How to Stop My Baby from Biting Me While Breast-feeding

I think what you are already doing works best. If she bites, remove her and end the feeding. She'll get the point. I've breastfed my three kids for at least 18 months and all have bit a handful of times. I would take them off and say "no biting" and wait a few minutes to continue feeding- they got the point after a few times.

You are doing the right thing, taking her off the breast... you could even say NO is a stern voice. this is a phase and it WILL pass. My little girl used to bite me too from time to time, but she's just testing out those new little teeth. Don't give up on breastfeeding....just be consistent, it will pass. I also found too, that she bit me the most when she wasn't hungry. I was trying to feed her because it was time (according to the clock) but apparently she was ready to drop a feeding or was already full.

I have nursed my three children until they were over fourteen months old. My daughter was the only one that bit me. For her, when she would bite, I always would remove her and resume feeding after a min or two. This worked for about a week, then she began to realize that she was still getting fed. I began to keep a cup of ice beside the chair that I nursed her in. I would remove her socks when I fed her and when she bit me, I would hold an ice cube to her feet. I know...mean Mom, but it worked! She was about 10 or 11 months old when she began to bite. She hated the cold, and this did the trick for us. After a day of "ice therapy," she never bit me again. I wish you the best of luck with your little one. Have a great summer!!!

R., you may want to go a year with the breastfeeding but it may time to get started now with the weaning. The tension it is creating between you and your daughter is not worth it. What is 3 months? It won't make or break your child's health. Slide that bottle in with a Nup nipple and enjoy each other. You don't want her to become orally anxious and create thumbsucking, pacifier dependence and other oral fixations because of the tension od painful breast feeding and your personal agenda to breast feed for a year. J. G.

Good advice so far. Just to add a little bit, I used to keep my finger right by the back of my sons gum so when he started to bite down I would put my finger between the gums and the teeth couldn't bite down on me. Also, they usually bite when you are out of milk, so try switching sides sooner than usual.

I have nursed four children and at some point they all bit me. After a few times of taking them off the breast and not giving it back for a little while made them stop. Just be patient. I know it is painful but, hopefully she won't do it too many more times. Good luck!

When my daughter started doing that I would flick her cheek and say no and she would cry some but still bite so a friend told me to try pulling her hair and that worked like magic she didn't like it obviously when I did it but I only had to do it like 3 times and she got the point. I know this sounds kinda harsh but she has to learn not to bite! : ) I know it hurts. I hope this helps!

Oh, I like the suggestions about the "ice therapy". I might have to borrow that next round. I am still breastfeeding 23-month-old twins. My son went through a definite stage of testing those teeth right around 9 months. I was afraid that I might have to wean him then, but we worked through it after about a week and, obviously, we have had no issues with biting since. One thing that really worked for me was pushing his face really close to the breast when he bit so he had to release his grip to breathe. This works pretty well, too. Good luck and hang in there!

I was a pediatric nurse before becoming a sahm. I breast fed both boys, the second until he was 11 months old. What I've found works best without startling them is as soon as you feel her start to bite pull her towards you (gently) against your breast and softly say no. By pulling her to your breast you're squishing her nose thereby making her open her mouth. A couple times of that and she'll realize it isn't beneficial.

I say keep up taking her off for a few times and give her a chance to understand the point your trying to get across before giving up on it.If that still does not work then I suggest trying (forgive me for not knowing the correct term for this) but why not try one of those plastic nipples that fit over yours while nursing? I recieved one from a nurse while I was in the hospital with my first and she said it just fits right over to help mothers who don't have a very large nipple to breastfeed but I imagine if your baby takes to it then maybe it will atleast protect you from the bite.

