Biting While Breastfeeding - Schenectady,NY

Updated on October 26, 2009
A.L. asks from Schenectady, NY
10 answers

My 6 month old is getting a mouth full of teeth (3 and 3 more on the way) and he has begun biting me while nursing. When my older son did this I stopped nursing but he was 10 months old when he started teething. I do not want to stop this early. Any suggestions to teach him not to bite? This morning he actually made me yell ouch!

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M.T.

answers from New York on

Hi A.,
When a baby is latched well and eating actively, they can't bite - it's like a vacuum seal. You can't teach a six month old not to bite. However, biting normally happens toward the end of the feeding, when baby isn't actively, continually eating anymore but is more playing at the breast, suck, sip, rest, rest, suck, rest, sip, rest, rest. When you see that he's not actively eating anymore, take him off the breast, end the feeding when he gets to that playing at the breast, last few lazy sips, extending the feeding stage.
Good luck

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M.F.

answers from New York on

For me and my daughter the key was that every time she would bite, I would immediately stop nursing, set her in a safe place and walk out of the room for a few seconds. She learned pretty quickly that if you bite- Mommy walks away!
Saying "No" sternly and yelling "ouch" didn't work for us- at this age my daughter just thought those were funny :)
I learned that the biting usually comes at the end of the feeding- when they are done eating for the most part and are just nursing for comfort and fun- so be extra ready to detach him when you feel is nursing start to slow done- hopefully you can prevent some bites from happening.
The good news is this is just a phase! My daughter did it for a few weeks then stopped and we ended up nursing for over 2 years!

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C.T.

answers from New York on

While I've heard boys are different (and will soon find out as the sec ond is a boy, but only 6 weeks old...), with my daughter, I sternly told her "No" and detached her. We waited a few moments and then tried to relatch. If she repeated her actions, I did the same - "No", detached, wait relatch. She was probably in the six month range. I had folks tell me she would never understand the concept of no, but ultimately, I think she understood the lack of food! lol. Either way, it worked. Just say something evenly with force and be consistent. I've heard "Ouch" works as well although that is more of a startle reflex on your part.

Good luck.
~C.

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J.H.

answers from New York on

And be sure when you take him off the breast to not yank him off (even though your first thought may be to do this) - you can really damage yourself. When he starts to bite, smush his face right into your breast. This will make him instinctively open his mouth to breathe. Then sit him up and give him a very loud and angry "NO BITES" (or whatever you want to say). He won't like being away from your nipple and will quickly learn biting is NOT the thing to do.

I nursed both my kids until about 2 yrs old, and this worked for both of them. Good luck!

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D.S.

answers from Albany on

Yelling "ouch" (very loudly) is exactly what I was going to suggest that you do! Doing that and putting him down immediatly instead of continuing his feeding one or two times should break him of that little habit! My mom told me to thump his little cheek (not too hard, of course) when my son did that to me, but I just couldn't do that! Two times of yelling really loud and putting my son down did the trick for me:)

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E.W.

answers from New York on

Fortunately, my son only bit me once or twice. The nest thing to do, is that when he bites you, immediately take your breast out of his mouth. You can say ouch (although, he probably won't understand) but he certainly will understand your breast no longer being there. Try again and if he bites again, immediately take it out. After a couple times, he should get the idea. Good luck!

C.S.

answers from New York on

Oh boy, do I remember these days. My daughter was the biter. I did as I was told, and would break her latch whenever she bit, and I ended the feeding. Her biting, got so bad, that I actually got an infection and had to be put on antibiotics! But I wasnt ready to give up nursing. I really wanted to nurse her for a year. (Ended up making it to 14 months)

My daughter, being the smart cookie she is, figured out that when SHE wanted to end the nursing session, all she had to do was bite me. And she was free to go. (She was about 8 months old at the time)

What worked for me was reducing the number of feedings. She just didnt want to nurse as much as I had been nursing her. I started nursing when she would want to. And the biting totally stopped.

Good Luck with your little man. I know the pain you are going through. Hope it gets better.

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S.T.

answers from Albany on

Oh, do I remember that with my third son. What I did was said no with a sternness in my voice and I released the nipple out of his mouth, he did it three times and that was it because he got the cause and effect. I bite, no milk and sternness in Mommy's voice. I don't believe in smacking or flicking or anything of that sort in my children's face. I understand that some people it's just reaction, but I can't do that. Just make it clear that way and they catch on quickly. Good job raising your children.

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A.G.

answers from New York on

Yelling Ouch might actually help. I also gently flicked my daughters cheek when she bit and said no biting! It worked and she nursed until 18 months old! A.

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D.R.

answers from New York on

try to be proactive. lots of times they will bite as they get sleepy, if they get frustrated, or if your hold on him slips a bit. try to see what is going on before he bites and avoid it. and in any case, when he does bite you, say NO sternly and immediately take him off. i call it their first lesson in NO. i used to take the baby off with a stern NO, and dramatically turn my back to him/her. keep a hand on his chest to keep him safe, but dont look at him, dont interact with him. if you can do it safely, say NO and place him on the floor and walk away. this works for lots of things, by the way. good job, and good luck :)

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