Name: Jess
Problem: My 5 month old daughter just got her 2 bottom teeth in. The problem I have is that she is starting to bite me during breast feeding. I don't know how to discourage her from biting me. Any suggestions?
Solution posted by Michelle from Baltimore, MD: Hang in there! My son was a very stubborn biter, but he got the message. Consistency is important, and understanding. Teething is so painful and they'll bite down on whatever feels good. It was well worth the few weeks of discomfort for us. My son is 15 mos., has 12 teeth (and 4 on the way) and is still nursing. Good luck!
Another solution posted by "Momof3boyz" from Salem, IN: I agree with the other mothers who say to take the baby off the breast and tell baby "no biting." I have breastfeed my two older sons and I am still breastfeeding my 10 month old son. All three have tried out their new teeth on me while nursing and it is uncomfortable, however, the benefits far outweigh the few moments of pain experienced while providing your baby with the best thing you can health wise! Provide baby with plenty of teething rings and toys he can bite on 'til his hearts content.
Another solution posted by "Cathy": Please do not be discouraged with your baby who is teething and biting you while nursing. I have nursed three babies until after they had teeth. Those few little nips can be really uncomfortable, however the long term benefits to your baby's health and emotional growth far outweigh that. As soon as you feel the baby "clamp" down a little, firmly say no and immediately take him off the breast. Say "No" again and then let him suck in a moment. This has worked very well for me and we have continued for several more months. Try to remember that teething is very painful and that nipple just feels so good to bite on!! Good luck!
Another Solution posted by "Jeannine": Do not give up! My son got his first teeth at 3 months. He tried experimenting with biting down while he nursed. I tried several different methods of stopping him from doing this. 1) They usually seem to bite at the end of the nursing. As soon as your baby seems to be finished, take him off (i.e. put your finger in to break the suction) right away. Don't let him play with your nipple. 2) If he bites before then, show him that it hurts and say "no." 3) If he does bite down, and you can't get him to stop, squeeze his nose -- he'll need to take a breath at some point, and will let go. After using these techniques, I found that my son got the message and stopped biting. There is no reason to stop nursing simply because the baby gets his teeth. I know I'm in the minority, however I continued to nurse both my children well after they started getting teeth. You need to decide when it's best for both you and your baby to wean, just getting teeth shouldn't mean the end of nursing. Good luck!
Another Solution posted by "Pasco": Stopping your 5mo old from biting during nursing is simple: Just remove the child from the breast and say "No Biting." After a few times, they get the picture (I am nursing a 10mo old). After a few seconds I pick my son back up and resume nursing if he is still hungry. This method has worked very well for me. I know that I needed some encouragement to resist the social pressure to wean "at teeth" so I wanted you to know that there is an answer.
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