I nursed both of mine, my son until he was 15 months and my daughter until she was 22 months. They only bit me once each. I had read that if they do this to gently tug a strand of their hair without them acknowledging that you are doing it. They will stop for a moment and begin to nurse again. If they bite again, gently tug again. Of course, be sure to tug WHILE they are biting. Some people may think that is mean, but you aren't pulling their hair out or anything, just causing enough discomfort to where they associate biting with the discomfort. Mine quickly realized that when they would bite while nursing it caused discomfort on their head and they stopped with out crying or getting upset, and it never happened again. Of course, if your darling is bald, then you will have to be a little more creative! Anyway, I hope this helps!

Beautiful beginning. You are on the right track and this doesn't last long if you keep up the good work with responding the right way. I would take what you did and tweak it: When bit, loudly say "Ow! That hurts!" Do more than just stop for the moment. ALL of the nice parts about breastfeeding are over -- the cuddling, the nourishment, the entire experience. Put her down and go tend to your "wound" and do dishes or something else that is not attention for you baby for about 10 minutes or so. If she's still acting hungry, ask, "Do we want to try again? Remember, NO BITING" and bring back the whole nursing experience.

If you get to the point that you have actual wounds, you do need to tend to those. Antibiotic ointment to keep from getting infected. And nipple shields are available at various locations such as the lactation consultants at hospitals and (probably) places like Babies R Us.

R.,
You did absolutely the right thing. She will no doubt do it again- the teeth are new to her, too, and she may not be sure what to do with them yet. However, if you consistently do something to let her know biting you is not OK, she will get the message. My oldest child bit me a few times, and so did my youngest. The clearest message for them was to be removed. When this didn't work, I would flick them lightly on the mouth and tell them they were hurting Mommy, not so much to hurt but to let them know that they were doing something that hurt me.

Good luck!
R.

You did the right thing - taking her off the breast for a while. You might say something like "no biting mommy" or "that hurts!". She will stop soon - it does take a few times of being taken off the breast before she will figure out that the biting equals no more nursing. I know it's painful, but it will pass quickly as long as you're consistent in your response. Best of luck!

Hi R.,
I just wanted to encourage you! Your getting some good advice and some not so good. Remember you are her mommy and you make the best choices for her. Exclusively breast feeding a baby for the first year is WONDERFUL! Dont let anyone change your mind on that. She is getting what she needs from you as long as you have a healthy and full diet, make sure your taking a good, whole food vitamin. Natures Source is great (found at health food stores). Keep up the good work! I had to stop BF at 9 months, I wish I could have went the full year. It likely does make a difference because even though most antiboites stop at 6 months, it is still the BEST food she could be getting right now. Enjoy your time and be proud for giving your daughter the best! Good luck!

All babies will bite at some point. Mine did and I reacted the same way you did, and my daughter started crying too!!! You did the right thing. If she bites you again take her off and tell her No, don't do that. My Dr. told me that if she is actively nursing, she CAN"T bite you. She might be finished and is just playing around with your nipple. So you can stop at that point. If you put her back on and she bites you again right after you said No, then don't put her back on again, until her next feeding. You are not a chew toy.

Hi R.!

When you say exclusively breast fed I'm assuming you mean no bottles or sippy cups but she's getting chewable food. I don't mean to sound ridiculous but that's the first thought I had-- just in case-- she needs to be eating solid food as well. I hope I just misunderstood. Exclusive can go both ways. I hope you get the biting resolved! R.

I clearly remember both of my girls going through that phase...it wasn't a fun one! I read to push your baby's face into your breast so their nose is smooshed, and they can't breath unless they let go with their mouth. No yelping (as hard as that is!!!) or other dramatic comments, b/c some babies learn that biting causes mommy to put on an interesting show! The momentary smooshing worked just great for us! They liked to breath, so they quit biting. Also, offer some good teething items. I would dampen a wash cloth and stick it in the freezer. Then they could teethe on a nice cold cloth and not use me as a teether. Good luck!

If she takes a pacifier, she may be biting it too, so take it away. She may think your nipple is just like the passy and she never gets that reaction from her passy. You may want to take her off when she bites and say "no" very sternly and then put her back on. Both of my boys got teeth very early (3 and 4 months old) when they bit, that is what I did and it stopped. I nursed them both a year.