8 Month Old Biting While Nursing - Columbia,SC

Enfamil Lipil w/Iron works really well for us-all the Enfamil's are about the same-they market certain ones for "spit-up babies" and have a soy formula, too, but my daughter can take them all. It's best to stick to one, though, and I'd recommend the Lipil w/Iron.

Hello, I just wanted to add my advise. I breast fed twins and when I stopped I used Enfamil Iron with Lipil and it is great doesn't smell bad and doesn't stain clothes which I was very funny about but the best and most important thing it is the most like breast milk. My babies did great with it and I loved it. Good luck with which ever you decide to use.

I highly doubt that you have supply problems if you've been successfully nursing for over 8 months. What you express is no indication of supply. Pumps try to simulate baby suckling, but many women don't respond that well.

As for the biting, if she is biting, she's not nursing. It is physically impossible to bite and nurse at the same time since her tongue has to be wrapped around your nipple. When she does, just unlatch her. Try not to yell or react. That could make the problem worse. Eventually she'll learn that if she wants the breast, she can't bite.

I promise, it doesn't last forever. My son bit for a small time too. I noticed it was mainly when he was nervous. Other than the occasional slip up here and there, he's still happily nursing and knows not to bite me.

Carnation Good Start

they all bite! LOL i found that when my son starting gnawing down i would remove him from the breast and stop nursing for a while. i would wait about 10 minutes and start over.....if he bit again i repeated the process. amazingly he got the message! after a few times of that the struggle was over....simply state "no biting, it hurts"...they understand......if you are ready to wing go ahead, but if you want to continue......go for it. good luck to you both!

Please don't give up! You've done a great job making it this far to give up. When she bites you take her off the breast and say a big stern "NO!" and not let her go back to the breast for 10 minutes. She will come to associate biting with an end to the good stuff and not do it anymore. Also, babies tend to bite when they are bored and pretty much done anyway, don't want a feeding in the first place, or are trying to get your attention. Just as in the beginning, watch for her cues that indicate that she's done. I hope this is a help to you. No formula is even close to breastmilk, no matter what the labels say. With your milk you are still providing your daughter with nutrients she will get nowhere else and antibodies to boost her still immature immune system. Keep up the good work and don't give up on giving your daughter the very best.

I started to have the same problem with my son... he was starting to teeth and would bite and shake his head... I finally had enough. I use Emfamil Iron with Lipil. Both of my children used the same stuff with no problems. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

You do not have to give up nursing. You've made it this far, don't throw in the towel now. When your child starts to bite, let out an ouch. She will get the idea that she is not suppose to bite mommy after a few stern "ouches". Good luck and keep up the good work!!

This is the thing with nursing: you can never tell how much the baby is getting!! Personally, when my son started his formula (much sooner than yours because my milk ran out when he was 3 months old), he had problems with lactose intolerance.
I remember that he threw up the first (and only) bottle that he ever drank for several hours...it was terrible! I didn't wait another day and I went to the Pediatrician. She told me he was probably intolerant at the protein of the cow's milk (which is used in formulas) and she suggested Soy based milk (Similac Isomil Advance). It worked really well for a long time but it got him constipated, at one point (Soy will do that), so she suggested Similac Alimentum Advance (we are stil using it), it's been wonderful eversince.
Try it, I hope it'll work for yor little son too.

Good Luck

I can kinda feel your pain!! When my son was 3 months old I kept getting a plugged duct in one nipple and I swear he knew it too! He would clamp down and pull on that one which would dang near send me through the roof!!! I finally had to switch him to formula cause no matter what the DR's had me try it kept coming back. But as far as you having supply problems, I wouldn't say you do this far into nursing. You won't produce as much since she is now starting to take juice and baby food. So I wouldn't worry there. But a friend of mine nursed both her kids till they were one and she said when they would start to bite that she would immediately end the meal. And then would try again later. She said after almost a week they got the hint and only did it about once a week. Biting is normal, there is something new in their mouth and they are trying to figure out what it is for!!

