Biting!!! (Also in BID09)

pumpkino · Sep 20, 2010 12:53AM

Hi girls

Haven't been in BFing for ages but hope everyone is doing well.

Last night I had my first bite!! Toby has only just got his first tooth coming through, at 8.5 months. To think I was fretting about him being a late teether - now I realise how lucky I was. When I went to give him his bedtime feed he deliberately (I swear) took my nipple in his mouth, pulled and bit down as hard as he could. I actually screamed in pain!! I pulled him off, said NO really loudly and tried again, and he did exactly the same thing again! So again I pulled him off and said NO, before switching sides - and he bit me on that side too!

So I decided he wasn't hungry and put him to bed (he had had his previous feed at 5pm rather than the usual 4pm and it was pretty clear he wasn't hungry!). We were out last night so MIL gave him a bottle when he woke up at about 8:30 - I had one ready as I figured he would be hungry while we were out after going to bed without milk!

I was dreading the morning feed today but it was fine - obviously if he's hungry it doesn't occur to him to bite me, lol!

Has anyone else been through this - please tell me it's a phase?!?!? It hurt so much but I don't want to give up BFing

Thanks!!
C

Ems101 · Sep 19, 2010 3:18PM

hi ya. This is pretty common, and although my little one doesnt bite my breast, she went through a phase of biting me everwhere else. This is painful but normal. Their teeth cause them pain, but they are also empowered by them and biting is a way of figureing out what they are for. I just removed her from me, and said as calmly as i could that we do not bite, and shook my head as if to say 'no biting'. I think sometimes the big dramatic reaction (I know sometimes you cant help it!!) can excite them and then encourage it!

It is a phase, you will get though it. I would just remove him from your breast and set him down somewhere and say no biting. if he asks for milk give him, but repeat if he bites again. Remember he isnt rerally in control of his emotions, you need to regulate for him. He may be feeling very sore from his teeth and not sure what/who is hurting him. It might be a way of showing anger to you, or just trying out what they do. My LO mostly did it at night when she didnt want to be put to bed - v cross!!

Keep doing that until he gets the message.

Good luck!

Em x

goonie_mummy · Sep 20, 2010 12:53AM

Ouch, I can totally sympathise with this. My ds got his two bottom teeth just before he turned 6 months and went through a biting phase. I was told not to scream or get cross but found it virtually impossible as it used to be agony. He did learn very quickly though as I kept taking him off the breast. He's now 16 months and has 16 teeth and I'm still breastfeeding so it does get better, I promise! x

Biting!!! (Also in BID09)

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