Teeth & Breastfeeding OUCH -Need Help Please!

I went through a milder version of what you describe. When my son got a lot of teeth in (8) he started biting me and thought it was funny. A friend suggested I gently thump his cheek to stop him and then pull him off with a firm (but loving) "NO". It worked! Give it a try and see what happens. I tried it for 2 days before he got the message though.

L.,

It takes a couple of days when they get new teeth for them to adjust to the feel of the teeth in their mouth. Hang in there, it will get better. I breastfed my first until he was 23 months and my second to 17 months. It will get better.

:-)T.

Why endure the pain? If you want to continue using breast mill get a pump and put the milk in a clean bottle and feed the little one holding the little one in your arms hope this will work for you 85 year old mothe of 4 grandma of 7 A. of no. Hills

My DD liked to chew a little bit at first, too. Actually, truth be told, it's not so much that they're chewing, it's that their latch is changing with the new teeth. What I did was we just worked together to make sure she was getting a really good latch. I would have her open WIIIIDE to make sure she was getting enough boobie in her mouth. I was sore for about a week, but once I really started working with her on her latch, the pain passed. When she get's new teeth now, we practice getting a really good latch to make sure it won't hurt.

She's almost 18 months now with 14 teeth and still nursing 5-8 times/day. Growing teeth doesn't mean you need to stop nursing. You just need to work on making sure she know how to latch on again with all that stuff in her mouth!

I had the same problem when I was breastfeeeding my daughter. OUCH is right!!! The only encouragment I can give is that your breasts will build up a tolerance over time... and your daughter will learn not to bite. Also, when my daughter bit me I would say "ouch no biting that hurts mommy" sometimes with tears because it was so bad... and she learned not to bite (eventually). it gets better I promise... I guess your little one just needs to learn how to use her teeth... and when not too (o:

They should not be using teeth to suck. Just like we don't use teeth to drink out of a water bottle... Readjust the latch until it's right, you don't want them to get in a 'bad' pattern. Find a Le Leche League group nearby through the internet or go to your hospital's lactation nurse. My son is 2 and we're still nursing, no problems. I will say though that when they're actually teething, for a day or two the suction does hurt their sinuses... so they latch differently, but it shouldn't be for long. GREAT job breastfeeidng, keep it up!! I admire you allowing your child to self wean, SOOOO much better for their attachement, bonding, health.......................

Hi L.,
Yes, they can learn not to bite, although it doesn't sound like your little one is actually biting. However, if she does any gnawing or biting, unlatch her and give her a stern "no". After a few seconds latch again and feed. Be consistent and soon you should get some results. We had few difficulties and a couple of, "Oops Mom I forgot" incidents and then we were on a role.

Good luck...don't stop :)

Hi L.,
Yes, those top teeth are uncomfortable. Try rotating positions to relieve the discomfort. It does get better though. I am pregnat and my skin is sensitive again and those top teeth are uncomfortable the first few minutes. I just cannot imagine giving up nursing her yet, it is such a beautiful bonding time as you say. I think it is well worth it.
Try rubbing some hylands teething gel around her top teeth and gums and see if that helps. Also, letting her know to be gentle with the latch, but it may take a while for her to understand. It does get better and your skin will aclamate.
Best of luck.
E.

I read a few responses and it seems that everyone is under the impression she's biting you. Somehow I'm doubting that's the case! You did say it's tolerable, and biting certainly is NOT tolerable.

My guess is that her teeth are simply rubbing on your nipple/areola too much and making things sore.

I went through this with my older girl (and am bound to go through it with my younger one too since she's even more of a booby hound than my first!). The only thing you really can do is adjust her latch. She'll have to learn to open up a little more so her teeth aren't touching you continuously. It can be done! Otherwise we would've evolved to get teeth much later than children are meant to breastfeed.

I know it can be done because I, like MANY moms, am still breastfeeding my 2-year-old (What's really fun is if you find yourself PREGNANT and breastfeeding a mouthful of teeth! Nipples get sore without provocation, and here's constant aggravation!). She has a set of 14 teeth. I think once they get a few more teeth it may get easier for them too, because they get used to opening their mouths more to accommodate for the teeth.

As for the bottle... that could be confusing her more! She's allowed to bite on the bottle and she isn't hurting anyone if she's closing too much on it.

Another hint for adjusting the latch: change the angle at which she sucks. I did this with my daughter, bringing her chin in a little more. You may need to play around with it a bit. It's just like when you begin BFing: there's a learning curve and you just have to figure out what works. Maybe talk with a lactation consultant briefly or contact La Leche League for a few more hints.

No need to give up what nature intended for you!

