11 Month Old Pinching Me While Nursing - Help!

I don't have a solution, but I wanted to share with you that my 14-month old does the same thing! It does not matter what I am wearing. She will figure out a way to get under my clothes to pinch me. My daycare providers (her grandparents) tell me that she pinches on the arm or neck when she's about to fall asleep too. I have noticed that if she is not pinching, she will pull her hair. Maybe it's a self-soothing mechanism?

We're close to weaning, and she only nurses in the morning and at night when I come from work. I've also tried pulling her hand away and telling her that it hurts Mommy, so far no luck. No matter how short I trim her nails, those little fingers sure can pinch!

Hi E.,

My son was a pincher too and the only thing that worked for us was to take him off the breast when he did it. I would firmly say no- that hurts mama and sit him down on the floor away from me. He eventually got it and stopped pinching.Then I would put him back on and repeat if he pinched again. Good luck.

Molly

Hi E.,
I have never had this problem but one of the moms here said she gave her child something else to play with while nursing, like beads or a soft blanket. Since he is pinching, maybe something squishy to pinch like a string of foam beads? My cousin's little girl likes to pinch her nipple on the other side, just like another mom here. Someone here said that it was a good thing as it encouraged letdown. I told my cousin this and she said that she DID notice that but didn't put the two together. She now allows her to GENTLY pinch and play with her nipple but stops nursing if she gets TOO aggressive. I feel for you, those little fingers sure can pinch hard!
L.

my daughter (7 mo) does this all the time. Only she does it when she's wide awake. I've started taking her off the breast every time she does it and saying "no, that hurts mommy". I think she's starting to get it b/c my arm hasn't been pinched in a while and she only seems to go after my brest when it's time to switch sides. you my want to try swaddeling his upper body to keep those arms contained. a bath towel works really well for older babies