I am really at my wit's end with my 10 month old's nursing behaviour. It is getting so bad that I honestly just want to quit.
Biting: he's been biting me on and off for months, since the first teeth sprouted around 6 months. But, now...oh my word, it HURTS. BAD. There is no discernable trigger to this and he is completely unresponsive to my reaction. He will invariably bite me if the light is on and/or if I smile at him--it's like an invitation to play. He sometimes bites if he is done but doesn't want to just roll away. Sometimes he just bites for no apparent reason. I have tried firmly saying no and taking him off the breast. No reaction. AT ALL. I have tried pulling him in towards me and saying no. Again, no reaction (he doesn't even let go in that instance). Sometimes I yelp in pain. No reaction. Today, just now, I screamed. REALLY loud. I was really angry about it (it was like the 11th bite in a short period of time). Can you guess..no reaction.
Nipple playing: This makes me more irritated than the biting and it is CONSTANT. He honestly cannot nurse if he is not playing with the unused nipple. It hurts and it annoys me to no end. I try to keep the unused nipple covered but I swear he can find it...under my clothes, under my bra, under a bathrobe, you name he can get to it. And, he does. And, when I try to move his hand, he gets really mad and it goes right back so it ends up being a major battle. I cannot stand the nipple playing. I'd rather him bite me.
Distraction: He is SO, SO, SO distractible and has been since about 4-5 months. The only place we can successfully nurse is in the bed, in the bedroom with the lights off. No noise, no talking. I can rub his head, back or feet but no other interaction. NIP is impossible. The only way I can get him to eat in public is to go to a single user bathroom, turn off the lights and hold him while pacing or swaying (in the dark public bathroom). I have tried a nursing necklace and it makes the problem worse. I have tried giving him something else to play with and then he won't nurse because he gets so busy playing (or then starts biting).
Breast switching: He's been doing this for ages too. He constantly switches back and forth between breasts for the entire nursing session. Usually he'll spend about 5-10 seconds on one breast before switching to the other (sometimes less). The only times he doesn't do this is during the night and the first two feeds of the day (right when he wakes up and one hour later). I have tried breast compressions, but this usually makes him come off the breast quicker. I am not really convinced it's a flow problem anyway, as I can often hear him gulping and I have had trouble in the past with OALD. I try to put him back on the same breast when he comes off, which sometimes works, but often this causes a struggle and he can move himself between breasts without my help.
Strange positions: He often moves around and around and around while nursing. I don't mind this except that he is often stretching and pulling the nipple he is sucking on while he is doing it. It doesn't really hurt in the moment but my nipples are becoming pretty raw.
I'd really like any and all suggestions. I have been so committed to BFing him and have made it through a lot of early problems. I really wanted to go well beyond a year, but honestly, it something doesn't start changing I think I'm going to quit. It is not a nice experience at all and I hate that I am loosing my temper and yelled at him today. I feel like such a failure.