I had the same issue when my daughter was 10 months old. I talked to my lactation consultant who told me to detach her and give her a stern "no" whenever she bit while nursing. I was ready to give breastfeeding up, but taking the advice of my LC ended the problem in a little more than a day.

Good for you! (on the breastfeeding -- not on the biting!)
Everyone else is right that teeth do not equal weaning. I have four kids, last two twins, and all nursed around 2 years (I know that sounds so wierd to those of you nursing an infant; it did to me, but before you know it, your "baby" is 2 and only eating grapes or mac-n-cheese & needs the boost and nurturing of breast milk)
But I digress :)
The only thing I'd say different to the other posters is that your reaction should be completely devoid of emotion. Biting is natural for them, and a yelp or giggle or scolding are either going to be viewed as entertaining or scary. Tell your daughter calmly before you nurse that biting hurts, and if she bites, she can't nurse (it's also not an effective latch, as others have pointed out.
When the bite happens (sometimes they do this when drifting off to sleep -- yikes, that's the worst!), use your little finger to immediately break the latch and say, "If you bite, we don't nurse" and just wait. Keep your voice and face neutral, and if you're consistent, she'll get it.
This is really the beginning of gentle discipline -- even if she's hungry, she can't hurt another person to get what she wants.
You may want to check out, "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler" -- it covers a lot of older baby nursing issues.

Hi L., the only advice I can give you, is she's 10 months old put her on a sippy cup. J. L.

I too had this problem with both my children. I did the same thing Sheila F. said to do. Pull her in. She will have to let go in order to breathe. (It will hurt you for a second, but after a couple times, will get the hang of it).
I breastfed my daughter for two years, and my son for 21 months.

Both of my sons went through a biting phase. Yeoch! They just need to be trained not to hurt mommy.

When she hurts you, first pull her into your breast. To breathe she'll have to let go. Then hold her her up, say firmly but not loud: "No bite" and put her gently on the floor. A few seconds is enough time -- she won't like it and you can pick her up immediately.

Put her back on the breast. If she bites again, go through the above routine again, but don't try to latch her again for a while -- she's probably teething and doesn't want to eat right now anyway.

You need to do this every time she hurts you. You might also say "No bite, that hurts mommy." It will come in handy later when she start something else that hurts (and she will) to have this conditioning.

It took about a week to train each of my sons not to bite.

Good luck!

Hello, don't stop, it can be worked on! I nursed my daughter for 21 months. When her teeth came in, we had a few biting/gnawing occurences. I would just pull her away immediately, give a stern "No" and re-position. I think my yelps would scare her a bit, too. Believe me, she figured it out and it stopped quickly :) Good luck!

It will pass. You can pump and give her bottle feeds for a break. Also, treat your nipples like you did in the beginning when it was painful & slather them with nipple cream in-between feedings. I really love this product:

http://www.motherlove.com/product_nipple_cream.php

Also, pull her in closer to the breast so she is not able to use her teeth.

You will make it through and love yourself for meeting this challenge. My daughter is 18 months and we still have a beautiful nursing relationship & she is thriving and so healthy. Best of luck to you both!

Hi there! I tried telling my daughter @ about 9 months firmly, "No! We do not bite. That hurts mama." I was consistent, but I really don't think she understood it. She would quit for a little bit. Then, I read on mamasource from a post that if you push your breast further into their mouth it relieves the pressure from your breast and they gasp a little bit for air. They then learn that when they bite, they become short of breath. That seemed to do the trick for us!

Also, my little gals seemed to go through phases where she would bite a lot for a day or two & then it would be another few weeks or a month before she would bite again. It was definitely something that comes and goes. She's now 17 months, still getting in teeth- her molars & I am so grateful to be able to comfort her on the occasional rough night of teething as she gets in her molars!

I also talked to my lactation consultant and they told me to try saying "ouch, biting hurts!" and look baby right in the eye so they understand you are serious. Also to unlatch them and relatch so they can try again. If you only say "no" they don't understand what they have done wrong. But "Ouch, biting hurts" gives them some information and guidlines. As mine got older I followed with "we only bite food" this part really helped as he got to me a toddler and biting was going around preschool which is common but we never experienced it (thank goodness) because he had learned what to bite.

Hope that helps & good luck.

L.,
I went through this exact thing. I was also worried, because my little one has never taken a bottle...what to do if he wasn't breastfeeding...and not yet really taken to a sippy? When he really hurt me, I would gasp and pretend cry a little (maybe not completely pretend :0) and he somehow learned to nurse without hurting me...or maybe my nipples adjusted...whatever happened it passed...and now he has 6 teeth, 4 on bottom and 2 on top...and we are happily nursing comfortably for us both...Good luck!