If you really want to put her on formula I use the Good Start Supreme (in the yellow can) for my son and my daughter used Enfamil with Iron (I think that is still yellow too!!) The only difference I noticed between my two kids is my daughter was always gassy-made a lot of stinkers and would grunt and groan when pooping. My son isn't gassy and doesn't make a lot of noise when he poops. Is it the different formulas or different kids? Don't know!

Good luck to the two of you!!

S.

Don't switch her to formula just yet - unless you want to. When she bites, instantly unlatch her, tell her no biting, put her down on the floor and walk away. It will only take a day or two to stop the habit. She is probably teething and that is why she is biting. You may need to have your pinky by her mouth ready, for the moment she starts to bite. Once she does curb the habit (she will cry and scream when you put her down), she may go through a day or two where she goes through a nursing strike. Just get her to nurse as often as possible to keep your supply up, and re-introduce her to the correct way of doing things. The whole process should only take 3-4 days. If you seem to be getting no where, then consider formula. She will still bite everyonce in awhile. But normally it will be when she is done, so be aware of this and stop her first. All you are doing is teaching her how to properly nurse now that she has teeth. Good Luck, and I promise it is well worth the challenges to be able to continue nursing.

I dont think she is being malicious about biting you. Maybe she is still teething and she is trying to get some relief. She is at her favorite spot! She wouldnt want to hurt that! I also dont think you need to go to formula. Your body will produce as much as she is needing from you. When she bites you, unlatch her and tell her "no bite, that hurts mommy!" and she will get the message. It will take a few times, if you can hang in there. Good luck!!!

my son is 9 mths old and is on solid foods as well as breastfeeding. I feed him breakfast lunch and dinner and he nurses inbetween. My ped. told me this was a great schedule and that as long as he is eating well and keeps putting on the weight that he will not nurse as much because it is not his only source of food anymore. So yes your milk supply will go down, I was told by my ped that about 4 to 5 ounces is normal. Also when my son got his teeth and would bite down I would say no and stop nursing him for about 30 sec. He did not like that and stoped the biting real fast.

hope this helps

My eldest did that, right at that age. It got to the point where I was scared to nurse her because I was afraid of the pain. A friend recommended that when she bites, to flick her on the cheek and say firmly "No." My friend warned me that my baby would definitely NOT like it. I was afraid to try it, because it sounds so mean, but as soon as she bit me, I flicked her cheek and said NO. She cried, of course, but I soothed her immediately with nursing and she NEVER bit me again.

Just wanted to pass on that you can try to start using a nipple shield to keep her from breaking skin when she bites. I used one with my second and third and I wish I'd known about them with my first (made latching on so much easier for me - like sticking a bottle in their mouth). Sometimes babies get more milk when they breastfeed than you can express manually, so that isn't always a sign they aren't getting enough. You can also do breast and bottle. My kids never had any problem going back and forth. All formulas have to meet the same minimum requirements, but not all babies can handle every kind of forumla. Best to try small containers of different kinds to see which your baby takes to best.

Hello T.,

I have a 3 month old daughter, Eryn. I work full time and nurse her at night. I use Enfamil LIPIL. Eryn seemed to eat better with this formula. Check out the website http://www.enfamil.com/app/iwp/demand/home.do.

Hope this helps!

There are a lot of things you can try before switching to formula. It sounds like she could be teething which is a common thing to happen at those times. When she bites you TRY (thats hard) not to scream or laugh because she may begin doing it to see your reaction, but do remove her from your breast and sit her up looking in her eyes make a serious and hurtful expression and tell her "NO, do not bite mommy, that hurts. NO biting." Then wait a few moments before letting her latch on.

my son went through a stage where he bit me some. he had no teeth, but it sure felt like it!! he wasn't teething, and i still don't know what made him do that, but i am certain it wasn't my milk supply. he was one of the fatest babies i have seen!! i was unsucessful at expressing milk with a breast pump, too...my sister-in-law is having the same problem with her baby girl right now (who does have teeth!) and the only advice i can give is be patient. if you do want to switch to formula, though, look for one that has dha and ara..those are brain and eye developers that are naturally ffound in breast milk!