking. I put anbesol liquid on his gums before a feed when he’s like this and that helps him

SingaSongToMe · 02/11/2023 20:34

If it might be an ear infection, maybe it’s hurting him to lie down - could you try seeing if he will feed sitting up on your lap? Might help slightly with the ear pain? I know the pain of the biting as both my DC have done the same so I really feel for you - also I’d do as others have said and give calpol or nurofen regularly and ideally maybe 20 mins before bed / feed so it has time to kick in. Good luck x

Original poster
dreamerkr · 03/11/2023 09:41

Thank you so much. I did manage to feed him twice in the middle of the night but that’s when he was asleep and he slept well. However, when I tried again after he woke up he again bit me hard

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Superscientist · 03/11/2023 11:15

I had to stop breastfeeding at 10 months for health reasons. Prior to this my daughter fed to sleep only and only I could comfort her and she woke for a feed up to 5 times a night
We had to go cold turkey as I was in hospital to be put on new medication and my daughter was home with my partner.
He had her for 3 days on his own and had to figure something out. He found pacing around with her in a sling. It took a while for her to get used to going to sleep with the bottle and the sling or just cuddles and my partner took the lead on bedtime for about 3 months. Then we did a mix and by 18 months she was back by pretty my much only settling with mummy cuddles.

If you were able to get him to be sleepy before he fed do you think he would be less likely to bite?

Lndnew · 03/11/2023 11:23

I've had periods of this with my 1 year old when he's unwell as well. He also still feeds to sleep. Please don't worry it's always passed. Just take him off when he bites and try and feed him when he's sleepy / asleep. Also pump the missed feeds to avoid mastitis. I've been through it a few times and it's always passed after a few days (despite my massively stressing at the time)!

Original poster
dreamerkr · 03/11/2023 11:55

Thank you so much guys ☺️

DS does want to feed which he makes clear as he’s so irritated and he keeps pulling my top up too. 2 days ago he was feeding and he bit me, it took me by surprise and hurt badly so I helped out in pain. He got scared and I’m guessing this is why he’s not feeding now when awake. That and also his ear infection 🥺

I fed him just now too while he’s taking a nap in my lap. He fed properly from one side but when I changed sides, he started to feed but started crying in pain and bit me hard. It must be his ear, and also his molars are coming out 😫

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 03/11/2023 14:46

Could you try expressing some milk & feeding him it in a bottle when he's sleepy/sleeping? To give your breasts a break whilst he's poorly?

Original poster
dreamerkr · 03/11/2023 15:39

APurpleSquirrel · 03/11/2023 14:46

Could you try expressing some milk & feeding him it in a bottle when he's sleepy/sleeping? To give your breasts a break whilst he's poorly?

I am expressing but he doesn’t drink the milk from a bottle or a cup. I do try to feed him when he’s asleep though, sometimes he does 🥺

OP posts:
CPHB2021 · 31/08/2025 20:32

Hi @dreamerkrim battling this exact scenario with my son, but we’re on holiday. I’ve been in tears as it’s SO sore. How did this end for you?! Did you eventually manage to feed normally again? I know this is an old thread, but I’m so desperate!

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