Author Topic: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?  (Read 1515 times)

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Offline blondie91582

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How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« on: August 24, 2012, 15:17:29 pm »
My LO is almost 5 months old & he cut his first 2 teeth about a week & a half ago. He's been chewing on our fingers & everything he can get his hands on up until they broke through the gums. Now we only let him chew on toys. He had never bit my nipple before, but he has a few times recently. He'll stop eating, pull off, space out for a minute & then when he gets back on, he either eats more, or bites down. I always say ouch & jump a little, because it hurts. He immediately stops & looks surprised/upset, but I don't think he understands that it hurts me yet.

Has anyone else had this happen? Can you give me some advice?

Offline katie80

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2012, 20:15:30 pm »
Oh, it does hurt, doesn't it?!? My DS started to do it at that age too because of teething. He did it mostly while still latched on, but sometimes after pulling off as well.  I started to watch him very closely throughout the nursing session and started to pick up the different behaviors that let me know he was likely going to bite. He'd adjust his latch a bit, obviously to pull his tongue out of the way in order to bite. And he'd come on a little differently too, and I knew a bite was coming. I always had my pinky ready and slipped it in as soon as I saw the switch, to prevent him from biting. I'd pull him off, take a little break and then start again. After a couple days of doing that really consistently, he'd stop biting. We went through this at about 5.5 mo and 7/8 mo, both times while teething. Also, keep giving the chance to chew all day long on other things like you're doing.



Offline Erin M

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2012, 00:42:25 am »
« Last Edit: August 25, 2012, 23:22:11 pm by Erin M »

Offline oneplusone

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2012, 19:29:15 pm »
When my DS got his first teeth he would bite as well. Once they actually were out of the gums he stopped biting. It was about a week though. I found with the other teeth he never did this, so hopefully it stops for you soon!
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Offline *happy*

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2012, 19:32:35 pm »
agree with Katie...if i paid close attention, i could tell when i LO was going to bite & would shift her attention or unlatch her...it would often be at the end of a feed...i also had a teether on hand to give her during the feeds when i was burping her/having a little break.HTH






Offline Fiver

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2012, 21:46:25 pm »
Other option than unlatching is spotting when he's about to do it and pulling his face in really close to your breast.  The idea being that your breast tissue covers LO's nose so they have to open their mouth and therefore unlatch themself to be able to breathe properly.
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Offline blondie91582

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2012, 21:45:06 pm »
Thanks everyone! His teeth look like they're probably about 1/3 of the way out of the gums, but he's still doing it sometimes. I've been keeping a teething toy nearby & that helps :)

Offline Erin M

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2012, 23:51:06 pm »
That's good!  :)

Offline *happy*

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2012, 07:59:01 am »
phew!!!xxx






Offline jessmum46

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Re: How to teach a teething baby not to bite while BF?
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2012, 10:17:59 am »
DD had a day of doing this a while back - each time she did it I took her straight off and put her down on my lap and said 'no'.  Then offered again, repeat as necessary.  It only lasted a day and hasn't happened again since :)  Fingers crossed your LO stops doing it soon xx